Gillian Bronte Adams is the horse-riding, wander-loving epic fantasy author of THE SONGKEEPER CHRONICLES and a YA trilogy coming 2021, rarely found without coffee in hand and rumored to pack books before clothes when she hits the road. Years of working in youth ministry left her with a passion for journeying alongside those who’ve tasted the sting of life’s brokenness. Now, she writes stories that ring with the echoes of eternity and follow outcast characters down broken roads, through epic battles, and courageously onward. At the end of a day of typing, she can be found saddling her wild thing and riding off into the sunset alongside her pup, Took, seeking adventures of her own. Find out more at gillianbronteadams.com.

Horses are fantastic creatures, aren’t they? Whether seen from a distance or so close you can feel the warm puff of their breath on your outstretched palm, there’s something about them that captures the imagination. Horses have played such an important role in history—in battle, transportation, farming, sports, companionship—that it’s no wonder they often take center stage in our stories too. Shadowfax. Cor. The black stallion.

The stuff of legend, right? Well … only if the author gets the details right.

Most of us could probably name at least one reading pet peeve. It’s that thing that makes you cringe, wince, or slam the book shut. Maybe even “DNF” the book or (like me) set it back on your to-read pile … indefinitely. For me, that pet peeve has to do with horses. Or rather, with authors writing about riding without doing the research to make it feel authentic.

On the flip side, when the tiny details ring true, I will proudly display that book on my shelf, reread it a dozen times, and awkwardly shove it at friends during conversational lulls.

(Me: Read this! Friend: Okay … oh, you mean now?)

So, how do you keep your horse stories in the second category? Well, for your research today, here’s a list of some of the common horse mistakes writers tend to make and tips to avoid them.

Common Horse Mistakes Writers Make and How to Avoid Them

More Machine than Animal

Contrary to what you might see in the movies, horses cannot run all day without stopping, and they need breaks to eat and drink and, yes, sleep. That might seem obvious, but when horses are the main mode of transportation in your story, it can be tempting to treat them like cars. Fuel up and you’re good to go, day after day after day. But while a quick internet search can provide estimates for how far the average horse can travel in a day, some additional factors to bear in mind are the terrain, available forage, weather, health and fitness of the horse, even the load they’re carrying. Rough terrain doesn’t exhaust your car, but your horse will need more rest after a day of picking his way over a mountain than a day of journeying across wide open prairie.

So, show your riders caring for the physical needs of their steeds by brushing them and picking out their hooves at the start or end of the day. Be aware of how the environment and weather will affect horses, both physically and temperamentally. For example, rain makes my horse grumpy while crisp, cool fall weather puts an extra spring in his step. Rough, dry, rocky ground can cause hooves to splinter and crack more easily. Soggy, swampy mud can lead to the development of infections and funguses. Wet weather might cause your tack to chafe and rub in areas it normally wouldn’t, leading to raw, oozing saddle sores on the horse’s withers, spine, or girth. Painful, right?

Then have your characters finish off the evening by feeding their horses a favorite treat (watermelon for my horse) in addition to their meal. Horses do love their food.

Run Away!

Ever seen this scene before? Something (often a snake or a slap on the hindquarters) spooks a horse who rears up and then takes off at a dead run. I think writers like this scenario because it’s an easy way to a) have a rider fall off, or b) have someone else help the rider control their runaway steed. So … it works, right?

Sometimes. Horses are prey animals and do have a strong flight or fight response, but not all horses are frightened by the same things or spook in the same way. Horses are unique, individual creatures, each with their own personalities and fears. My horse can handle snakes but is terrified of butterfly nets. Who knew, right? I didn’t, until I happened to lead a trail ride past a group of campers on a nature walk. He responded by blowing (a deep breath huffed out through the nostrils), backing away, freezing, and quivering until I asked the campers to lower their nets while I dismounted to lead him by hand so his fear wouldn’t spook the rest of the horses in line behind. So, all that to say, yes, horses do spook, but they often spook in different ways than we see in the movies.

Depending on the horse, there’s often far less rearing up and taking off at a gallop, and more backing away (from a threat in front) or lunging away (from a threat behind), blowing, stamping, and once at a “safe distance” standing stock still facing the threat with their ears pricked forward and muscles trembling. How a horse responds depends on his “personality” (high strung or calm and laid back, etc), his level of training (first time under saddle?), the trigger, and his surroundings.

