Holiday Books For Horse Lovers: Best 10 Christmas, Hanukkah, & Winter Holiday Themed Horse Books (2022)

These ten titles are sure to write – and sing! – some horse-drawn happiness into your holiday season. Whether you’re looking for a book to give as a gift, a story to share with your children or students, or a tale to curl up with in a quiet moment, these ten titles are sure to meet your needs.

Jingle Bells, by Eren Blanquet Unten

(Children) With the help of this dazzling pop-up book, your young horse-lovers fans can learn how to sing “Jingle Bells.” The text consists of only the first two verses of the song; however, the intricate and ingenious pop-up illustrations – the majority of which star a merry and spirited horse – will whirl young and young-at-heart carolers into the exhilarating fun of the song’s sleigh ride.

A Horse For Hanukkah, By Myriam Halberstam, Illustrated by Nancy Cote

(Kids) Hannah’s long-held desire is granted when her parents present her with a horse as their gift for Hanukkah. Golda, their horse, is friendly and inquisitive, lives in their apartment, and can even be heard speaking Hebrew. But when Golda begins causing problems on the scale of a horse during the celebration that Hannah is having with her family, she begins to wonder if her wish might have brought her more than she bargained for! This book is one that should be on everyone’s wish list because it is such a delightful romp and the illustrations are so dreamlike. Request a copy of A Horse for Hanukkah from Ariella Books, the book’s German publisher, and search for it in bookstores in the United States.

A Little House Christmas: Holiday Stories From The Little House Books, By Laura Ingalls Wilder

(Kids) Spend Christmas on the prairie with the Ingalls family and celebrate the holiday! This book contains eight uplifting tales and songs about Christmas on the American frontier; however, those with a passion for horses will find themselves particularly drawn to two of the tales in the collection. The story “Mr. Edwards Meets Santa Claus” teaches Laura and Mary that Santa Claus utilizes a pack mule and wagon on occasion, and that he also requires assistance in his mission to deliver Christmas gifts to each and every family. In the book “The Christmas Horses,” the only way for Pa’s wish to come true so that he can buy a new team of horses is if everyone shares Ma’s sentiment and says, “We all wish for horses and nothing but horses.” Will Laura and Mary put their Christmas wish lists aside and ask Santa for horses for their father instead? The tales are presented in a charming manner in this read-aloud edition; however, older children can also read the stories themselves in the chapter book version, which is titled Christmas Stories.

The Saddle Club #13: Starlight Christmas, By Bonnie Bryant:

(Kids) It just wouldn’t be the holidays for The Saddle Club trio – Carole Hanson and Stevie Lake, both aged 12, and Lisa Atwood, aged 13 – if they didn’t have a sleigh full of pratfalls and surprises in store for them. In the movie “Starlight Christmas,” Carole’s father asks Stevie and Lisa for their assistance in locating the ideal Christmas present for his daughter, which turns out to be a horse of her very own. The girls, however, are obligated to keep the gift a secret, which will not be simple given that Carole is currently working with the town’s veterinarian at the stable where the horse is stabled. Meanwhile, the girls aren’t the only ones who are planning a surprise: the club’s adversary, the spoiled Veronica diAngelo, is attempting to trick the girls and their friends, Phil and A.J., into missing the Starlight Ride, which is Pine Hollow Stables’ cherished annual holiday event. Starlight Christmas is a merry, lively read that celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, and if the horse-lover in your life isn’t already a card-carrying, saddle-toting member of The Saddle Club, it’s an inviting introduction to the rest of the 100-book series. Starlight Christmas is a merry, lively read that celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah.

The Hearts Of Horses, By Molly Gloss

(Teens, Adults) This holiday season, let The Hearts of Horses help you find the love of your life. Martha Lessen, then nineteen years old, runs away from her troubled past and embarks on a journey to become a “footloose” horse gentler and trainer for the ranchers and homesteaders of eastern Oregon. Along the way, she discovers among these people a community, a place to call home, and a love that endures. The story of Martha is told in Gloss with the fierce and sweeping beauty, honesty, and detail of an epic Western, and it also weaves into it the challenges, changes, and profound losses that people and the nation faced during the time of World War I. Reading The Hearts of Horses is the kind of experience that, as one of the characters in the book says, “just [goes] right down into my heart to shake it awake.” This is because the book is moving without being overly sentimental, and it is honest without giving up hope. Readers who enjoy the holiday season may feel as though they are experiencing the season alongside Martha and the ranchers, and they may enjoy getting a glimpse of Martha’s world from horseback as she “rides the circle” of ranches on Christmas Day.

David Copperfield, By Charles Dickens

(Teens, Adults) Once you’ve finished reading A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens’ story of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge’s encounter with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, be sure to pick up another of his masterpieces, David Copperfield. Beginning with the now-famous line, “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show,” Dickens’ narrator, David “Trot” Copperfield tells the story of the friendships and betrayals, the bright ideals and harsh realities, and the acts of love and vengeance that shaped his life. The book includes lavishly written holiday scenes and takes place in the riotously horsey world of Britain in the early 19th century. Go ahead and “Trot” right into these books any time – A Christmas Carol and David Copperfield are available in print editions and as free downloads at Project Gutenberg.

