What do you think?
Rate this book
Forging On
A charming story full of dry Yorkshire humour and warmth - a must-read for fans of James Herriot, Clare Balding, Countryfile and The Shepherd's Life.
Will is a Yorkshire lad, through and through. He's in his element when he's outside in the country air, not stuck in a classroom wasting his youth and the beauty of Yorkshire. When he starts as an apprentice farrier, his first few days are a baptism of fire. His fellow apprentice is a wind-up merchant and his gruff boss, Stanley, ribs him mercilessly about his tea drinking habit. But in this chaotic environment, the three of them form a brotherhood, and soon, Will realises that the coming year is going to teach him a lot more than how to shoe a horse properly...
Will is a Yorkshire lad, through and through. He's in his element when he's outside in the country air, not stuck in a classroom wasting his youth and the beauty of Yorkshire. When he starts as an apprentice farrier, his first few days are a baptism of fire. His fellow apprentice is a wind-up merchant and his gruff boss, Stanley, ribs him mercilessly about his tea drinking habit. But in this chaotic environment, the three of them form a brotherhood, and soon, Will realises that the coming year is going to teach him a lot more than how to shoe a horse properly...
- GenresFiction
304 pages, Paperback
Published April 20, 2017
17 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 10, 2017
This book is quite a light-hearted and fun read, I was expecting it to be about horses and rural life in Yorkshire, but it is more about a farrier and his apprentices and their constant playing of jokes on each other, some of which are rather far fetched. It is almost like an 'Only Fools and Horses' type script. I enjoyed it and found myself laughing a few times.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway
July 16, 2017
Hubby and I both loved this book and its characters......a blacksmith and his two apprentices. The writer has a real gift of painting a picture in your mind of them and their lives. A lot of dialogue and I could hear the Yorkshire accent in my head as I read. A book full of hilarity you could not fail to enjoy.
November 2, 2017
Brilliant read!
August 15, 2017
Set in Yorkshire, this book follows Will aka Posh Lad through the first year of his apprenticeship as a Farrier.
Full of wit and laugh out loud moments, this easy read book was brilliant from start to finish.
The capers Will and older apprentice Ewan get involved in are incredibly funny as is their penny pinching boss Stan whose attempt to save money. generally backfires on him. You just can’t help but laugh at his somewhat idiotic ideas.
I hope Catherine Robinson writes a follow up. I shall look forward to it!
Full of wit and laugh out loud moments, this easy read book was brilliant from start to finish.
The capers Will and older apprentice Ewan get involved in are incredibly funny as is their penny pinching boss Stan whose attempt to save money. generally backfires on him. You just can’t help but laugh at his somewhat idiotic ideas.
I hope Catherine Robinson writes a follow up. I shall look forward to it!
February 19, 2019
A lovely, light, fun read.
The horse stories are spot on, the characters are warm and funny (although it has a couple of inaccuracies around the South African farrier).
I loved this book and was sad to finish it.
The horse stories are spot on, the characters are warm and funny (although it has a couple of inaccuracies around the South African farrier).
I loved this book and was sad to finish it.
August 6, 2017
A good clean funny book - thoroughly enjoyed it
September 12, 2017
Lovely little book. Nothing alarming or disturbing just a story of Yorkshire farriers and their adventures.
February 10, 2018
a nice easy read, very funny. loved it
May 16, 2017
From the first page I was right there in the farmyard in Yorkshire. I know absolutely nothing about horses but that doesn't matter at all because the story is so well written.
I have pictures in my mind of all of the characters and if you live in the Yorkshire countryside I am sure there will be a "Stanley" nearby!
You can picture the shy new apprentice Farrier being thrown into a world he has never encountered before, working with people from completely different backgrounds to his own.
I enjoyed the description of the countryside which was interspersed between the adventures of the characters.
This book made me smile and even laugh out loud occasionally!
I read the book on my Kindle most evenings and it was a lovely way to end the day. I am really looking forward to reading her next book.
I have pictures in my mind of all of the characters and if you live in the Yorkshire countryside I am sure there will be a "Stanley" nearby!
You can picture the shy new apprentice Farrier being thrown into a world he has never encountered before, working with people from completely different backgrounds to his own.
I enjoyed the description of the countryside which was interspersed between the adventures of the characters.
This book made me smile and even laugh out loud occasionally!
I read the book on my Kindle most evenings and it was a lovely way to end the day. I am really looking forward to reading her next book.
May 31, 2017
I won this book in a recent Goodreads giveaway. I was quite surprised to find that the book was a novel as it has a clearly autobiographical quality which makes you think that the events could really happen.
Set in a small farriery business in Yorkshire, the main character is Will 'a posh lad' who settles on a farriery apprenticeship borne out of a desire to work outdoors with horses. The characters Will meets along the way are vibrant and really come to life in the story of Will's first year as an apprentice. There are a good few laugh out loud moments and the familiar Yorkshire setting is described well.
