The Wildest Horse Race in the World

Our rating: ****½

When Uncle Marco, the umbrella man, arrives in the small town of Monticello with stories of the Palio, the great race held in Siena, Giorgio, a young boy, dreams of one day riding in that race. Life is difficult for him, and he struggles to keep his wish in sight. One day, he is chosen to care for a half-arabian mare that has been injured and he believes that this is the horse with which he can fulfill his dream.

I wasn’t expecting much, but this has to be one of the best Marguerite Henry’s that I’ve read. The plot is very interesting and the characters are well developed. I really enjoyed it. As a note, this was originally published under the title of Gaudenzia, Pride of the Palio. After I finished reading Wildest Horse Race, I worked my way through Inter-Library Loans to find Gaudenzia. Imagine my surprise on opening it and experiencing a major déjá vu!

King of the Wind

Our rating: *****

The crowds flock to see the race between Man o’ War, the great American horse, and Sir Barton, the pride of Canada. As Mr. Riddle, the owner of Man o’ War, watches, he knows that he is watching Man o’ War run his last race. Though friends want Man o’ War to run in the Newmarket race, Mr. Riddle wants to retire him in perfect condition. Man o’ War’s blood was traceable in unbroken line to the great Godolphin Arabian, Sham! It was hard to convince his friends that his plan was the right one. Often he had to go back two hundred years and tell the story of the Godolphin Arabian, who, though his pedigree was destroyed, was the King of the Wind…

I enjoyed reading this. Our copy is falling apart, but however tattered the book may be, there might be a wonderful story inside!

One Man’s Horse

Our rating: ***½

William Rysdyk is a hardworking dutchman. One day, his employer buys an old lame mare that turns out to be the granddaughter of two special horses in both his and William’s life. A year later, the mare gives birth to an over-sized colt. No one thinks the colt will amount to much, but William determines to buy the mare and her colt and prove to the world that Hambletonian is, indeed, an amazing horse.

Like most Marguerite Henry’s, this book is based off a true story. Horse lovers will delight in this tale. After the initial storyline is over, the last part of the book is information the author collected about the descendants of Hambletonian and some basic trotting races history. See our Book Tips page for pointers on how to find out of print books.

Freddy the Cowboy

Our rating: *****

Cal Flint is a cowboy, who starts a ranch near the Bean Farm. Forced to buy Cal’s horse Cy, so that Cal won’t beat Cy to death, Freddy thinks he has a bad deal. But then Cy teaches Freddy how to ride, and the fun begins! Then Cal gets mad, because Freddy can ride a horse that he couldn’t stay on. He’s out to shoot Freddy and rob the First Animal Bank, but Freddy and his friends have a few tricks up their sleeves…

While I was reading Freddy the Cowboy, I was prepared to say that it wasn’t as good as some of the others. However, when you get to the last five chapters, the books really starts to get exciting! That makes up for the slower beginning. Also a good book to read, Freddy Rides Again contains more of Freddy’s adventures as a cowboy.

White Stallion of Lipizza

Our rating: ****

Hans’ passion is the Lippizaners. He is bursting with questions about them, but how can he, a mere baker’s boy, fulfill his dream: becoming a Riding Master? With the help of Borina, the champion stallion who set the record of ten courbettes in a row, Hans sets out to make his dream come true!

A well-written book. Borina, the stallion, is one of my favorite characters! I definitely recommend this book! See our Book Tips page for pointers on how to find out of print books.