My Horsy Life: An Unconventional Equine Memoir

by Janet Rising

Janet Rising has written sixteen pony books for young readers including, with Carl Hester MBE, FBHS, the life story of Valegro, the greatest dressage horse that has ever lived. Although no stranger to writing fiction for adults, this is her first book for that a hilarious, hair-raising and often thought-provoking look back at over fifty years of equestrian memories. Older readers will find themselves reminiscing about their own horsy memories; younger readers will marvel at how times have changed - but all will share a common empathy with the author's love of all things equine.

Janet Rising refused to allow the fact that she was born in the suburbs, with no hope of ever owning a pony, to prevent her from making horses her life. Her equestrian career included teaching riding at various riding schools, working for a top class donkey stud, and 20 years as an equine journalist and editor of Pony, the magazine for young riders.

For anyone who has ever wondered how teenage riders in the 1970s stayed alive despite hair-raising lessons and the absence of health and safety, about riding attire fashioned without stretch fabrics, how a love of horses makes for female empowerment, whether Pony Club mums make good riding sons, ideas on being an equestrian dominatrix, how not to clean tack, whether Happy Hackers need a re-boot and why riding bareback is not a good idea (and riding without a bridle even worse), this book will provide the answers. Included are equestrian tales throughout the 1980s and 1990s, why going posh might not be all its cracked up to be; the pitfalls of clipping and bewildering rug wardrobes, unconventional riding holidays in Spain and hair-raising African safaris; the pitfalls of teaching riding and the story of a small bay mule who captured the author's heart. There are highs, there are lows but always there are laughs.

Written with wry humour and packed with surprises on every page, this is an equestrian memoir like no other - a horsy life you couldn't make up!

Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2020

About the author

Janet Rising lives in the UK and is the editor of PONY, Britain's top-selling horsy teen magazine. She is also the author of Pony Talk: 50 Ways to Make Friends. Janet's work with horses has included working at a donkey stud, producing show ponies, and teaching riding to both adults and children.

Reviews

[Soraya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book brought back so many horsey memories. Although I started riding in the 90s, I was still in the era where you hung around at yards hoping to help and graduated up through the horses. Where everything was your fault and not the horse, where their individual characters made up the tapestry of your days. I loved Janet’s memoir and it has me wanting to spend all my time at yards again.