About the author
Doris Shannon Garst (1894–1981) was born in Michigan, and taught before turning to writing full time. She specialised in writing western-themed books. Her full name was Doris Shannon Garst: she used the last parts of her name as her publisher thought no one would buy Western books by a woman. It is depressing how little seems to have changed, with most famously and recently J K Rowling writing under a neutral name as it was thought no boy would wish to read a fantasy novel by a woman. Despite the handicap of being a woman, Shannon Garst’s books were popular enough for her to give up teaching, and write full time. Amongst her numerous Western titles, at least six have a horse theme. It’s quite possible there are more; please let me know if you can enlighten me.
Finding the books
Most are easy to find; the two Cowboy Boots titles in particular. A Horse, A Hero can be more tricky to locate. Although Cowboy Boots had a British publication, this is very hard to find.
Links and sources
Terri A. Wear: Horse Stories, an Annotated Bibliography, Scarecrow Press, 1987
National Library of Congress
Doris Shannon Garst on Bookrags
Shannon Garst’s papers on Archives West
Tom Nichol’s Blogspot on Shannon Garst
I used the Wyoming Writers wiki for the original of this piece, but it no longer seems to be available.
Series
Cowboy Boots
Cowboy Boots
Silver Spurs for Cowboy Boots
Dave
Crazy About Horses
Tall in the Saddle
Bibliography (horse books only)
Cowboy Boots
Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, New York, 1946, 191 pp, illus Charles Hargens
Hutchinson’s Books for Young People, London, 1949, 200 pp, illus R Mills
Bob spends the summer at his uncle’s ranch in Wyoming. Bob wants to learn to ride, to rope and to be useful, but his uncle seems to want to protect him from all that.
Silver Spurs for Cowboy Boots
Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, New York, 1949, 192 pp, illus Charles Hargens
Bob’s horse Boots as well as other horses and cattle, are stolen from the Circle K Ranch.
Everyone believes it’s the cowboy Teton, who says he has lost his memory.
Crazy about Horses
Hastings, New York, 1957, illus Wesley Dennis, 247 pp
Dave believes he has been sent to his uncle’s ranch because his father doesn’t like him. Dave still feels unwanted, even though the horses Pesky and Prince like him.
Tall in the Saddle
Hastings, New York, 1960, 160 pp, illus Ralph E Ricketts
Dave’s dad remarries, and he now gets to stay at the ranch in Wyoming for ever. There are still problems with his father, but Dave is happy riding Prince and Pesky.
The Burro Who Sat Down
A S Barnes, New York, 1961, 50 pp, illus Gisella Loeffler
A donkey story for the younger reader.
A Horse, a Hero, a Wyoming Romance
Hastings, New York, 1962, 159 pp, illus Mary Stevens
Blythe is thrilled when she finds the horse of her dreams at the OK Ranch. The horse though has a reputation for unreliability. Despite this, Blythe is determined to turn her into a top barrel horse, with Rory’s help.