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Writing Horses: The Fine Art of Getting It Right
How far can a horse travel in a day? What does a horse eat? When is a brown horse really a sorrel (or a bay, or a dun)? What do tack and withers and canter mean?
In this long-awaited and much-requested book based on her "Horseblog" at Book View Café, author and horse breeder Judith Tarr answers these questions and many more. She looks at horses from the perspective of the writer whose book or story needs them as anything from basic transport to major plot device, and provides definitions, explanations, and links and references for further research--leavened with insight into the world of the horse and the humans who both use and serve him.
How fast can a horse run? What happens when a foal is born? How have humans and horses evolved together over the millennia? And above all, what mistakes do writers most often make when writing about horses, and how can the educated writer avoid them?
Here is a guide to the fine art of getting it right.
In this long-awaited and much-requested book based on her "Horseblog" at Book View Café, author and horse breeder Judith Tarr answers these questions and many more. She looks at horses from the perspective of the writer whose book or story needs them as anything from basic transport to major plot device, and provides definitions, explanations, and links and references for further research--leavened with insight into the world of the horse and the humans who both use and serve him.
How fast can a horse run? What happens when a foal is born? How have humans and horses evolved together over the millennia? And above all, what mistakes do writers most often make when writing about horses, and how can the educated writer avoid them?
Here is a guide to the fine art of getting it right.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2010
11 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Judith Tarr
120 books419 followersAKA Caitlin Brennan, Kathleen Bryan.
Judith Tarr (born 1955) is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University. She taught Latin and writing at Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, and taught at the Clarion science-fiction-writing workshops in 1996 and 1999.
She raises and trains Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona. The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan feature dancing horses modeled on those that she raises.
Judith Tarr (born 1955) is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University. She taught Latin and writing at Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, and taught at the Clarion science-fiction-writing workshops in 1996 and 1999.
She raises and trains Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona. The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan feature dancing horses modeled on those that she raises.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 8, 2014
I started off as highly impressed with Writing Horses, but my opinion has dwindled the longer I've worked on this review. It is an excellent resource for providing basic, factual equestrian and equine information for reference intended for writers. The writing is clear and easily read, and I particularly loved the hyperlinks embedded in the PDF that provided easy access to a lot of other helpful materials. But this is by no means a perfect book, and it's worse for being marketed as the end-all and go-to reference for basic equestrian information. While I sincerely would recommend this to any writer wishing to add equestrian verisimilitude to her writing, the overall information present in this book is uneven enough for me to knock off at least one star from my rating.
The book’s weakest point is frankly the photographs used to illustrate throughout, which were often very amateurish and obviously the product of the author’s great wealth of personal photos. This does work to her advantage in some small cases; several of the candid action shots of horses were highly illustrative and it was clear the author picked and choose from her photographs to select only the best. This does not work in her advantage when the photographs had been intended for less candid, more reference purposes, where there would have been a much greater benefit to have an image with the sort of clarity as what would have been expected when taken by a professional photographer or taken in a more formal setting. The very first photograph used in this book was a picture of one of the author’s own Lipizzans with text labels overkeyed on to the image to diagram the horse’s parts of body. White font was used indiscriminately over the dark sky background, the pale sand foreground, and the white hair on the grey horse, the latter in particular rendering the labels almost completely illegible. I understand fully that the author is proud of her horses and of her photographs, but the photograph used in the particular instance was not remotely a useful reference tool. Many other photographs were sized unusually small and placed within an area of white space that could have accommodated a photo three sizes larger. The candid shots of mounted riders were so informal as to be distracting; riders were shown in baggy and brightly colored blouses, riding shots were filled with backgrounds cluttered with obstacles and bisected trainers.
I have a big, big issue with the fact the content of this book sometimes diverged into a manual illustrating what ought to be done when training a horse or rider. This book isn't a training manual. It's a reference book. There's a beautifully photographed essay explaining the process of first putting a rider upon a young horse's back, but if a writer is intending to write rough and dirty breaking scene in an 1800s-era cowboy novel, that beautiful essay isn't going to provide much more than a contrasting idea that will be limited to staying solely in the writer's head. There's a whole multi-chapter section on modern disciplines, which is excellent, but with the enormous popularity of historical fiction in the publishing word, why is there no corollary section on historical disciplines? Where's the explanation of sidesaddle riding, a staple understanding for any horse-infused story set in the Western world between modern times and the middle ages? There's only a hyperlinked mention in a single sentence. The chapter that discusses driving — the major method of human transport before the widespread availability of automobiles — is a scant 5 pages out of a 300+ page book. Casually rereading Black Beauty would give me a better understanding on those issues than this reference. And there isn't the slightest mention of equestrian practices outside of Europe and the American continents.
