I have a lot to learn.

That’s what folks told me the one and only time I attended a CanSCAIP meeting 10 years ago. You see, they were all published sour Canadian children’s authors, and I made the mistake of being excited about writing a book.

One thing I did learn was that authors, who chose to be traditionally published, traditionally have no control over the cover of their book. It’s supposed to be a wonderful surprise the first time you see the magnificent cover especially chosen for your labour of love. Step aside kiddo, and we’ll show you how to sell horse books…

I like this one a lot.

Bloomsbury publishes the “A Circut” series for Georgina Bloomberg and Catherine Hapka. Georgina’s father is the Mayor of New York.

I’m not really certain which mistake in this picture is really her favourite. It’s kinda like one of those Pony Club, spot the danger pictures. Hint, it’s not just sitting trot in a tube top.

Jessica Burkhart’s Canterwood Crest series is really hot. She has ravenous, Justin Bieber-like fans who may now say horrible things about me all over the Internet. I’d like to beliebe that once your books are doing well, you’d eventually get some say in the cover.

Again, spot the danger folks. In this case it’s acutally much worse. Wearing a long dangly scarf, wrapping the lead around your hand and holding the horse on the other side of a stone wall, could get you killed.

The thing that bothers me the most about the Canterwood Crest covers is that all the girls are made out to look like evil, stuck up, witches. There are like 19 books, all with scarf wearing, duck faced, eleven year olds.

This one is heart-wrenching. Why on earth would the publisher pick a picture of this kid being whispered about behind her back?  This elite private equestrian school has a problem Aladdin.

I feel saddest of all for Suzanne Weyn, who was probably over the moon when Scholastic offered to publish her Wildwood Stables series.

Now, thousands of copies of these books exist all over the world. Agents and editors are soooooo concerned about a book not going out into the world until it is perfect, and then they let someone do something like this…

Take a look at this grey horse’s hips.

This one is even thinner. It makes me want to cry.

I’ve never seen horses working this thin in my whole life. Did they photoshop the grass in? I hope the money this horrible riding school made from hosting the photo shoot actually went towards buying these lovely old souls a bale of hay.

Thank goodness the Canterwood Crest horses all wear blankets.

Publishers, maybe consult with an expert or two to see if the picture is actually  safe, humane, or appropriate.

You know who would probably be a good expert to ask?

The author.