100 books like Flambards

By K.M. Peyton,

Here are 100 books that Flambards fans have personally recommended if you like Flambards. Shepherd is a community of 10,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man

Fiona Walker Author Of The Country Set

From my list on heart-warming and uplifting fiction about horses.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always loved horses, in real life and fiction. I guzzled up pony stories as soon as I was old enough to read, then I started writing them, tales of teenage orphans adopted by distant aunts who lived in crumbling stately piles with fields full of ponies. When I started writing fiction for a living, it stood to reason horses would feature, and three decades after one trotted into my debut novel French Relations – then galloped off into the sunset in its sequel Well Groomed - they’re still a mainstay. Of the twenty novels I’ve written, more than half have horses at their heart, including my new Comptons series. 

Fiona's book list on heart-warming and uplifting fiction about horses

Fiona Walker Why did Fiona love this book?

This first of Sassoon’s semi-biographical Sherston trilogy is a nostalgic amble along Edwardian English lanes, across its village greens, and over its hedges, tracing the early years of likeable, witty George Sherston before the Great War. It depicts a bygone era of pearl-clutching maiden aunts, rumbustious village cricket matches, and the rigours of the hunting field, in which enthusiastic recruit George is a terrific observer of the larger-than-life characters he encounters. He is winningly grateful to his horses for being so much better at it than him, from flighty first pony Sheila to trusty hunter Harkaway, and ‘bargain’ point-to-pointer Cockbird who is gifted to the cavalry at the book’s close, just as George accepts his commission to the Flintshire Fusiliers to fight in the Great War, saying farewell to his halcyon childhood. Sassoon, famous for his war poetry, is such a warm and intelligent writer that his affection for characters…

By Siegfried Sassoon,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The first volume in Siegfried Sassoon’s beloved trilogy, The Complete Memoirs of George Sherston, with a new introduction by celebrated historian Paul Fussell

A highly decorated English soldier and an acclaimed poet and novelist, Siegfried Sassoon won fame for his trilogy of fictionalized autobiographies that wonderfully capture the vanishing idylls of Edwardian England and the brutal realities of war.

In this first novel of the semiautobiographical George Sherston trilogy, Sassoon wonderfully captures the vanishing idylls of the Edwardian English countryside. Never out of print since its original publication in 1928, when it won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, Sassoon's…


Book cover of The Horse Whisperer: A Novel

Diana Kimpton Author Of There Must Be Horses

From my list on the relationship between horses and people.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been a writer for thirty years and a horse lover my entire life. When I decided to write There Must Be Horses, I set out to learn about natural horsemanship and the way horses and people relate to each other. Of course, I then needed to try out all those exciting ideas myself so I bought myself a horse to help with my research. That was my excuse anyway – in truth I was finally fulfilling my childhood dream of a pony of my own. I still have that horse and would never part with him. He’s an important part of our family. 

Diana's book list on the relationship between horses and people

Diana Kimpton Why did Diana love this book?

I read this book when it was first published, and I couldn’t put it down. The story opens with a dreadful accident where a lorry hits two girls out riding together. One girl and her horse are killed, the other girl has life-changing injuries. and her horse is so traumatised that the vet suggests putting him down. However, her mother refuses to do that. Instead, she loads the horse into a trailer and takes him and her daughter to Montana to meet a horse whisperer who she hopes can heal them all. (NB Although this story features a child, it is not a children’s book.)

By Nicholas Evans,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Horse Whisperer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The phenomenal number one bestseller, which sold over twenty million copies and was made into a classic film starring Robert Redford and Scarlett Johansson. This stunning 25th anniversary edition features exclusive new content from Nicholas Evans.

'A love story, a gripping adventure and an emotionally charged tale of redemption and human strength' Cosmopolitan

'Brilliance pervades this five-handkerchief weepie' The Times

'Wild horses couldn't drag me from this . . . a tear-jerking page-turner' Daily Mail

____________________

When Grace Maclean and her beloved horse, Pilgrim, are hit by a truck one snow-covered morning, their destinies become inextricably bound to one another.…


Book cover of Riders

Fiona Walker Author Of The Country Set

From my list on heart-warming and uplifting fiction about horses.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always loved horses, in real life and fiction. I guzzled up pony stories as soon as I was old enough to read, then I started writing them, tales of teenage orphans adopted by distant aunts who lived in crumbling stately piles with fields full of ponies. When I started writing fiction for a living, it stood to reason horses would feature, and three decades after one trotted into my debut novel French Relations – then galloped off into the sunset in its sequel Well Groomed - they’re still a mainstay. Of the twenty novels I’ve written, more than half have horses at their heart, including my new Comptons series. 

