Matt McAvoy Book Review

A quite lovely book, by an author who clearly has an immense love for and knowledge of horses.  In a similar vein to Watership Down, this tale is told from the point of view of our equine friends, who can understand their humans and each other for the purposes of its simple story.  Funnily enough, there isn’t an extensive developmental arc to follow, which is just fine; it isn’t really that type of book; rather, it is simply a tale of endearment, about the coexistence between us animals, and how we come across to those dependent on us.  In summary, a former show-horse affectionately nicknamed Big Guy is retired to schooling, where he meets other horses in a similar situation, facing the end of their careers.  Like us, they ponder and reflect, whilst some – the more intuitive, perhaps – fear their fate.  This is a book with a simple premise; it is about the relationships, and in some ways a mirror to our own mindset; of course, the horses are humanized to the point of considering the concepts of ageing and mortality that are the curse of our species with self-awareness, so it can only be a reflection of the human condition, as such books usually are.

But I don’t want to paint an inaccurate picture of this book as morbid or melancholy.  Far from it, in fact, this is an enjoyable and warm book to read.  The horses are all different, with wonderful, trusting personalities.  Such books tend to follow the usual tropes of loss and death, etc., and whilst I don’t want to spoil anything, I can tell you that this is an altogether happier affair.  That said, the conversations and thoughts of the horses are entirely relatable.  Thankfully, there are no protagonists or cruel humans to dumb down this thoughtful read; it is rather a love letter, and Celia Ryker is a very pleasant writer; Kathy Connell’s illustrations aren’t half bad, either.

I like to think of this book as a slice of quintessential charm from the era of innocent tales.  The poignancy comes not from emotional overload, but from a simpler outlook: a rural setting which brings an involuntary smile; a life of village fetes, country walks, and girls who love their horses.  It is not nostalgic twee, but it is something a little different from the noise of the many other books I read, and something of a welcome break.