November/December 2026 Issue

November/December 2026 | EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN 38 By Lois Szymanski Author, Laurie Ber- glie of Maryland is best known for her eques- trian romance series, “ Maryland Manor .” All titles take place in the rolling hills of Maryland, and follow three main characters - Molly, Macy, and Erin. “My characters are three grown-up horse girls who are figuring out life together while still chasing their dreams and passions,” Berglie shared. “And while there are plenty of accurate riding scenes and some romance to spice things up, the love and friendship between the three main characters is the overarching theme of the whole series.” Berglie hopes readers will feel like they’re part of the barn family. All books are available on Amazon. Signed paperbacks are available on her website at themarylandequestrian.com. Writing from Virginia, au- thor Katrina Balding Bills says her book, “Dragon: the story of a Fiery Thoroughbred and the Girl who Loved Him,” a true memoir of her heart horse. “We have all had, or wished we had, that horse that changed us, molded us, helped us become who we needed to be,” Bills said. “He was that horse for me. Our bond was forged in the fire of his temperament and steeped in the tinc- ture of time.” She said her “strong, capable, athletic and gorgeous” horse was also “spooky, unpredict- able, and a rank biter,” and she loved him. She says their journey changed her life. Available on Amazon. Autographed copies can be purchased at www.katrinabaldingbills.com Virginia author, Sarah Hickner’s book, “Finding Gideon” won the Readers Favorite Gold Medal Win- ner, a Best Book Winner for 2023 - Pencraft Awards and was a cover fi- nalist in the 2023 Wishing Shelf Book Awards. “This is a story about leaving home to chase a dream that was so deep in my bones I couldn’t quit, even when it nearly killed me,” she said. “It’s about the horse who held my heart sudden- ly disappearing. It’s about love finding me when I least expected it, and learning to trust a God who gives and takes away.” Hickner’s book, “All the Things That Come Between Us” is a rally cry for the mom who has lost herself in motherhood, but also a ro- mance between husband and wife. Available at: www.liveridelearn.com/books and on Amazon. Jennifer Kelly writes books about racing from her home in Alabama. In “Sir Barton and the Making of the Triple Crown,” meet Sir Barton. Born to be a cham- pion, his winless two-year-old season and a near-fatal illness started things shaky. That was changed by a surprise victory in the Ken- tucky Derby, followed by pioneering wins to seal the first Triple Crown. After a 1920 match race with Man o’ War, he was nearly was for- gotten… until now. “The Foxes of Belair: Gallant Fox, Omaha, and the Quest for the Triple Crown” shares the story of William Woodward, who turned his childhood dreams into reality as his Belair Stud chased and won racing’s biggest prizes in both the United States and England. Then his Maryland breeding operation produced mul- tiple Triple Crown winners. After years of researching the Triple Crown, Kelly knew something was missing, leading her to write both books. Available at www.kentuckypress.com The fastest growing de- mographic in riding today is women over 60. Delaware’s Fran Severn addresses this in “Riders of a Certain Age: Your Guide to Loving Horses Midlife and Beyond”. “The book welcomes them into this special sorority with advice, encouragement, informa- tion, and inspiration to follow your dreams,” she said. An honest look at the realities of starting with horses in your later years, the curat- ed guide includes, tips, lessons and advice for older women, including what the old- er body can do in terms of fitness, weight, and fear. It’s understanding the realities of arthritis, menopause, and changing vision, hearing, and breathing. Find information on buying, leasing, boarding, horse-related finances and more. Winner of the “Best Inspirational Book Award” from Equus Film and Arts Festival. Available onAmazonorwww. ridersofacertainage.com Maryland author, Valerie Ormond says her series for teens, “Believing in Horses” has something for everyone - horse rescue, ther- apeutic riding, show scenes, horsemanship, and even a riding adventure in the wild west Horse Books for Holiday Giving 2026 Books make great Christmas gifts, we’ve compiled a list of horse books for horse lovers of all ages, written by our own east coast authors. We hope you find just the gift you’re looking for! Continued on page 51