Writing Horses appears to have been gathered and expanded from Tarr's personal blog, which I have never read. I can understand that in writing a personal blog, Tarr would naturally write about what she knows: in this case, about her extremely solid background in riding, training, and breeding horses for the English discipline of dressage; but I find it unforgivable that Tarr has produced a reference book on modern English-centric riding when it's specifically being marketed as an everything-you-need-to-know. Tarr should have either made it clear from the cover of this book onward that the content was modern English-centric or fleshed the book out with a bit of research on the equestrian areas she openly admits are not her forte.
In short, if you want to write a story featuring horses, this guide will generally give you the rough points to get correct. In the situations involving equine anatomy, maintenance, and physical capacities, this is top notch, and the descriptions of modern English riding are also very good. But in situations involving the basic knowledge and training of horse and rider, this guide is less ideal to a writer — particularly if that writer is preparing a setting in a non-modern time frame. Tarr has not gone into any detail at all on historic riding practices, and considering the prevalence and popularity of fiction set in historic time periods, the omission of this information is shocking.
This reference is tentatively recommended for limited or introductory use, with reservations.
My copy of this ebook was provided by the publisher through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program.
The book’s weakest point is frankly the photographs used to illustrate throughout, which were often very amateurish and obviously the product of the author’s great wealth of personal photos. This does work to her advantage in some small cases; several of the candid action shots of horses were highly illustrative and it was clear the author picked and choose from her photographs to select only the best. This does not work in her advantage when the photographs had been intended for less candid, more reference purposes, where there would have been a much greater benefit to have an image with the sort of clarity as what would have been expected when taken by a professional photographer or taken in a more formal setting. The very first photograph used in this book was a picture of one of the author’s own Lipizzans with text labels overkeyed on to the image to diagram the horse’s parts of body. White font was used indiscriminately over the dark sky background, the pale sand foreground, and the white hair on the grey horse, the latter in particular rendering the labels almost completely illegible. I understand fully that the author is proud of her horses and of her photographs, but the photograph used in the particular instance was not remotely a useful reference tool. Many other photographs were sized unusually small and placed within an area of white space that could have accommodated a photo three sizes larger. The candid shots of mounted riders were so informal as to be distracting; riders were shown in baggy and brightly colored blouses, riding shots were filled with backgrounds cluttered with obstacles and bisected trainers.
I have a big, big issue with the fact the content of this book sometimes diverged into a manual illustrating what ought to be done when training a horse or rider. This book isn't a training manual. It's a reference book. There's a beautifully photographed essay explaining the process of first putting a rider upon a young horse's back, but if a writer is intending to write rough and dirty breaking scene in an 1800s-era cowboy novel, that beautiful essay isn't going to provide much more than a contrasting idea that will be limited to staying solely in the writer's head. There's a whole multi-chapter section on modern disciplines, which is excellent, but with the enormous popularity of historical fiction in the publishing word, why is there no corollary section on historical disciplines? Where's the explanation of sidesaddle riding, a staple understanding for any horse-infused story set in the Western world between modern times and the middle ages? There's only a hyperlinked mention in a single sentence. The chapter that discusses driving — the major method of human transport before the widespread availability of automobiles — is a scant 5 pages out of a 300+ page book. Casually rereading Black Beauty would give me a better understanding on those issues than this reference. And there isn't the slightest mention of equestrian practices outside of Europe and the American continents.
Writing Horses appears to have been gathered and expanded from Tarr's personal blog, which I have never read. I can understand that in writing a personal blog, Tarr would naturally write about what she knows: in this case, about her extremely solid background in riding, training, and breeding horses for the English discipline of dressage; but I find it unforgivable that Tarr has produced a reference book on modern English-centric riding when it's specifically being marketed as an everything-you-need-to-know. Tarr should have either made it clear from the cover of this book onward that the content was modern English-centric or fleshed the book out with a bit of research on the equestrian areas she openly admits are not her forte.
In short, if you want to write a story featuring horses, this guide will generally give you the rough points to get correct. In the situations involving equine anatomy, maintenance, and physical capacities, this is top notch, and the descriptions of modern English riding are also very good. But in situations involving the basic knowledge and training of horse and rider, this guide is less ideal to a writer — particularly if that writer is preparing a setting in a non-modern time frame. Tarr has not gone into any detail at all on historic riding practices, and considering the prevalence and popularity of fiction set in historic time periods, the omission of this information is shocking.