Fiona's book list on heart-warming and uplifting fiction about horses

Fiona Walker Why did Fiona love this book?

Naughty, pun-laden, wise-cracking, and wildly sexy, Riders was the first of Jilly Cooper’s ‘Rutshire Chronicles’ introducing us to the Cotswolds show-jumping set, led by the thoroughly unreconstructed Rupert Campbell-Black whose ruthless bid to win Olympic gold sweeps up all in his wake. The male characters, alternately strutting around in breeches and dinner suits and trailed by adoring Labradors and women, are all a wonderfully undomesticated pack. The feisty heroines who take them on inevitably end up swooning. It’s the horses – a brave bold and talented herd – that are by far the most noble characters and provide many genuinely moving moments. Riders is about as politically correct as a cigar in a maternity ward and unapologetically British from hunting cap to mahogany-topped boot, yet it remains the best ‘grown-up pony book’ in existence, still adored by tens of thousands of fans.

By Jilly Cooper,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Riders as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This is The Classic Bestseller. Set against the glorious Cotswold countryside and the playgrounds of the world, Jilly Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles, Riders, Rivals, Polo, The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, Appassionata and Score!, offer an intoxicating blend of skulduggery, swooning romance, sexual adventure and hilarious high jinks. Riders, the first and steamiest in the series, takes the lid off international showjumping, a sport where the brave horses are almost human, but the humans behave like animals. The brooding hero, gypsy Jake Lovell, under whose magic hands the most difficult horse or woman becomes biddable, is driven to the top by…


Book cover of The Horse Dancer

Amanda Wills Author Of The Lost Pony of Riverdale

From my list on capturing the bond between horses and people.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been mad about horses since I was tiny, and as soon as I started to read I devoured every pony book I could lay my hands on. My love of pony books led to a life-long passion for horses and I still ride every week. When I began writing fiction a decade ago, I decided to write the kind of pony books I loved reading when I was a child. Here I am, almost twenty books later, spending my days dreaming of horses, still a pony-mad girl at heart! 

Amanda's book list on capturing the bond between horses and people

Amanda Wills Why did Amanda love this book?

Jojo Moyes is better known for writing romance than pony books, but The Horse Dancer has all the ingredients for the perfect pony book: a troubled but talented teen, a beautiful horse, and a dream of being the best.

Fourteen-year-old Sarah wants to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and join Le Cadre Noir French classical riding academy, but her hopes are dashed when her beloved grandfather falls gravely ill.

Suddenly alone in the world, Sarah is taken in by lawyer Natasha and her estranged husband Mac. Unfortunately, she omits to tell them she is the owner of a thoroughbred dancing horse called Boo. 

When Sarah rashly decides to run away to France with Boo I couldn’t help rooting for the pair.

This is a story of courage and determination that had me gripped from the first page to the last.

By Jojo Moyes,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Horse Dancer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Giver of Stars, a novel about a lost girl and her horse, the enduring strength of friendship, and how even the smallest choices can change everything

When Sarah's grandfather gives her a beautiful horse named Boo-hoping that one day she'll follow in his footsteps to join an elite French riding school, away from their gritty London neighborhood-she quietly trains in city's parks and alleys. But then her grandfather falls ill, and Sarah must juggle horsemanship with school and hospital visits.

Natasha, a young lawyer, is reeling after her failed marriage: her…


Book cover of The Dressage Seat: Achieving a Beautiful, Effective Position in Every Gait and Movement

Alexandra Kurland Author Of The Click That Teaches: A Step-By-Step Guide in Pictures

From my list on training horses.

Why am I passionate about this?

In 1998 I launched the rapidly growing field of clicker training for horses with the publication of Clicker Training for Your Horse, the first reference for clicker training in the horse world. When you come across a training method that is as kind, safe, effective, and fun as clicker training, it’s not something you want to keep to yourself. Clicker training needs to be shared and that’s what I have been doing for almost thirty years. Through my books, DVDs, clinics, online courses, conference presentations, blogs, and podcasts, I have been teaching people how to clicker train their horses. Together we are changing the way horses are trained.

Alexandra's book list on training horses

Alexandra Kurland Why did Alexandra love this book?

Anja Beran again shares her love of horses by helping us ride better.  

Thoughtless riding damages horses. It breaks their bodies and their spirits. But we can ride horses into soundness. We can bring back the sparkle in their eyes even as we help heal their bodies. The Dressage Seat will help you ride effectively and support the well-being of your horse.

By Anja Beran,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Dressage Seat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With stunningly beautiful photographs and clear descriptions, classical dressage authority Anja Beran breaks down the physical requirements of the rider's seat on the horse, as well as its responsibilities during various movements-from the gaits and paces to lateral work, lead changes, piaffe, passage, and pirouettes.

Beran provides a unique perspective on the use of breath when riding, citing the recommendations of a classically-trained opera singer who regularly works with Beran and her riding students to develop their deep breathing skills. 'A relaxed seat', Beran says, 'is never possible with restricted breathing'.

In addition, she explores the need for an improved…


Book cover of New Beginnings

Deanie Humphrys-Dunne Author Of My Life at Sweetbrier: A Life Changed by Horses

From my list on encouraging children to believe in themselves.

Why am I passionate about this?

My parents encouraged me to become a children’s author when I was very young. At first, I thought that was the silliest idea ever, but I found creating stories to be fun and inspiring. I’ve been an award-winning published author since 2009, when I had an intuition to try writing stories for children. I love being a role model for children; someone who can show them that they can achieve much more than they imagine if they persevere. My personal story, My Life at Sweetbrier; A Life Changed by Horses, is a testament that remarkable things can be accomplished through perseverance. I’m honored my work has earned many literary awards. 

Deanie's book list on encouraging children to believe in themselves

Deanie Humphrys-Dunne Why did Deanie love this book?

I grew up at a riding school so I love horses and stories that would connect with young readers who are equestrian enthusiasts. The King Family are the main characters in the book. They lease a horse farm named Genesis and begin making long-range plans for their future. What happens when young Jacqui outgrows her beloved pony? How does the family rely on their faith to help them through difficult times? It’s an engaging, story that will show readers ways they may manage changes and trials in their own lives. I believe readers will relate to this story because they have faced fears as well. It may help them to read about Vicky’s trials.

By Christine Meunier,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked New Beginnings as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The King family have moved interstate to Victoria for Mr. King's job. Ten year old Jacqui King is excited that they're leasing a property where they can keep horses. She may get to learn to ride!


Book cover of Horse Sluts: The Saga of Two Women on the Trail of Their Yeehaw

Tory Bilski Author Of Wild Horses of the Summer Sun: A Memoir of Iceland

From my list on memoirs by women who love horses.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was a horse-crazy young girl whose passion for equines went dormant for 30 years. It reawakened when I turned 40, and I was again a lovelorn teenager, daydreaming about horses, plotting treks, swooning over the mere sight of an equine, even if it was online. One day in the late 90s at the dawn of the Google search engine, I happened upon a picture of a beauty, a dark horse with a thick mane blowing in the wind. It was an Icelandic horse, the photo taken on a misty green tussock in Iceland. That was it for me. I focused my equine passion (fair to call it an obsession) to that horse and that country.  

Tory's book list on memoirs by women who love horses

Tory Bilski Why did Tory love this book?

The title just made me laugh. Wade introduces herself and her co-partner in her adventures, Penelope Langley, as middle-aged women who refuse to surrender to age, and exhort themselves and others to reclaim their “yeehaw”—that feeling of freedom, wildness, that one we last had at the age of twelve. In this collection of short tales, her answer to the age-old problem of aging is a call to gallop. We follow her all very relatable equestrian pursuits through all her foibles and fun. A scene where she watches as Penelope makes friends with the most questionable character—why? because he owns horses—made me spit out my coffee. Hence the title of her book explained, they are horse sluts because they will do anything to pimp a ride.

Wade is honest about the challenges of riding as you start to get older. She is both fearful and fearless. She worries about hurting herself…

By Candace Wade, Penelope Langley,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Horse Sluts as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A swelling number of horse riders aren't nubile nymphs and don't start riding as toddlers. Horse Sluts - The Saga of Two Women on the Trail of Their Yeehaw winks at mid-life riders who relate to the feeling "when memories of who we were and what we used to do smash at our egos like bugs on a windshield." Candace Wade and Penelope Langley wrote Horse Sluts to give those riders a leg up on recapturing the yeehaw of youth. "It's how to stand up to fears, how to challenge ourselves. Horse Sluts is for women who refuse to surrender…


Book cover of The One Dollar Horse

Sydney Scrogham Author Of Chase

From my list on for horse crazy kids.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been a horse-crazy girl (going on nearly 20 years now)! Horses are excellent teachers and even better friends. They never lie, and they always treat you fairly. I’ve been teaching lessons for the past five years as a PATH Intl. certified instructor, and it’s been such a joy to share my love of horses with others. Here’s to all the great real-life horses in the world that inspire such great books.

