About the author
Morgan Horse author Ellen Feld was educated at the University of Massachusetts, where she studied Russian and Soviet and Eastern European Studies. She has worked as a writer on equine subjects for over 20 years, and wrote her first short story, about her horse Blackjack, in 2001. That story became Blackjack – Dreaming of a Morgan Horse, and won the Children’s Choices Award. The book was later picked up by model horse manufacturers Breyer, who made a scale model Blackjack, sold with the book.
All the horses Ellen Feld writes about are based on her own animals; each book in the series features Heather Richardson and her stable of Morgans.
Finding the books
All are still in print.
Links and sources
Ellen Feld and her books – Willow Bend Publishing
More on the illustrator, Jeanne Mellin
Series
Morgans
Blackjack
Frosty
Rusty
Robin
Annie
Rimfire
Shadow
Bibliography (horse books only)
Blackjack – Dreaming of a Morgan Horse
Willow Bend Publishing, Goshen, MA, 2001, 235 pp, illus Jeanne Mellin
Reprinted 2007
Heather Richardson has been haunted by dreams of a special Morgan horse. She finds out the horse really does exist, and her dreams come true when she is asked to look after him. Disaster strikes when Blackjack falls into the hands of an abusive trainer, and Heather has to rescue him before it is too late.
Frosty, the Adventures of a Morgan Horse
Willow Bend Publishing, Goshen, MA, 2003, 227 pp, illus Jeanne Mellin
Reprinted 2007
Heather and Blackjack are still together, and they meet a rare grey Morgan horse, Frosty. Through Frosty, Heather learns that not all horses are show ring stars. She soon finds out that Frosty does have a talent of her own: trail riding.
Rusty, the High Flying Morgan Horse
Willow Bend Publishing, Goshen, MA, 2004, 222 pp, illus Jeanne Mellin
Reprinted 2012
Frosty has her foal, and it’s a grey filly who, at first, seems perfect. Meanwhile, Heather’s jumping Rusty, but then she starts to doubt herself. She makes a new friend, Nicholas, and hopes he’ll be able to help her overcome her fears.
Shadow, the Curious Morgan Horse
Willow Bend Publishing, Goshen, MA, 2006, 32 pp, illus Jeanne Mellin
Aimed at the younger reader, this book introduces the characters of the Morgan
Horse series. Shadow decides to explore the woods which lie beyond her field. She
looks for a magic pond and meets lots of forest animals. Alas, she gets lost…
Annie, the Mysterious Morgan Horse
Willow Bend Publishing, Goshen, MA, 2007, 206 pp, illus Jeanne Mellin
Chauncy brings new horse Annie to Gallant Morgans, even though he’s not sure of her origin. He makes it clear that she can only stay if he can locate her registration papers. When Heather discovers Annie’s true identity, she is afraid to tell Chauncy, knowing the horse may be returned to a cruel trainer.
Heather hides the truth from her friend and soon events spiral out of control.
Robin, the Lovable Morgan Horse
Willow Bend Publishing, Goshen, MA, 2006, 204 pp, illus Jeanne Mellin
Karen Greene owns Robin, a Morgan horse, but Karen had a bad riding accident, and is so
traumatised by it that she is scared of riding. Heather and Nicholas and their Morgans work together to free Karen from her fear.
Rimfire, the Barrel Racing Morgan Horse
Willow Bend Publishing, Goshen, MA, 2009, 206 pp, illus Jeanne Mellin
Heather travels to Oklahoma, where she is introduced to barrel racing. She falls in love with the sport, and when she gets home, discovers a Morgan barrel racer just happens to be for sale. Her parents refuse to buy him, so Heather persuades Nicholas to. All goes well until Heather takes Rimfire to a competition without Nicholas’ permission. Has Heather jeopardised her friendship
with Nicholas for the sake of a competition?
Meet the Morgans
Willow Bend Publishing, Goshen, MA, 2012 (September)
32pp, illus colour photographs
Meet the horses who have inspired the books!
The Further Adventures of Blackjack
Willow Bend Publishing, Goshen, MA, 2012, illus Jeanne Mellin
Heather and Blackjack have had an great season; winning rosettes at all New England Morgan shows. Maybe this year, they’ll go to Oklahoma to compete in the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show! But this will be expensive, and so Heather has to make some difficult decisions in order that she can afford it. And not only that; a lot can go wrong when you have a trip across the United States with 15 horses in a horse van…
