A Horsey Cure for Cabin Fever

Winter doldrums in March can be broken by writers Walter Farley, The Black Stallion author, and Dick Francis, former rider of the Queen of England's steeplechasers.

Is watching live horse racing more of a thrill for you than a fictional horse experience?

In the middle of winter, you may find a written thrill is just what you need. If you're a horse lover, any live performance of the object of your affection is a rush, a thrilling memory. But, if deep in winter you're stuck in the soft, sleepy confines of a slightly lumpy easy chair, Walter Farley, or Dick Francis could put away your snowy blues. For fictional entertainment of a horsey kind, Farley and Francis soar above the rest. And a little suspension of disbelief can be a huge pickup.

Walter Farley created The Black Stallion stories and The Island Stallion fictional adventures. Do the Black and the Island Stallion ever meet on the race track?

Sure! But I'm not telling.

When I was a teen, I began to read The Black Stallion books, my hunger increasing with each tale. I continue to love Farley's imaginative reads as an older baby boomer. You can be any age and appreciate Farley's touch with a pen. His writing captures the true sensitivity and power of the equine personality. Stories of the wild, Arabian Black are moving and exciting.

He conceived the original story of The Black in 1942 while he was a college student. Each new generation of readers can still today discover his works. If you're older and have a few missing links in Farley's total works, you can search the Internet to find them.

Dick Francis is a United Kingdom icon. When injury and general wear and tear forced him to retire from steeplechase riding, he turned to writing. He was first invited by the London Times to write a racing column. But he soon turned to fiction.

Forty years later, the 80+ author is still at it. His adult thrillers put you at the spot, many times near a steeplechase course in England. There are always horses running in the background of his stories.

Francis rode the Queen's horses, and than became the horse King of Mystery writing. His protagonists many times posses a higher level of communication with their equine interests. That leads you to believe that Francis himself had this advantage as a jockey.

If you need an escape, and you're looking for something horsey, don't miss the two masters, Farley and Francis.