This reference is tentatively recommended for limited or introductory use, with reservations.
My copy of this ebook was provided by the publisher through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program.
Read
April 24, 2017I've read this twice, and I find myself going back to it frequently. Though usually I do not like reading on the computer (and this is formatted for ebooks of all stripes if one prefers) the embedded URLs are crampacked with good information giving further details of every aspect of horse history, physiology, social and herd dynamics, breeding, and doctoring. There is also a chapter on magical horses and how to add realistic drama to your story with details of horse trivia.
In short, this is a book that really gains benefit from the computer/Internet connection.
In short, this is a book that really gains benefit from the computer/Internet connection.
August 22, 2011
I bought this e-book for the information and read it for the pleasure. Tarr's voice is conversational and entertaining as she breaks down the basics of horses for writers who aren't horse-savvy. Whether writing about real life breeds or making up one's own special magical horses, this book is a must have, and a bargain at only $4.99.
February 20, 2015
Judith Tarr is someone who's been on my List forever; I think the first I read by her was The Hound and the Falcon, which was an astounding and beautiful trilogy. Alamut was gorgeous too, and I wanted a sequel to A Wind in Cairo in the worst way. It was the latter especially that proved to me that Ms. Tarr knows her horses - it was the perfect fantasy + horse book.
So I was tickled to win her Writing Horses: The Fine Art of Getting It Right. This is a book by a woman whose love of horses only grew, and who knows horses through living and working with them 24-7-365, in a way I could only dream of (she breeds and works with Lipizzaners, for heaven's sake), who has been frustrated by the ignorance writers have shown in writing about horses and decided to do something about it.
Honestly I've never to the best of my memory come across anything too egregious - I've never seen a writer refer to a male mare or anything too idiotic. I am, however, made very happy when a writer, as Ms. Tarr puts it, Gets It Right. I love it when a character's horse is not referred to as "it" - especially when it's been identified as a specific gender. I love it when a writer at least names the horses that appear. If there's more than that, I'm delighted. But I am aware that it's all a mystery to most people (hence all the hairy automata transporting people in so very many books) - so this is a brilliant idea.
The book (an ebook) begins with the very basic basics: a mare is a female adult horse, bay is brown with black mane and tail and points, there are two basic modern styles of riding, and so on; it goes on to give deep and useful detail about the basics (there's no such thing as an albino horse) and some of the esoterica of breeds and disciplines. I'd say I did know about 90% of what this book explains (though not about the albinos) - but I'm a freak. For normal people who want to write anything in which a horse might come into the picture, this is incredibly valuable - I think anyone would be a fool not to use this book as backup for any mention of horses. It's wonderfully detailed, insightful, and expert - and funny and well-written. The only thing I wish it had gone into would be a little more of horse personality and communication. Horses speak with their ears: pricked sharply forward means interest, flattened back means you need to back away, slowly and without any sudden moves. Whickers and whinnies and snorts and flaring nostrils and head shakes - I think it would be equally valuable to have knowledgeable insight on all the little details of equine behavior: corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude. Other little things about riding, like how it's helpful to stand in the stirrups to ease weight off the kidneys if the horse you're riding needs to urinate. Speaking of which, some talk about the scents associated with horses - from manure to hay to the sweetness of a horse's breath - would be a nice addition. But overall, as far as it goes, Writing Horses is pretty fantastic, and a pleasure to read. And now I want to reread A Wind in Cairo.
So I was tickled to win her Writing Horses: The Fine Art of Getting It Right. This is a book by a woman whose love of horses only grew, and who knows horses through living and working with them 24-7-365, in a way I could only dream of (she breeds and works with Lipizzaners, for heaven's sake), who has been frustrated by the ignorance writers have shown in writing about horses and decided to do something about it.
Honestly I've never to the best of my memory come across anything too egregious - I've never seen a writer refer to a male mare or anything too idiotic. I am, however, made very happy when a writer, as Ms. Tarr puts it, Gets It Right. I love it when a character's horse is not referred to as "it" - especially when it's been identified as a specific gender. I love it when a writer at least names the horses that appear. If there's more than that, I'm delighted. But I am aware that it's all a mystery to most people (hence all the hairy automata transporting people in so very many books) - so this is a brilliant idea.
