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Sky Rocket: The Story of a Little Bay Horse
Margaret Cabell Self

Statistics:
Copyright 1970
270 pages
ISBN: 0396062075
Young Adult

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Horse connection:
(jumping) American Jumper & eventing; equestrian military academy

Description:
Written from the horse's point of view: a talened thoroughbred who falls on hard times and is then rescued by a boy in a mounted military troop. Yes, it sounds like Black Beauty, but it doesn't really come across that way. Includes evocative illustrations by Sam Savitt.

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painfully inaccurate   [login to vote]   detailed and exquisitely accurate

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minimal or background   [login to vote]   horsey

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waste of time   [login to vote]   worth a worldwide search

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More on Margaret Cabell Self, by ponydom on March 04, 2011

The New Caanan Mounted Troop was and remains a real riding academy, and Sky Rocket was a real horse there. Mrs. Self was known as a great teacher, and if she let you ride Sky Rocket, who was not an easy ride, you knew you had accomplished something. Mrs. Self was a prolific author who wrote mostly non-fiction horsemanship books, but published a few other works of fiction besides the wonderful "Sky Rocket."

Biography of Margaret Cabell Self, including a list of works.
New Canaan Mounted Troop website

Also note that her book, "The Happy Year," is a nonfiction account of a new cadet's year in the New Canaan Mounted Troop (with lots of pictures) and is a good companion read.

In the book, Rocket learns to do dressage as well as jumping, and her description of his training, his lightness, his sensitivity, and his willingness as a partner still sticks with me as the ideal I hope for when working with any horse.