I'm intrigued to find out what happens to Will and his friends and I'd like to read more of his story.
Set in a small farriery business in Yorkshire, the main character is Will 'a posh lad' who settles on a farriery apprenticeship borne out of a desire to work outdoors with horses. The characters Will meets along the way are vibrant and really come to life in the story of Will's first year as an apprentice. There are a good few laugh out loud moments and the familiar Yorkshire setting is described well.
I'm intrigued to find out what happens to Will and his friends and I'd like to read more of his story.
June 4, 2017
I won this book via a Good reads giveaway
Forging On is like a gentle stroll through Hathersage on a spring day. Sunny, friendly and full of charm. We follow Will in his first year as an apprentice to Stan, a working class lad done good who keeps his farriery business out of 'Bling Manor'. Along the way are a host of stock Yorkshire characters from the tight pursed pub lay about to the rich racehorse owners. There's no massive drama to Forging On so it's a nice beach/summer/park read with little tension.
My one and only issue, which I'll let go on artistic licence, is that I do live in Yorkshire (south Yorkshire) near a village called Hathersage and unfortunately it's no where near Ripon and is in fact in Derbyshire.
Other than that it was all reyt!
Forging On is like a gentle stroll through Hathersage on a spring day. Sunny, friendly and full of charm. We follow Will in his first year as an apprentice to Stan, a working class lad done good who keeps his farriery business out of 'Bling Manor'. Along the way are a host of stock Yorkshire characters from the tight pursed pub lay about to the rich racehorse owners. There's no massive drama to Forging On so it's a nice beach/summer/park read with little tension.
My one and only issue, which I'll let go on artistic licence, is that I do live in Yorkshire (south Yorkshire) near a village called Hathersage and unfortunately it's no where near Ripon and is in fact in Derbyshire.
Other than that it was all reyt!
July 11, 2020
Farrier in training.
This is the funniest book I have read in many years. It's appeal lies in the interactions between the three main characters and the warmth of their relationships. It was so good I wish the author had continued the story. It will appeal to anyone who likes a good laugh. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I really want to know if Will finished his training and what happened to Stanley and Ewan. To me a good book is one that leaves you wanting more and this one does just that.
This is the funniest book I have read in many years. It's appeal lies in the interactions between the three main characters and the warmth of their relationships. It was so good I wish the author had continued the story. It will appeal to anyone who likes a good laugh. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I really want to know if Will finished his training and what happened to Stanley and Ewan. To me a good book is one that leaves you wanting more and this one does just that.
October 13, 2020
Read in a day
You think vets have a hard life, try propping up 1 ton of uncooperative horseflesh. Let alone clients who swear they know better than you. A great Yorkshire romp, already pre-ordered the next book.
You think vets have a hard life, try propping up 1 ton of uncooperative horseflesh. Let alone clients who swear they know better than you. A great Yorkshire romp, already pre-ordered the next book.
October 29, 2020
Feel good read
Honesty didn't register until finished that it was in fact fiction..rather than Wills true account albeit with embellishment. Funny witty and feel good read. V good engaging first book when too many other first endeavours are so not!
Honesty didn't register until finished that it was in fact fiction..rather than Wills true account albeit with embellishment. Funny witty and feel good read. V good engaging first book when too many other first endeavours are so not!
May 29, 2021
Fantastic story, so many laughs
Absolutely loved this book, Catherine is a brilliant writer. So many interesting characters, I can picture them all. Kept laughing out loud and having to explain myself to my husband. Please keep writing Catherine
Absolutely loved this book, Catherine is a brilliant writer. So many interesting characters, I can picture them all. Kept laughing out loud and having to explain myself to my husband. Please keep writing Catherine
February 4, 2022
What a breathe of fresh air this book was…it made me smile and giggle, especially as hubby is from Yorkshire! The characters were all well fleshed out and the story was enjoyable, even the amount of sweating made it feel more realistic (knowing a Yorkshire man!).
February 19, 2020
Love book really enjoyed this story about farriers very entertaining with a few laughs along the way.
October 12, 2020
Laugh out loud funny! Loved this!
June 19, 2021
Life's ups and downs with all its attendant pain and joy told with empathy and humour.
February 4, 2023
very humorous
November 8, 2023
Quite a pleasant little novel about a farrier's life
June 26, 2025
I loved this- it was wholesome, relatable and well written- I didn't want it to end!
June 10, 2025
A very happy easy read but also contains information on the farrier I dustry
January 16, 2020
4.5 stars - this is a fabulous, heart warming read. It is clear the author is a fellow horse lover. Stan brought back memories of a previous blacksmith who we used to hire, I couldn’t believe the similarities. The book is filled from start to finish with the humorous Stan, “Posh Lad”, Ewan and all the other wonderful characters that frequent the forge. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book and hopefully a sequel is written soon!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews