Julie Reimer who frequently gets asked for books about horses in her school media center.

Blaze and Thunderbolt
written by C.W. Anderson

Billy’s horse, Blaze, goes with him for a summer vacation in the west at a ranch. The horse and boy befriend a Thunderbolt, a wild horse even the cowboys could not catch. Billy entices Thunderbolt with sugarcubes and carrots, and soon, Blaze and Thunderbolt become inseparable.

Seneca
written by Karen Lee Baker

Though she wasn’t looking for an older horse, a young girl is attracted to Seneca’s spirit and decides he is the horse for her. She describes what has to be done to care for a horse and describes the things Seneca does with her as they ride. Each evening, she bids him goodnight, knowing they will see each other early in the morning.

Fritz and the Beautiful Horses
written by Jan Brett

Unlike the tall and graceful horses allowed in the walled city, Fritz is a stocky pony, excluded from their activities. When disaster strikes, Fritz’s heroic actions save the children of the city, and his place within the walls is secured.

Stealing Thunder
written by Mary Casanova

Libby loves her neighbor, Jolene Porter’s horse, Thunder, but when she discovers maltreatment of this wonderful creature by the neighbor’s husband, she enlists her friend Griff’s help in stealing Thunder away from the awful abuse.  Drama abounds when Mr. Porter makes things difficult for the Libby.

Flip and the Cows
written by Wesley Dennis

Flip can think of nothing good about cow horns, and they are the things that scare him most about cows. When he ends up amidst a circle of curious cows – all with horns – he gets so frightened that he turns a somersault in the air, causing the cows to take flight in all directions. After that, Flip is never afraid of cows again!

The Black Stallion
written by Walter Farley

Alec Ramsey and his father travel on a ship with a wild Arabian horse, and during a storm, Alec and the horse are the only ones who survive the shipwreck. The bond between the Black and Alec strengthens, and the two are inseparable back in New York where they are groomed to race against fast horses.

Horses
written by Gail Gibbons

Learn about horse behavior, how they communicate with each other and others, different horse breeds, and their physical traits and characteristics through the text and illustrations of this informative book. Helpful nformation about how to care for horses is included.

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
written by Paul Goble

A young Navaho girl has a special understanding of horses and flees her village with them during a storm. The storm ends, and she finds herself in a new place with a beautiful spotted stallion. Though eventually reunited with her tribe, she is happy only with the wild horses. She returns for several seasons with a colt for her people but lives on in legend only.

Appaloosa Zebra: a horse lover’s alphabet
written by Jessie Haas

Each page of this book is filled with the horses a young girl wants to have living with her when she is older: Morgans, Peruvian Pasos, Shetland ponies and more. Horse terminology and words about horsemanship accompany several drawings. “More About Horses” explains facts not included on the pages of the story.

Runaway Radish
written by Jessie Haas

When Radish is a young pony, he teaches Judy, his young owner, exactly how to train him to do what she wants. When Judy grows to big for Radish, Nina takes her place and learns from him. In search of his previous owner, Radish runs away and ends up teaching many campers just how to ride and behave. His story and learning come full-circle when Judy’s daughter comes to ride him!

King of the Wind: the story of the Goldophin Arabian
written by Marguerite Henry

Mute since his birth, Agba is assigned to care for one of the Sultan’s mares and subsequently her foal, Sham. Sham has a wheat ear and a white spot on one heel, and those signs indicate evil and good. Agba raises Sham with care, and the horse is amazingly fast. When the Moroccan Sultan decides to send six horses to the King of France, the boy and horse travel together. They are never separated, and Sham becomes the start of a fast line of thoroughbreds.

Misty of the Chincoteague
written by Marguerite

Paul and Maureen Beebe want more than anything to capture the Phantom on Pony Penning Day, the day when the wild horses of Assateague are herded across the strait to Chincoteague Island where the children live with their grandparents. Astonished to find the Phantom with a foal, the children find the money to buy the mare and her filly! The children raise Misty with delight and compassion, and her offspring become the subject of future stories.

Horsefly
written by Alice Hoffman

Jewel acquires a foal to raise and discovers something amazing about Bug. He has wings! When a circus owner discovers this gift, he steals Bug, and Jewel must save not only Bug, but a herd of mistreated ponies. Fantasy overtakes reality when Jewel cannot stop Bug at the edge of a cliff, and Bug takes off.

My Pony Jack
written by Cari Meister

Lacy cares for Jack, her pony, by putting on his halter and lead ropes, currying and brushing him, and cleaning out his feet. Basic horse care is presented in rhyming text and accompanied by bright illustrations, perfect for young horse lovers to learn about simple equestrian life. Lacy and Jack’s adventures continue in My Pony Jack at Riding Lessons and My Pony Jack at the Horse Show.

Charlotte and the White Horse
written by Ruth Krauss

Charlotte persuades her father to let her nurture a wobbly colt she names Milky Way until it can stand on its own.

My Friend Flicka
written by Mary O’Hara

Ken’s parents disagree about many things, and their son, his irresponsibility, and his poor grades are the focal point of many arguments. When his mother suggests they let him have a horse to learn responsibility, he chooses a wild filly his father would never have selected. Flicka teaches Ken more than just responsibility, and his relationship with his father is changed by Ken’s growth, too.

Mrs. Mack
written by Patricia Polacco

Ten-year-old Pat wants a horse so badly, but her disappointment at being taken to Dogpatch, a poor part of town, instead of a nice riding stable, is extreme. The owner, Mrs. Mack, teaches Pat a great deal about horses, riding, and horse care, and Pat longs to ride Penny, the beautiful mare who learns to trust her. While learning about horses, Pat learns even more about relationships and people.

The Black Beauty
written by Anna Sewell

Black Beauty is born into a life of privilege and is well-cared for on a country estate. Sold into hard work as a cab horse, Beauty encounters cruel masters, tender hearts, and other dear horses. This book is available in numerous formats, making it appropriate for many levels of reading.

Gib Rides Home
written by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

When Gib Whittaker is taken from the orphanage at age ten by Mr. Thornton, he does not expect the fate that awaits him. The hired man, who cares for the horses, is familiar to him, and Gib’s own way with horses is a gift. As he discovers more about his own past and learns to work well with horses, even an especially challenging horse.

The Silver Pony: A Story in Pictures
written by Lynd Ward

Eighty illustrations make up this fantastical, wordless story about a young boy and a flying silver pony. They fly away from the boy’s family farm and witness problems in the world at large. Together, they discover ways to help others in need.