The first Appy book to go on my shelf was The Appaloosa, by Bill and Dona Richardson. Spotted horses have a long history, images have been found in Europe that are 20,000 years old! It was the Nez Perce Indians of the Palouse (areas of Eastern Washington, Oregon, and Idaho) that developed the breed, and where the name came from .. 'a Palouse horse' slurring to Appaloosa. :-) There's more history here, but a warning ... it's sad, and brutal (although not surprising). Then it moves on to chapters on breed characteristics (the mottled skin, striped hooves, white sclera), breeding, showing, and the founding of the Appaloosa Horse Club.

Appaloosa: the Spotted Horse in Art and History with text by Francis Haines has a wonderful collection of pictures showing the Appy in cave drawings, on tapestries, in mosaics, as statues, to the oil paintings of Charles Russell and beyond. There are detailed explanations to go with each, too, which add to the pleasure of reading this book.

The Appaloosa Horse Club is headquartered in Moscow, Idaho and includes the Appaloosa Museum. I've been there a couple of times (although not for years now, and I understand it is bigger these days). On one visit I purchased Appaloosa: a Creative Color Book. Some of the pictures give hints as to what the Appy pattern is and where the spots are, but many don't, allowing the person with the crayons to determine just how his or her Appy will look. Thumbing through it just now I see where two of us who have been at work (hey there TJP!!)

For any of you who like and collect alphabet books, Appaloosa to Zebra: Horses in Rhyme From A to Z , by Christina Wilsdon, would be a nice addition. There are poems on breeds, colors, and horsey activities. My favorite is X (surprisingly) all about horse care.

For fiction, don't forget Ride Like An Indian, to be found in the March 25, 2014 post, and these two fantasy novels by Mary Stanton: The Heavenly Horse From the Outermost West, and the sequel: Piper at the Gate. To be honest here, I don't remember too much, other than the main character was an Appaloosa horse! Still, they are on my 'favorites' shelf so I will move them to the 'to be read' pile and give them a re-read! :-)

And to close, a line from a song by Fred Small and his wonderful CD "Heart of the Appaloosa" a gem of a find from a folk music loving friend of mine who came into work one morning so very long ago now (the format was a vinyl record) and said "You HAVE to hear this song!" He was right, the song (with the same title as the CD) is a history of the Nez Perce and their Appaloosa horses, and what the white man did to them. It is tragic, heroic, and powerful. (The entire CD is amazing, actually, and well worth a listen). The last verse ends with this: "Strong they are, and fearless, and nimble on a hill, listening for thunder, the Appaloosa's living still."

Reading Hermit with Dog