John Richard Young

Arabian Cow Horse

Wilcox and Follett Company, Chicago, 1953, illus Lorence Bjorklund

A sceptical Don Revere is convinced by new neighbours that Arabians are suitable for
ranch work...he acquires the young stallion Raffy from them.

Champion of the Cross 5

Westminster 1955, Philadelphia, cover art Bill Wickham

The Arab stallion Raffy is trained and competes as a reining horse. (For the uninitiated,
think a Western version of dressage, in which the horse is completely obedient to the rider,
responding to virtually invisible aids).

Arizona Cutting Horse

Westminster 1956, Philadelphia, cover art uncredited

Raffy is trained as a cutting horse.... The best way to describe such a horse is to say
"Border Collie that you ride.” The rider indicates which steer the rider wants cut from the herd,
and the horse must react/respond to the steer's actions with independent thought and action
of his own....the antithesis of a reining horse. Don acquires a second horse, the Irish bred
Thoroughbred mare Clonmella.

Olympic Horseman

Westminster 1957, Philadelphia, cover art by Stanley Dersh

Don begins training Clonmella for Olympic eventing, using Raffy as his backup horse
...three guess which horse makes good?

John Richard Young wrote only four fictional books, the Don Revere and Raffy series. Raffy is an Arabian stallion, who is certainly a multi-talented animal, being trained as a reining and a cutting horse, and ending up as an Oympic Eventer.

John Richard Young is also well known for his non-fiction work on schooling. - and these are the books that are likely to turn up in the UK. None of his fiction had a UK publication. None of the books are cheap, though all are usually available in America. As is usual with American books, it is quite hard to find copies which are not ex-library. Arabian Cow Horse is the easiest to find, and the most reasonably priced. Champion of the Cross 5 is very hard to find indeed, and very expensive. Olympic Horseman is also expensive. Arizona Cutting Horse is less hard to find, but expensive.

Many thanks to Susan Bourgeau for the information and pictures in this section.

Also:

The Schooling of the Western Horse, 1954 (Univ of Oklahoma)

Schooling for Young Riders, 1970 (Univ of Oklahoma)