8 reading tips for the summer holidays
At the end of this week, Bavaria finally starts its summer holidays, and I've rarely been as excited about the holidays as I am this year. Even though we're not going away, I'm simply looking forward to not constantly chasing appointments, to simply wasting time without a guilty conscience, and to quietly read a book or two. I used to have a lot more time for this, and I enjoyed it so much more. As a reading tip for your summer holidays, I've listed my favorite horse novels.
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1. The smile of fortune
Rebecca Gablé's The Smile of Fortune has been with me since my school days. Perhaps this book also contributed to my own decision to study medieval history. The historical novel is set in 14th-century England. Young Robin of Waringham, who finds himself without title or possessions after his father's execution for high treason, is able to regain his reputation through his special gift and talent with horses.
How realistic it was to overcome these class barriers in the English High Middle Ages remains to be seen, but the author paints a historically accurate picture of the political and social circumstances of the time and provides wonderful insights into the relationship between a knight and his steed. If you like historical novels, the Middle Ages, and knights, this is the book for you. I'll be picking up the book again this year, even though I've probably read it ten times already!
by Franziska Stadler
Let's stick with historical novels. This time, we're going back to the Vienna Imperial era. Naturally, it's about the Lipizzaner horses, the Imperial Riding School, a young woman's love for her horse, secrets, and rebellion against convention. Vienna itself is a fascinating city, and the Imperial era is made all the more magnificent by its most famous representative, Sisi. This novel takes you back to a time so different from ours, yet barely more than 120 years ago.
A wonderful, light summer read, yet authentic and pleasantly written. And the best part: Volume 2 is scheduled for October 2024!
3. The Escape of the Trakehner
by Sibylle Luise Binder
I feel like there are hardly any other horse breeds that have as many books, films, and reports about them as there are about the Trakehner. But perhaps that's just my subjective perception, because the subject fascinates me so much and relates to my family history. "The Flight of the Trakehner" is a gripping, well-researched novel that, without resorting to clichés, explores the story of the East Prussian exodus and the great symbolism of horses for this region. I devoured it.
If you would like to read more about this topic, I also recommend
" In a Long Line Across the Lagoon " by Patricia Clough and " The Road to the West Is Far Away " by Tatjana Gräfin Dönhoff. These books are written in a more scholarly style, not novels, but they contain fascinating anecdotes, insights, and reports.
4. The painting
by Geraldine Brooks
A book I recently finished. A novel set both in the present of the 21st century and in the past, and in the USA to boot. Excitingly written, the time jumps make it varied and entertaining. An extremely good blend of American history, the history of equestrian sports, art history, and social history, peppered with many subtleties and a touch of romance. Still, it's not a women's novel!
by Ralf Dorweiler
I'm always skeptical when a man writes a woman's story. I often don't trust men to do it, but Ralf Dorweiler proves it's possible. A light, beautiful novel with unexpected twists and turns. A woman asserting herself in a man's world. A novel heroine we'd love to be in our own lives. Historical figures meet historical places, and there's a bit of fiction and horses too!
by Jessica von Bredow-Werndl
Away from the fiction and into the honest account of a world-class rider who, in my opinion, reports with complete authenticity that she too started small, that she has also experienced setbacks in her life, that success is hard work, that working with horses can be as emotionally challenging as it is fulfilling, and that the horse is always her priority. Especially with the Olympic Games in mind, this is interesting background reading, which I have already reported on in more detail HERE .
7. Do puddles eat small horses ?
by Sarah-Katrin Bourdeaux
Sometimes it's just okay to have something to laugh about. Everyday situations that we riders are all familiar with are told with humor from a horse's perspective. Entertaining, lighthearted, and also a great gift!
8. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
by Charlie Mackesy
And last but not least, something for the soul. Many people who have nothing to do with horses are now familiar with this book because it was made into a film in 2023 and even won an Oscar. In a very subtle, loving, yet powerful way, author and illustrator Charlie Mackesy gives a face to important life lessons with his painted characters. A book to reflect on and be inspired by.
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