Fantasy Horse Books Approved by the Rancher’s Daughter

Dear Reader,

As a rancher’s daughter who grew up riding and training horses, I was hard to please when it came to stories that had horses in them. Of course, being an avid fantasy reader, I didn’t really mind if the horses talked or if they were even unicorns. However, I had a hard time enjoying the story if the characters didn’t interact with their horses in a realistic way or if description of riding was off.

So, I present to you:

 Fantasy Horse Books Approved by the Rancher’s Daughter.

1) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, by J. R. R. Tolkien

I read the Lord of the Rings for the first time when I was fourteen and have read it several times since then. Of course, I was first enamored by the world and adventure that Tolkien had created, but I also appreciated his attention to horses. The story of the book does not revolve around horses, but horses are heavily included since it takes place in a medieval fantasy setting. Horses are not only included as vehicles and war beasts. They, in a way, become side characters, and Tolkien always gave them the attention these loyal steeds deserved. He even gave follow-ups on the horses if they had to be turned loose like Bill the Pony. Tolkien gets right to a horseman’s heart when he describes the Lord of Horses, Shadowfax, and he makes excellently captures the life of a horse culture when introducing the Rohirram. Tolkien also understands a horseman’s desire for his own steed when he mentions that kinsmen of one of the main characters bring him his own horse to ride as he reclaims his throne. I often wondered what led Tolkien to give this much detail to his four-legged creatures, but I think it stems from two things. He understood the importance that a loyal steed has to its owner, and I am sure his children asked what became of the sweet pony Bill.

The Starlit Prince, by C.F. E. Black

This book is for the horse girls that thought that Belle’s horse, Philipe, did not get enough attention in the Disney cartoon Beauty and the Beast. The main female character, in an effort to save her father’s reputation as a horse trainer and herself from unwanted marriage to their landlord strikes, a bargain with a cursed Fae. The bargain being she must marry him in return for a horse to replace her father’s prized racing stallion that was stolen. While the story has deep themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption, and may give you a book hangover, it is not a long, drawn-out saga. Which is why I think I found it so refreshing. It had the impact of a three-book saga, but it was neatly wrapped up into a Saturday afternoon reading. The Starlit Prince also receives the Rancher’s Daughter’s Horse Book Seal of approval because it takes a realistic approach to horses in a magical setting. Some of the horses can talk telepathically and some can spark fire from their hooves because they run so fast, but they are still horses and do not drown out the plot of the story.

If you are fantasy horse girl in need of a fantasy horse book fix you can find these books at:

The Lord of the Rings can be found anywhere books are sold or at your local library.

The Starlit Prince can be found here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCCVFGJL for an ebook or here https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-starlit-prince-c-f-e-black/1143911777?ean=9781962066013 for a physical copy. (You can also request a copy be purchased for your local library.)