Influential Horse Books

I asked people what some of the most influential horse books they’d ever read were. Well, some of them surprised me. I assumed they would be books by world renown trainers. Maybe books that transformed the person’s view of the horse. Well, some are by horse trainers, some are just by horse people and some are fictional books we’ve all heard of. Apparently these books made a lasting impression, so as a book lover and horse lover I’m happy to share with you some of those top books.

I hope this helps you find your next influential and inspiring book to read. Enjoy!

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Whole Heart, Whole Horse: Building Trust Between Horse and Rider

By: Mark Rashid

This book was mentioned more than any other book. If you want to understand your horse better and build trust then this is a book for you. “If we understand that horses can’t separate the way they feel from the way they act, then we can start to see that unwanted behavior isn’t bad behavior at all. More times than not it’s just the horse expressing the way he feels at that particular moment in time.” – Mark Rashid

Horses Never Lie: The heart of passive Leadership

By: Mark Rashid

In a close second was another book by Mark Rashid. This book challenges the belief that in order to be a leader to your horse, you must be like the alpha. Instead, he encourages passive leadership- a reflection of the kind of horse other members of a herd choose to be around and to follow.

Centered Riding

By: Sally Swift

The author combines body awareness and equine anatomy to achieve improved riding and comfort for both horse and rider.

Black Beauty

By: Anna Sewell

A classic book about the life of a horse and written from the horse’s perspective. Black Beauty has been loved and cherished by many generations.

The Scorpio Races

By: Maggie Stiefvater

A fictional novel about a dangerous horse race and the first female to attempt the race.

King of the Wind

By: Marguerite Henry

A story about an Arabian horse, Sham, and his friend, a boy named Agba. Inspired by the actual horse that became the sire of the Godolphin dynasty of racehorses. Be sure to check out Marguerite Henry’s other books as well.

Complete Training of Horse and Rider

By: Alois Podhajsky

If you are familiar with the story of the white stallions from the Vienna riding school, then you’ve heard the name Colonel Podhajsky before. This book is a step-by-step approach to the same training methods used in the Vienna riding school.

Dancing with Horses

By: Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling

A book on developing trust and harmony between horses and humans through the use of an innovative visual language.

The Faraway Horses

By: Buck Brannaman

An auto-biographical book by renowned horseman Buck Brannaman. His life story and journey with horses and his successful training approach.

Chosen by a Horse

By: Susan Richards

A memoir about how a rescue horse helped heal her broken heart.

Honorable Mentions

Joey: How a Blind Rescue Horse Helped Others to See

Horse Brain, Human Brain

Sacred Spaces: Communion with Horses Through Science and Spirit

Trick Training for Horses: Fun Ways to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Horse 

Tug of War Classical Versus “Modern” Dressage: Why Classical Training Works and How Incorrect “Modern” Riding Negatively Affects Horses’ Health

There are No Problem Horses, Only Problem Riders

Conformation and Performance: A Guide to the Performance Consequences of Common Conformation Points 

How to Think Like a Horse: The Essential Handbook for Understanding Why Horses Do What They Do 

Walking with Henry: Big Lessons from a Little Donkey on Faith, Friendship, and Finding Your Path

Bill the Bastard: A story of Australia’s greatest war horse

Thanks for being here! I can’t wait to read some of these myself! If you enjoyed this post, then please consider subscribing so you stay up to date on future posts!