The book (an ebook) begins with the very basic basics: a mare is a female adult horse, bay is brown with black mane and tail and points, there are two basic modern styles of riding, and so on; it goes on to give deep and useful detail about the basics (there's no such thing as an albino horse) and some of the esoterica of breeds and disciplines. I'd say I did know about 90% of what this book explains (though not about the albinos) - but I'm a freak. For normal people who want to write anything in which a horse might come into the picture, this is incredibly valuable - I think anyone would be a fool not to use this book as backup for any mention of horses. It's wonderfully detailed, insightful, and expert - and funny and well-written. The only thing I wish it had gone into would be a little more of horse personality and communication. Horses speak with their ears: pricked sharply forward means interest, flattened back means you need to back away, slowly and without any sudden moves. Whickers and whinnies and snorts and flaring nostrils and head shakes - I think it would be equally valuable to have knowledgeable insight on all the little details of equine behavior: corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude. Other little things about riding, like how it's helpful to stand in the stirrups to ease weight off the kidneys if the horse you're riding needs to urinate. Speaking of which, some talk about the scents associated with horses - from manure to hay to the sweetness of a horse's breath - would be a nice addition. But overall, as far as it goes, Writing Horses is pretty fantastic, and a pleasure to read. And now I want to reread A Wind in Cairo.
December 31, 2010
I received this as a free ebook from the publisher as part of an Early Reviewer Program. The opinions are my own.
Written by fantasy and historical fiction author Judith Tarr (a.k.a. Caitlin Brennan and Kathleen Bryan), this is a non-fiction resource book, geared to writers who need to write about riding/driving/working with horses. Ms. Tarr is a horsewoman and does a good job of sharing the basics and giving resources for more advanced research. The book is divided into several parts covering:
I. The Basics (grooming, riding, disciplines, tack and age)
II. Form and Function (size, speed)
III. Care, Feeding and Doctoring
IV. Horse Stowage (a day in the life of a horse farm/breeding farm)
V. Baaaaaby Horses
VI. Horse Training
VII. Mind and Magic
From the Introduction "Horses are not Dogs":
"Horses have their own distinctive biology and psychology. Extrapolating from other animals, notably dogs, can lead to egregious and sometimes fatal errors.
"If you need to write about horses but have no experience of them, at the very least get a horse person to do a beta read. If you can get some experience of horses yourself, that’s even better. There’s no real substitute for actual, hands-on, on-the-hoof horse time. Even a negative reaction to the animal can enrich your writing.
"But before you call that horse expert or arrange that visit to the local barn, here’s a compendium of information that can help you figure out what questions to ask and what directions to take with your characters or plot. I’ll begin with basics—terms and concepts that horse people often take for granted—and then move on to more specialized details. Not too specialized, I promise! But enough to add that crucial bit of extra dimension to your story."
I have a little bit of horse knowledge...just enough to make me dangerous as a rider and a writer. Ms. Tarr is passionate about horses and it shows in her enthusiasm for her subject and her plea for writers to "Get it Right." She does a thorough job with the basics. Her prose is straight forward, easy to read; and, as promised, not too technical. One of the advantages of an ebook, which she uses appropriately/sparingly, is hyperlinked text. She links a more general topic, such as breeds, to more advanced or deeper articles on the web. I tended to ignore the links except for where I wanted more information or the link obviously led to a picture.
My only (minor) complaint about the book has to do with the advice to writers. In the early chapters this tended to be more in the vein of "you can see how this can be used" rather than specific dos and don'ts. But in Part VII, Ms. Tarr gets down to the writing business and makes several suggestions on how to incorporate horse information/lore into fiction. Altogether, I found this book to be useful and well organized. Now I need to go back and check on the horse passages in my WIP and make sure I "Did it Right."
Written by fantasy and historical fiction author Judith Tarr (a.k.a. Caitlin Brennan and Kathleen Bryan), this is a non-fiction resource book, geared to writers who need to write about riding/driving/working with horses. Ms. Tarr is a horsewoman and does a good job of sharing the basics and giving resources for more advanced research. The book is divided into several parts covering:
I. The Basics (grooming, riding, disciplines, tack and age)
II. Form and Function (size, speed)
III. Care, Feeding and Doctoring
IV. Horse Stowage (a day in the life of a horse farm/breeding farm)
V. Baaaaaby Horses
VI. Horse Training
VII. Mind and Magic
From the Introduction "Horses are not Dogs":
"Horses have their own distinctive biology and psychology. Extrapolating from other animals, notably dogs, can lead to egregious and sometimes fatal errors.
