Your characters are charging into battle, life is in the balance. What kind of horses are they riding? What tack? Why would those horses ride into carnage at all?
Your story travels a long distance. Are your characters using horses, mules or oxen? Are people riding or driving (chariots, carts, wagons) or walking? How far can a horse be expected to go?
How much do horses eat? What do they eat?
I love horses. I write horses. What an honor to be asked to write a chapter on How to Bring Horses to Life in Historical Fiction for this instructive, engaging book: Crafting Stories from the Past: A How-To Guide for Writing Historical Fiction. I jumped at the opportunity to write non-fiction again about HORSES.
Human history was made from horseback, they are the original horse-power. Horses and their contributions will be included in many historical fiction books, and some people have little knowledge or experience with these magnificent beasts.
This chapter gives an overview of:
- Horses and their importance in history.
- Horses physically with anatomy and insight into their senses.
- Horse care and hoof care are covered in brief, because then and now, people protect and preserve their valuable horses.
Defining equipment.
To accurately portray horses, writers need some understanding of the nature of horses, how to communicate, bond and work/play with them.
Put some zip into your story, whether horses play major roles in your writing – as they do in mine (Archer’s Grace, By Arrow and Sword) – or are background/setting, you must portray them and the equipment accurately so readers aren’t pulled from your story with a simple misunderstandings or out-of-period descriptions.
Amazingly to me, this was one of the hardest things I have ever written. In my historical fiction writing, the editor reminds me, less riding, more story! My love and enchantment of anything equine takes over. With the great editors, and non-horse people, I worked with on this important chapter; I explain horses, cover the basics for newbies and horse people. I learned even more doing the research. Archeologists have revealed new and exciting things about horses and horse usage in our history throughout my lifetime and writing career. Research never truly ends.
Unique to this book, is the extensive resource list at the end.
https://books2read.com/craftingstories
HORSES. Even as a grandma, I am still a horse loving little girl at heart.
Please contact me for more information about this book, my books, or horses! ! I could talk all day about my beloved ponies and our lives together.
Such a great chapter–worth the purchase price all on its own! Thanks for sharing some of the reason why.