Sydney's book list on for horse crazy kids

Sydney Scrogham Why did Sydney love this book?

I absolutely love this book even though it’s written in British English. It’s a great rags-to-riches, character-driven story that communicates the thrill of eventing. You never know what you’re going to get with horses until you’ve got it. Sometimes the one-dollar horses can be just as great as the six-figure ones. The story will stick with you long after the book is finished!

By Lauren St John,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The One Dollar Horse as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A thriller set in the equestrian world about making the impossible possible, about reaching the top on a one dollar horse. Fifteen year old Casey Blue lives in East London's grimmest tower block and volunteers at a local riding school, but her dream is to win the world's greatest Three Day Event: the Badminton Horse Trials. When she rescues a starving, half-wild horse, she's convinced that the impossible can be made possible. But she has reckoned without the consequences of her father's criminal record, or the distraction of a boy with melty, dark eyes, with whom she refuses to fall…


Book cover of Man & Horse: The Long Ride Across America

Merri Melde Author Of Soul Deep in Horses: Memoir of an Equestrian Vagabond

From my list on adventures from a traveling Endurance horse rider.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been addicted to horses for as long as I can remember – not that I'm complaining. Reading The Black Stallion books as a youngster started me down the path of a life with equines. Everything fell into place, one step after another, as I became a racetrack groom, horse photographer, writer, traveler, Endurance rider, and author. I write and photograph for numerous magazines, and I’ve authored five books and several short e-stories on horses. My long-time love was my off-the-track Thoroughbred Stormy, who lived to be 30, and I currently own Hillbillie Willie, an off-the-track Standardbred who loves Endurance riding.

Merri's book list on adventures from a traveling Endurance horse rider

Merri Melde Why did Merri love this book?

Back in the day when you could ride across the country, an inexperienced young John Egenes and his young gelding Gizmo left a broken home in California, looking toward the Atlantic Ocean. Over the seven months of their exploit, they learned to depend on each other and become true partners as they found their way eastward.

I loved this story as a journey, both as a long horseback ride and a personal journey. John has a candid and humorous way of looking at life and describing the people and adventures along the way – the good and the bad. It's an up close and personal adventure across the country, shared with man's best friend,  one that I wish I could have done.

By John Egenes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Man & Horse as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In 1974 a disillusioned young man from a broken home set out to do the impossible. With a hundred dollars in his pocket, a beat up cavalry saddle, and a faraway look in his eye, John Egenes saddled his horse Gizmo and started down the trail on an adventure across the North American continent. Their seven month journey took them across 11 states from California to Virginia, ocean to ocean.. As they left the pressing confinement of the city behind them, the pair experienced the isolation and loneliness of the southwestern deserts, the vastness of the prairie, and the great…


Book cover of Centered Riding

Alexandra Kurland Author Of The Click That Teaches: A Step-By-Step Guide in Pictures

From my list on training horses.

Why am I passionate about this?

In 1998 I launched the rapidly growing field of clicker training for horses with the publication of Clicker Training for Your Horse, the first reference for clicker training in the horse world. When you come across a training method that is as kind, safe, effective, and fun as clicker training, it’s not something you want to keep to yourself. Clicker training needs to be shared and that’s what I have been doing for almost thirty years. Through my books, DVDs, clinics, online courses, conference presentations, blogs, and podcasts, I have been teaching people how to clicker train their horses. Together we are changing the way horses are trained.

Alexandra's book list on training horses

Alexandra Kurland Why did Alexandra love this book?

Prior to Centered Riding much of how riding was taught came from the cavalry. It was get tough or get out. Sally Swift changed that with her gentle approach to riding instruction. She introduced the horse world to the Alexander technique and the use of visualization. Instead of pushing riders through their fear, she helped them connect with their horses. She is a revolutionary thinker who transformed riding instruction.   

By Sally Swift, Jean Macfarland (illustrator), Mike Noble (photographer)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Centered Riding as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Centered Riding is for those with little experience all the way up to world class. Precise illustrations and photographs never before used in riding books explain anatomy and image work to give mind and body new and relaxed approaches to the inner process of riding.

Widely known for her innovative teaching philosophy stressing body awareness, the value of "soft eyes," proper breathing, centering, and balance, Sally Swift has been a pioneering riding instructor for half a century. In book form for the first time, her methods enable horse and rider to achieve harmony, working together naturally, without pain.

Unlike traditional…


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