"If you need to write about horses but have no experience of them, at the very least get a horse person to do a beta read. If you can get some experience of horses yourself, that’s even better. There’s no real substitute for actual, hands-on, on-the-hoof horse time. Even a negative reaction to the animal can enrich your writing.
"But before you call that horse expert or arrange that visit to the local barn, here’s a compendium of information that can help you figure out what questions to ask and what directions to take with your characters or plot. I’ll begin with basics—terms and concepts that horse people often take for granted—and then move on to more specialized details. Not too specialized, I promise! But enough to add that crucial bit of extra dimension to your story."
I have a little bit of horse knowledge...just enough to make me dangerous as a rider and a writer. Ms. Tarr is passionate about horses and it shows in her enthusiasm for her subject and her plea for writers to "Get it Right." She does a thorough job with the basics. Her prose is straight forward, easy to read; and, as promised, not too technical. One of the advantages of an ebook, which she uses appropriately/sparingly, is hyperlinked text. She links a more general topic, such as breeds, to more advanced or deeper articles on the web. I tended to ignore the links except for where I wanted more information or the link obviously led to a picture.
My only (minor) complaint about the book has to do with the advice to writers. In the early chapters this tended to be more in the vein of "you can see how this can be used" rather than specific dos and don'ts. But in Part VII, Ms. Tarr gets down to the writing business and makes several suggestions on how to incorporate horse information/lore into fiction. Altogether, I found this book to be useful and well organized. Now I need to go back and check on the horse passages in my WIP and make sure I "Did it Right."
March 24, 2021
This was so helpful to me as a fantasy writer. I learned so much and it was just fun to read, as the author has a very light-hearted way of describing everything. She's extremely knowledgeable about horses, and is able to convey that knowledge in a matter-of-fact and entertaining manner.
Armed with the knowledge I gained from this book, I know I will not make any stupid mistakes with the horses in my novels and novellas. The only downside is that there are many dead links, but perhaps that will be taken care of in a new edition.
Highly recommended for anyone who writes about horses (in any genre) and want to get it right.
Armed with the knowledge I gained from this book, I know I will not make any stupid mistakes with the horses in my novels and novellas. The only downside is that there are many dead links, but perhaps that will be taken care of in a new edition.
Highly recommended for anyone who writes about horses (in any genre) and want to get it right.
August 29, 2011
This is a comprehensive little book on writing about horses in fiction. Even if you have one fleeting scene with people on horseback, this book could help you avoid some obvious, glaring errors. Judith Tarr has an entertaining non-fiction voice and a deep love for her subject. This handy e-book is attractively priced over at www.BookViewCafe.com, where I found it. Even if you're making up a breed of horse, Tarr provides basics about herd animals you'll find essential.
Also recommended for horse lovers -- great trivia and example stories!
Also recommended for horse lovers -- great trivia and example stories!
June 19, 2018
I found this via Judith Tarr's essays on fictional horses and I adored it. As a horsewoman, incorrect horse facts in novels drive me batty. This book is an easy read that strikes a beautiful balance between the magic of loving a horse and the dirt under your fingernails. Highly recommended for anyone who is writing any horsey creature. I even bought a second copy for my D&D DM before we start a campaign with my new centaur character!
Bonus: she agrees with me on what the horse's "flank" is and how irritating it is when people write "Hero kicked his horse in the flank."
Bonus: she agrees with me on what the horse's "flank" is and how irritating it is when people write "Hero kicked his horse in the flank."
January 31, 2024
Broad-ranging pointers and a fairly well-made, born of equal parts Judith's experiences and general knowledge, is what this small book provides. It was written when I was about eight…startling revelation to know books can be older than me, but it still phases me. Sometimes.
The best part is that she's not only a horsewoman, but clearly a writer as well. When it comes to how greatly she gets the inner-workings of her lifetime involved in the phrasing and wordings of literary creation, it's amazing—and this book is such a feast for anyone nerd enough to crack it open for those reasons. Judith presents all her findings worth a lifetime in neat yet conversational tones and provides a lot of subtle background that makes the chewy gristle of horses as an occupation and companion; bit by bit, she feeds you rich understanding in this—for me, at least—completing alien world and makes it click.
All of the above is paired with some handpicked photographs from what appears to be Judith's personal collection. A point mentioned by a reviewer is that the shots are too candid, lacking purpose of presentation, to really give you some strict clarity in the things she's talking about. As well as that the book diverged and became more of a training manual more oft than not, but as a beginner resource it is in no means bad. In fact, for me, the casual aspect and sometimes handholding nature of the work really made it gel better in my mind. It's an excellent addition to any amateur—even professional—writer trying to conjure more verisimilitude out of the vast arcana that's found in this profession. And just like any other vocation, nothing a good bit of hands-on experience and reading can't resolve to the already avowed understanding you may or may not have over it.