Little Women, By Louisa May Alcott

(Kids, Teens, Adults) Because their father is away serving as a chaplain in the Union Army during the Civil War, the four March family sisters – Meg, who is diligent, Jo, who is artistic, and Beth, who is gentle – and their mother must struggle against poverty, society’s expectations, and, at times, their own changing natures in order to achieve their goals. Meg is feisty; Jo is artistic; Meg is gentle; and Amy is artistic. The story begins with the March family celebrating Christmas, and it is later on that Alcott introduces some of her most memorable horses, including Ellen Tree, Laurie the “centaur,” and Jo’s Arabians, who are stabled in her castle. Little Women has been considered a classic ever since its initial publication in 1868, and it can now be purchased in print editions for both children and adults, as well as downloaded for free from Project Gutenberg.

Snowflake, By Suzanne Weyn

(Kids) In this Breyer Stablemates step-up reader, Emily, Anna, and Mandy are the best of friends, and they invite a rescued Percheron that they have named Snowflake to live at Fox Creek Farm. When the three girls discover that none of the farm’s winter blankets will fit Snowflake, who they feed, groom, and otherwise care for, they come to the conclusion that they need to raise money in order to purchase Snowflake his very own winter blanket. The girls, the farm owners, and Snowflake offer one-horse-open sleigh rides in order to raise enough money to buy Snowflake’s blanket and to build him a run-in shed. They found an old sleigh in the barn and discovered that Snowflake knows how to pull it. This uplifting tale is illustrated with cheery watercolor paintings, and the last page includes some interesting facts about Percherons, which will encourage readers to continue educating themselves about horses and horse care.

Calico The Wonder Horse, Or The Saga Of Stewy Stinker, By Virginia Lee Burton

(Kids) It is up to Calico the Wonder Horse and her cowboy, Hank, to save Christmas and bring the criminals to justice after Stewy Stinker and his Badlands gang kidnap Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Calico is known as “the smartest, fastest horse in all of Cactus County.” This tall tale, written by Virginia Lee Burton, who was awarded the Caldecott Medal, will hit the bullseye with any young audience thanks to the witty Western dialogue and captivating comic-book format!

Ernest’s Special Christmas, By Laura Barnes, Illustrated By Carol Camburn

(Kids, Teens, Adults) On the evening of Christmas Eve, the miniature donkey named Ernest observes that all of the other animals are safely tucked away in the barn, with the exception of his good friend Chester, the old draft horse. When Ernest goes outside to look for Chester, he finds the horse lying in the snow, almost buried to the point of being unable to stand due to exhaustion and weakness. Ernest is neither big enough nor strong enough to assist Chester all by himself; however, with the assistance of all of the animals in the barnyard, including the cows, the horses, the donkeys, and even the birds, they are able to get the large horse back up on his feet again. The narrative, which Barnes summarizes by saying, “With love and determination they had helped their friend….” This phrase perfectly encapsulates the essence of the holiday season, which is one that is generous, kind, and full of happiness shared with others: “This was the best gift of all.” The watercolor illustrations by Camburn that are so heartbreakingly sweet bring such life and expression to the characters that readers of all ages will find themselves reaching out to help the animals – and reaching out to read Ernest’s Special Christmas again and again for years to come. Camburn’s illustrations can be found on her website.

Jingle-Jingle By Nicola Smee

And here’s a free book as a bonus for you: not only will you and your family enjoy this book, but so will your horse! In the story “Jingle-Jingle,” Mr. Horse invites his friends Cat, Dog, Pig, and Duck to ride in his sleigh. However, when Mr. Horse hops in the sleigh himself, he realizes how much fun it can be to ride in a sleigh with friends. This book is perfect for your young horse-first lover’s or second jingle bell season. However, it will brighten and cheer the spirits of anyone – human or equine – who reads it. The story is hilarious, playful, and friendly, and the illustrations are huggably adorable.

Are you looking for additional books, songs, or movies that center on horses during the holiday season? Try your hand at one of these titles!

• Jingle Bells (books, music, and history), by James Lord Pierpont and various artists * And Winter Came, an album by Enya
• A children’s book written by Mary Higgins Clark titled The Magical Christmas Horse
• Olive, the Other Reindeer (a children’s book about a Jack Russell who believes she’s a reindeer), written by Vivian Walsh * Out Stealing Horses (a novel), written by Per Petterson * Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (a song), written by Robert May * Sleigh Ride (a song), written by Leroy Anderson * Stubby Pringle’s Christmas (a children’s novel), written by Jack Schaefer * Twas the Night Before
• Winter’s Tale, written by Mark Helprin * Winter Wonderland (the song), written by Richard Smith and performed by a number of artists

💛💜💛 Want To See More Less Common Gift Ideas For Horse Lovers? ==> Click The Images Below To Explore!