In collaboration with High Life: Living the Good Life, VOICE OF ASIA is proud to present timeless articles from the archives, reproduced digitally for your reading pleasure. Originally published in High Life Volume 1 in 2014, we take a look at some of the world’s most well known books and their famous equine protagonists.
From gripping stories of war to triumphant tales of victory in adversity, horses have been mainstays in some of the best-loved pieces of literature. HIGH Life takes a quick gallop through some of the most popular ‘horsey’ books of all time – classics that have been immortalised through blockbuster movies, or remain forever as the first book you read and re-read as a child, with the delightful characters and the indomitable spirit of the horse forever in your heart.
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Telling the story of his life in Black Beauty’s own words, this novel has captured the imagination of generations of readers. As a colt, he was treated with love and kindness, but as he grew older, he experienced hardships and cruelty at the hands of different owners.
Originally intended by author Anna Sewell for people who work with horses, the novel quickly gained popularity, with its reminder to readers to treat animals with kindness, sympathy and respect, in much the same way we would treat other humans. After failing to recover from injuring both ankles as a young girl, the author was unable to walk for the rest of her life. This led to her dependence on horse-drawn transportation, and spurred her love for horses.
With 50 million copies sold, Black Beauty has not only become one of the bestselling books of all time, it has also inspired many individuals and organisations to push for animal welfare, such was its emotional impact. It has also been made into several films and television series, touching the lives of many different generations.
When my harness was taken off I did not know what I should do first – whether to eat the grass, or roll over on my back, or lie down and rest, or have a gallop across the meadow out of sheer spirits at being free; and I did all by turns.
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
This poignant and heartwarming story gives a voice to Joey, a bay horse, in a novel about how the horrors of war can be overcome by the incredible power of friendship and loyalty. In 1914, Joey was bought by the army from a farmer, the father of his closest friend Albert. During the war, he is trained to charge the enemy, carry wounded soldiers and pull heavy artillery.
The horse experiences the desolation of war as it happens around him, and he wonders if it would ever end, in much the same way a human involved in conflict wonders. Despite the horror and carnage in the trenches, Joey manages to find and share courage under fire, as he makes lasting connections with both humans and horses.
British author Michael Morpurgo is an avid animal lover, and is known for providing opportunities for children to spend time with animals. His compassion can be felt not only in his writing, as the epic drama of his book has been captured in a major motion picture, retelling its story of hope and survival from the points of view of both horses and humans.
How can one man kill another and not really know the reason why he does it, except that the other man wears a different colour uniform and speaks a different language?
Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand
The undersized racehorse Seabiscuit, with his crooked legs and despondent tail, began his career mishandled and misunderstood, at the lowest rung of horseracing. Three men – his trainer, his owner and his jockey – had faith in his potential, working with and training him, all the while believing he was capable of winning. Thanks to their confidence in him, Seabiscuit gained strength and eventually rose to greatness, winning 11 of his 15 races and becoming one of the most fabled champions in sports history, getting more news coverage than then US President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
A beautifully crafted sports biography, this non-fiction book reads like a gripping novel. Author Laura Hillenbrand is a horseracing enthusiast who has been writing about the sport for more than two decades. The American writer has worked with many equine publications, and her book and articles on the famous Seabiscuit have won her many writing awards for capturing the essence of horseracing. The portrayal of an unlikely hero who emerges victorious is beautifully captured on film starring award-winning actors Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges.
It’s easy to talk to a horse if you understand his language. Horses stay the same from the day they are born until the day they die. They are only changed by the way people treat them.
National Velvet by Enid Bagnold
Set in England between two World Wars, the novel is a story of a spirited 14-year-old working-class girl named Velvet. Her love for horses prompts her to buy tickets in a raffle, from which she wins ‘The Piebald’, a horse she named after its colour. Determined to take part in the Grand National steeplechase, the biggest race at the time, she assiduously trains the horse. Then she enters the competition and wins the steeplechase, becoming the first female jockey to have entered and won the race.
Author Enid Bagnold wrote about what fascinated her the most – family life and the intricate relationships between family members in a single household, and how love and support from family and friends can go a long way to help us reach our dreams. This alluring fairytale is about courage, and the strength of one young girl to push beyond the difficulties and hardships into which she was born. The book was eventually made into a movie that starred then 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor as Velvet, propelling the actress, the movie and the book to superstardom.
Someday, you’ll learn that greatness is only the seizing of opportunity – clutching with your bare hands ‘til the knuckles show white.
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
A young boy and a wild horse become friends when they survive a shipwreck after a storm and end up on a desert island. The boy, Alec, and the horse, only referred to as The Black, keep each other company as they await their eventual rescue. On the return of horse and boy to New York, Alec learns from his horserace enthusiast neighbour that The Black has the potential for speed, and should make a good racehorse. The boy then trains the spirited horse into becoming a competitive runner, and eventually, the pair finds themselves competing against two of the best racers in the country, in a dramatic dash to the finish.
Published in 1941, this was the first book written by Walter Farley, in what would become a series on the Black Stallion – 33 other stories of the adventures of The Black and other horses. It would later be made into a motion picture that was eventually nominated for two Oscars Awards.
As a young boy growing up in New York, Walter had dreamed of owning a horse, which was not possible on the streets of the city. Instead, he wrote about the horses, fulfilling a childhood fantasy and inadvertently creating a contemporary classic – one of literature’s most famous fictional horses.
His mane was like a crest, mounting, then falling low. His neck was long and slender, and arched to the small, savagely beautiful head. The head was that of the wildest of all wild creatures – a stallion born wild – and it was beautiful, savage, splendid. A stallion with a wonderful physical perfection that matched his savage, ruthless spirit.