Is he alone or with other horses? Is he somewhere familiar? He might not react so strongly. Somewhere new? More likely. That’s not to say a horse will never rear up and take off running—it does happen—but if he does, it’s often going to be back toward the barn or the herd or wherever he feels safe.

Just a Big Fluffy Dog

The example that immediately comes to mind is Maximus from Tangled. Of course, I love Maximus, but he’s really a dog in horse clothing. It’s clear the filmmakers did it on purpose—think about how Maximus tracks Flynn down by sniffing out his trail and then plays tug of war with Flynn’s boot—which is why it works in my opinion. Break the “rules” but make it clear you know you’re breaking them.

But while horses can be playful, curious, and food oriented, as prey animals and not predators, they have very different instincts than dogs. Dogs are far more likely to jump into protect mode. Horses—particularly in the herd setting—might chase off a predator but are far less likely to get between a rider and danger, especially if they don’t recognize it as a threat. Why does that matter? Well, all you fantasy writers out there penning battle scenes, it’s important to know that your war horse probably won’t come to the defense of their downed rider, unless they’ve been specifically trained to do so in answer to a cue—in which case, they’re not protecting, just responding. Now if your horse is smart enough to read wanted posters (ahem, Maximus), feel free to do what you want!

Shaking the reins

Shaking the reins is not how you make a horse go—at least not in English and Western riding. This was a common misconception among new riders in my horsemanship classes and also crops up frequently in books. If your character is riding in the typical bit and bridle combo, the reins are connected to a small metal bar in the horse’s mouth which transmits pressure to different areas when the rider applies pressure to the reins.

Why does that matter? Well, shaking the reins will not only annoy your horses but could also confuse them. So, show some love to your fictional steeds by writing characters who have “soft hands” on the reins, who don’t shake, yank, or tug them. Gentle pressure should steer a horse from side to side, and skilled riders use their whole bodies to communicate with their steeds through weight placement, gentle hands, leg pressure, and even the direction they’re looking. So, when your character is ready to go, gathering up the reins, sitting up straight, squeezing with their legs, and giving a verbal cue like “clicking” should do the trick.

High-spirited horses don’t need much encouragement to go. Slow, steady, calm (even lazy) horses, might need a little more squeezing and clicking. And remember, even though you just got a mini riding lesson here, your readers care more about the story, so you don’t have to describe the minutiae of every technique, but you can show off your newly acquired expertise in the details you do include. And by not having your riders shake the reins.

Sure, that sounds right …?

If you ever catch yourself saying those words, stop and double-check your terminology and your facts. Using horse lingo is great, so long as you use it correctly (and don’t flood your readers with words they won’t understand). You will probably want to know the difference between mares, stallions, geldings, fillies, colts, and foals, or how to describe the different gaits of a horse. And did you know the parts of a horse have unique names too, like pastern and cannon and fetlock? (Which are probably examples of technical words you should use sparingly.)

Even when you think you already know it, it’s often a good idea to make sure. I remember being mortified as the Equestrian Director at a youth camp when my editor caught my usage of the word “fur” to describe a horse’s coat. Horses have hair not fur, which you’d think I’d know. I also recently stifled a laugh while reading a novel in which the main character emptied out buckets of vomit for his mildly seasick donkey. Donkeys, like horses, are physically nearly incapable of vomiting, which means that the rare case tends to be extremely serious and often fatal.

The good news? There is so much information about horses accessible online, so pausing to run a quick search could save you future embarrassment and make your story feel that much more authentic!

So, to sum up …

Horses are incredible creatures, and with a little research, they can be wonderful assets to our stories! At the end of the day, it’s the little details that make all the difference. The habitual way a trained rider checks the cinch before mounting or scratches at the “sweet spot” on their horse’s neck. The way a horse’s ears swivel toward what he’s focused on, communicate his mood, and twitch in irritation. That’s how I can get away with writing my newest series that has magical horses that breathe fire, melt into shadow, and quake the earth with a stamp of their hooves and it still feels authentic because the tiny, familiar details ground it in reality. But that’s a worldbuilding post for another day …

For now, what are your reading pet peeves? (No names of authors, please!) And if you’re writing about horses, what research have you done to make your horses seem real?