November/December 2026 Issue

November/December 2026 | EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN 51 Continued from page 38 in “Believing in Horses Out West.” Maryland and Virginia equestrians may also recognize several locations in “Believing In Horses, Too,” bringing back memories of their own. This series has won many awards, includ- ing with the Military Society of Writers, the Authors’ Zone, EQUUS Film and Arts Fes- tival, Stars and Flags and more, and has the Official Seal of Approval and Best Product Award from Parent Tested Parent Approved. Available on Amazon. Maryland author, Lois Szymanski has writ- ten a multitude of horse books for all ages. Her picture book Wild Colt is used in schools and homeschools as part of the wet- land unit. Illustrated by Linda Kantjas, it follows a wild Chincoteague Pony colt from his birth until he’s sold at auction, introduc- ing readers to the wetlands through the eyes of a foal. Szymanski’s series, Chincoteague Pony Tales are short inspirational stories about Chincoteague Ponies for teens and adults. Many tales come from the saltwater cowboys who care for these ponies, including rescues, orphaned foal stories, and tales of purchased ponies succeeding in the show world today. Available at www.lulu.com/shop or Amazon. Maryland author, Lisa Trovillion writes the YA series, “Maryland Equestrian” under L.R. Trovilion. Her books represent young, real- istic, edgy heroines grappling with today’s tough issues. The three books in the series, “False Gods,” “Horse Gods,” and “Just Gods,” capture the high-pressure world of competitive horse showing where ambition, rivalry, and secrets can turn dreams into danger. Each book fol- lows young women fighting to overcome trou- bled pasts and uncertain futures while pur- suing their dreams in and out of the saddle. Along the way, they discover courage, friend- ship, and the healing power of horses - and learn that sometimes the greatest rescue goes both ways. This series won 2nd place overall for the Equus Film and Arts Festival, and was a In- dieBRAG Medallion winner - Readers Favor- ite 5-Star Award winner. “Believing there’s more to this world than meets the eye, I wanted to create stories about real young women facing tough problems, who discover their own power through magical rela- tionships with horses,” Trovillion said. Available on Amazon. New Jersey author, Heather Wallace writes the Green Mountain Romance series. In “Back Door Horse,” New Jer- sey girl Imogen Grey relocates to Vermont to help her aunt recover from an injury. There she comes face to face with an escape artist masquerading as a performance horse, a quiet but steady veterinarian named Gabe, and a rekindled childhood passion. Suddenly, she is questioning everything she thought she wanted. Imogen continues her journey in “Shadow on the Mountain,” with new love and more complications on the horizon. “This series was inspired by my own horse, Delight,” Wallace said. “Some horses touch your heart in a unique way. Once I began writing, I fell in love with the charac- ters. True love is hard to find and sometimes it takes a while to recognize. Other times, it ends up at your back door.” Available on Amazon or at https://books. bookfunnel.com/greenmountainromance Massachusetts author Kim Ablon Whitney writes the series Show Circuit. With the glamour, intensity and heart- break of international show jumping, her lat- est book, “World Cup” follows five people at a turning point - where ambition, love, and identity collide. Chris is competing on one of the biggest stages in show jumping, but pressure at this level can crack even the strongest partner- ships. Hannah’s dream has been the World Cup, but now she’s questioning where she re- ally belongs, and whether love is enough to build a life around. Jed is working behind the camera while facing a past he’d rather leave buried. Zoe is working to move forward, but Morgan’s pull is hard to ignore, even when she knows the danger. And Audrina is left to figure out what comes next, when the life she counted on no longer exists. “I wanted to show that real life doesn’t stop for riders when the competition starts,” Whitney said. All books in the series tackle complicated issues all riders face while taking the reader along on the show circuit, to therapeutic rid- ing and into the barn - where you will find the heart of every horse-lover. Available on Amazon. From the show world to race horses, from romance to nonfiction, to books for kids - with inspiration and horse education here are some books our local authors offer. We hope you find just the gift you are looking for! Horse Books for Holiday Giving 2026