My 1st Horse Book and Me

Tracy's book for the young rider/ owner of a pony or horse, covers just about everything from tips on choice of riding school to grooming, shelter requirements and what to look out for on the daily walk around the field of the grass-kept horse. She pays particular attention to feeding and watering, whether the horse or pony is stabled or kept in the open.

There are 50 black and white drawings and photographs in the book, most of them provided by the author and her daughters. There are "horse notes" interspersed through the text, interesting facts designed to expand the horse consciousness of the younger pony owner or rider as well as give information on colouring, marking and other things.

The central section is specifically for the person who buys the book. Here are four full-page horses to colour or shade. There is space to list competitions that horse and owner have entered, a place to put contact details of vet, farrier, doctor, tack shops and so on. There are two blank pages for photographs of the horse and pages for its description and feeding regime for the occasions when the young owner cannot be there. There is space on the back cover in which the horse's name can be written, thus "personalising" the book for that particular horse or pony.

It is an attractive, readable book in a larger format appreciated by youngsters from the age of five to early teens. It is packed with tips and information, some charming photographs from Tracy's riding school and family album (including eldest daughter on the cover with her horse) and a dozen photographs of horse situations including a Przewalski herd, illustrating other aspects of the world of horses.