If I got anything of this at all, and if it's worth anything at all, now I won't be ever in my life writing or saying: “Kick the horse in the flanks to make it go”.
Thanks, Judith.
5/5
The best part is that she's not only a horsewoman, but clearly a writer as well. When it comes to how greatly she gets the inner-workings of her lifetime involved in the phrasing and wordings of literary creation, it's amazing—and this book is such a feast for anyone nerd enough to crack it open for those reasons. Judith presents all her findings worth a lifetime in neat yet conversational tones and provides a lot of subtle background that makes the chewy gristle of horses as an occupation and companion; bit by bit, she feeds you rich understanding in this—for me, at least—completing alien world and makes it click.
All of the above is paired with some handpicked photographs from what appears to be Judith's personal collection. A point mentioned by a reviewer is that the shots are too candid, lacking purpose of presentation, to really give you some strict clarity in the things she's talking about. As well as that the book diverged and became more of a training manual more oft than not, but as a beginner resource it is in no means bad. In fact, for me, the casual aspect and sometimes handholding nature of the work really made it gel better in my mind. It's an excellent addition to any amateur—even professional—writer trying to conjure more verisimilitude out of the vast arcana that's found in this profession. And just like any other vocation, nothing a good bit of hands-on experience and reading can't resolve to the already avowed understanding you may or may not have over it.
If I got anything of this at all, and if it's worth anything at all, now I won't be ever in my life writing or saying: “Kick the horse in the flanks to make it go”.
Thanks, Judith.
5/5
February 12, 2021
A fun book. Some practical facts and then a lot of fun tidbits. Good links and references to other books. Might be better for those curious about horses in general than writing about them. I now sort of understand what my cousin does (a rodeo horse trainer)
December 2, 2024
Pretty good advice, but lots of broken links.
March 6, 2017
Excellent reference material. I learned a lot about horses that I never knew and how to apply that to writing in a realistic way.
February 10, 2016
I fancy myself a writer of sorts (cough) and my chosen genre is heroic fantasy. Occasionally I have to mention the use of horses. Horses are cool. They're beautiful and powerful ... and I know almost next to nothing about them. Enter Judith Tarr's book, "Writing Horses: The Fine Art of Getting It Right".
Holy furball! What fascinating, complicated creatures! Powerful, yes, yet fragile too. Ms. Tarr lays it all out. Do you simply want to know about the breeds and colors available? It's in her book. Do you need something more in depth, like what horses can travel what distance and at what speed. She's got you covered. Are you going for something even more involved and require knowledge about their care, what makes them sick and what to expect from a foaling? Again, that information is available in the pages of this book.
If you're a horse person, this isn't the book for you (most likely). You know all this stuff and probably more. But for someone like me who knows little more than they're herd animals who eat hay, then this book is perfect. It's written in an easy conversational tone, and Ms. Tarr's love and respect for horses (and those who care and train them) is apparent throughout the text. She includes numerous photos, many of which are of her own horses. Every night when I sat down at dinner, I had a new, fascinating bit of information to share about horses.
I also learned, that no matter how amazing I think horses are, I will never ever own one or learn to ride one. They take immense amounts of work to care for, and are subject to any number of problems, like colic. I couldn't devote myself to that degree. And I don't have the patience to learn how to ride one properly. My hat goes off to those who possess such qualities. They're very special people.
I dropped one star from the rating because a great number of the embedded links I tried to bring up didn't work. Ms. Tarr would reference an item for further study, but when I attempted to use the link, I'd find the page no longer existed or different information now resided on the page.
If you write about worlds where horses are used and will show up as more than a brief mention, I highly recommend this book to help you through the complexities of utilizing horses as companions and transport. It's hard enough writing a story that captures the imagination, don't let something as basic as using the wrong color for a specific breed trip you up.
Holy furball! What fascinating, complicated creatures! Powerful, yes, yet fragile too. Ms. Tarr lays it all out. Do you simply want to know about the breeds and colors available? It's in her book. Do you need something more in depth, like what horses can travel what distance and at what speed. She's got you covered. Are you going for something even more involved and require knowledge about their care, what makes them sick and what to expect from a foaling? Again, that information is available in the pages of this book.
If you're a horse person, this isn't the book for you (most likely). You know all this stuff and probably more. But for someone like me who knows little more than they're herd animals who eat hay, then this book is perfect. It's written in an easy conversational tone, and Ms. Tarr's love and respect for horses (and those who care and train them) is apparent throughout the text. She includes numerous photos, many of which are of her own horses. Every night when I sat down at dinner, I had a new, fascinating bit of information to share about horses.
I also learned, that no matter how amazing I think horses are, I will never ever own one or learn to ride one. They take immense amounts of work to care for, and are subject to any number of problems, like colic. I couldn't devote myself to that degree. And I don't have the patience to learn how to ride one properly. My hat goes off to those who possess such qualities. They're very special people.
I dropped one star from the rating because a great number of the embedded links I tried to bring up didn't work. Ms. Tarr would reference an item for further study, but when I attempted to use the link, I'd find the page no longer existed or different information now resided on the page.
If you write about worlds where horses are used and will show up as more than a brief mention, I highly recommend this book to help you through the complexities of utilizing horses as companions and transport. It's hard enough writing a story that captures the imagination, don't let something as basic as using the wrong color for a specific breed trip you up.
January 4, 2015
I know everybody's supposed to be into ebooks now, but you will get my last physical book when it's pried from my cold dead fingers, dammit. That said, I do have a few ebooks and short stories, and this is one of them.
(Also, you should hie thee straight over to Book View Cafe and peruse their selection. That's where I downloaded this book. It's an independent publishing cooperative where almost all the royalties go straight to the authors--none of this Amazon middleman nonsense. Not to mention the fact that all their books are DRM-free! Thank the Deity!)
I've been reading Judith Tarr's blog for years. I love the stories she writes about her Lipizzaners, and she certainly seems to know her stuff when it comes to horses. So I decided to take the e-plunge and try out her book. Trust me, I'm a complete noob when it comes to horses; I've hardly ever been around them, and I would't know how to begin to care for or ride one.
This book remedies a lot of that, in simple, understandable language. I'm rather fascinated by her description of horses (or at least her Lipizzaners) as sentient, alien beings; I have the sense that this idea is where she gets a lot of her equine fiction (and if so, I need to read more of it). Her love of mares over stallions and geldings is also an interesting notion I've never considered before. Her chapters cover what I'm sure is mundane everyday stuff to real horse people, but for someone like me, it's a revelation.
This is an informative, compact little book (much like her horses) and it's well worth the money.
(Also, you should hie thee straight over to Book View Cafe and peruse their selection. That's where I downloaded this book. It's an independent publishing cooperative where almost all the royalties go straight to the authors--none of this Amazon middleman nonsense. Not to mention the fact that all their books are DRM-free! Thank the Deity!)
I've been reading Judith Tarr's blog for years. I love the stories she writes about her Lipizzaners, and she certainly seems to know her stuff when it comes to horses. So I decided to take the e-plunge and try out her book. Trust me, I'm a complete noob when it comes to horses; I've hardly ever been around them, and I would't know how to begin to care for or ride one.
This book remedies a lot of that, in simple, understandable language. I'm rather fascinated by her description of horses (or at least her Lipizzaners) as sentient, alien beings; I have the sense that this idea is where she gets a lot of her equine fiction (and if so, I need to read more of it). Her love of mares over stallions and geldings is also an interesting notion I've never considered before. Her chapters cover what I'm sure is mundane everyday stuff to real horse people, but for someone like me, it's a revelation.
This is an informative, compact little book (much like her horses) and it's well worth the money.
January 11, 2013
So far I've only read the first chapter but it's already been worth reading! I used to write about a girl and her horse but I never knew enough about them to satisfy myself. I researched things a bit but that's totally different than reading a book like this--one that's specifically designed to teach you how to write about horses in your book. I've looked for a book like this for a LONG time. And I was really fortunate to get an ebook copy in the giveaway. Seriously, I highlighted and noted most of the first chapter. There is great stuff just in there! I really started helping straight away.
In the first chapter she talks about how horses are NOT dogs. Which is funny if you went and saw Disney's 'Tangled.' But to be honest, I HATED that portrayal of the horse in that movie. It's SO ridiculous. But at least they were doing it on purpose and going all-out with it. The book is talking about people who do it out of ignorance. I never did that when I wrote about Pearl's horse, thankfully. But I did think it was an interesting point to keep in mind.
Anyway, I learned so much! Stuff that will really, specifically help me. I'm going to read the whole thing ASAP and I'm certain I will take a lot of notes and really I'm just so thankful I FINALLY got to read this book.
In the first chapter she talks about how horses are NOT dogs. Which is funny if you went and saw Disney's 'Tangled.' But to be honest, I HATED that portrayal of the horse in that movie. It's SO ridiculous. But at least they were doing it on purpose and going all-out with it. The book is talking about people who do it out of ignorance. I never did that when I wrote about Pearl's horse, thankfully. But I did think it was an interesting point to keep in mind.
Anyway, I learned so much! Stuff that will really, specifically help me. I'm going to read the whole thing ASAP and I'm certain I will take a lot of notes and really I'm just so thankful I FINALLY got to read this book.
April 3, 2021
This book bases on a series of blog posts. It should be read in ebook format, as it contains links and pictures, or so I assume. I listened to the audio and quite enjoyed it, but I missed out on the additional stuff. It was quite strange hearing the narrator say: now, look at this! And me having not an inkling of what she was talking about.
I tried to write a book about horses as a kid, as they were my fav book subject to read at the time. I soon realized that it was hard! It is not enough for the horse to have a special color and to be wild and untamed to give it character. It made me admire the authors who could do it all the more. Especially people like Tina Caspari, who worked in a contemporary setting and with a huge cast of people and horses over a long series. How did she make me cry about the death of that one specific riding school horse who did not even belong to one of the main characters?
This book is aimed at writers who know how to write, but do not know horses. I am not the right audience as I still don‘t know how to write, but know a few things about horses now, having one of my own. It was still an entertaining listen, with many anecdotes and plot ideas. Also for a non native English speaker it was nice having some of the terms explained.
I tried to write a book about horses as a kid, as they were my fav book subject to read at the time. I soon realized that it was hard! It is not enough for the horse to have a special color and to be wild and untamed to give it character. It made me admire the authors who could do it all the more. Especially people like Tina Caspari, who worked in a contemporary setting and with a huge cast of people and horses over a long series. How did she make me cry about the death of that one specific riding school horse who did not even belong to one of the main characters?
This book is aimed at writers who know how to write, but do not know horses. I am not the right audience as I still don‘t know how to write, but know a few things about horses now, having one of my own. It was still an entertaining listen, with many anecdotes and plot ideas. Also for a non native English speaker it was nice having some of the terms explained.
October 13, 2015
Excellent, quick-read, easy to understand resource for any writer whose stories include horses -- starting with the simple reminder that horses are not like dogs! Ms. Tarr, both a novelist and horsewoman, dispels a lot of myths we might be used to seeing in books and movies, thinking they're correct. Horses don't whinny or flick their tails in greeting. They can't gallop for hours. (Okay, Shadowfax in Lord of the Rings can, but he's special.) They need water throughout the day -- lots of it. Armies on the march bring a whole herd of replacement horses. Maybe those seem obvious to anyone who knows horses, but for anyone who needs some helpful, basic knowledge, this book is a gem!
July 25, 2012
A writer’s guide to horses by a writer, rider, and horse ranch owner, covering everything from the basics of anatomy and riding, to modern horse breeding and training, to horse issues in historical or fantasy settings, to the psychology of horses and people who deal with them.
Informally written, extremely easy to read, and very, very useful. It's probably too basic for anyone who already knows a lot about horses, but a great resource for the rest of us.
Informally written, extremely easy to read, and very, very useful. It's probably too basic for anyone who already knows a lot about horses, but a great resource for the rest of us.
January 26, 2016
Judith Tarr presents a good, clear picture of the mechanics of riding, owning and caring for a horse. Her love of riding and deep attachment to these animals comes through in every page. Writers, if you feature horses in your book, you need to know this stuff. I only wish she had expanded on horse psychology and a bit more on tack and gear. Maybe next book...
May 16, 2017
Awesome true to life, knowledgeable about horses. A great reference for writers or anyone interested in horses.
Judith Tarr knows her subject and presents it well with photos and websites. I loved the book, if you get the chance read it, its worth the time.
Judith Tarr knows her subject and presents it well with photos and websites. I loved the book, if you get the chance read it, its worth the time.
June 3, 2015
A good resource for writers who want to include horses in their writing. The book is accessible and interesting. The only knock I might give it is that it includes so much advice, you are worried you will forget the bits at the beginning of because you are picking up so much as you read along.
November 28, 2016
Another book read for research for writing. This touches the surface and is rather informative at the level of at least knowing a high level of details that can make horse characters more then just transportation.
May 17, 2015
As the title suggests, this is useful if you want to write about horses.
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