Helen Orr Watson

Helen Orr Watson was married to a military man, Colonel James Tolmie-Watson, and wrote several military-themed animal books.  She also wrote many short stories, and taught the art of short story writing in the Philippines, and in Washington DC at YWCA and Southeastern University. She was Vice President of the National League of American Pen Women, which serves to “promote the production of creative work of professional standard in Art, Letters, and Music.”  It is also “dedicated to sharing [its] talents and time with non-members through outreach programs to foster the arts.”  Helen Orr Watson also served as President of the Children’s Book Guild of Washington.  After her husband’s death, she lived in Washington DC.

Many thanks to Lisa Catz, Susan Bourgeau and Alison for all their help with this section.

Finding the books:  none of her horse titles were published in the UK.  None of the titles are hard to find in the US,  and none are particularly expensive.  
 

Links and Sources:
Terri A. Wear:  Horse Stories, an Annotated Bibilography, Scarecrow Press, 1987

Culver Academy’s Black Horse Troop

A Contemporary Review of Shavetail Sam, Boys’ Life, 1945

Biographical Information, Eugene Register-Guard, June 21, 1953

Website of the National League of American Pen Women

Bibliography - horse books only

Top Kick U. S. Army Horse
Houghton Mifflin Co, New York, 1942, illus Bernard Garbutt, 217 pp.

“Top Kick was born at an Army Remount Depot, where he got his name from jumping over the
pasture fence when he was only a couple of weeks old. For his first two years he was able to
grow and play, and then he began  the careful training to make him a cavalry horse. For his first
assignment, he went to the Philippines for peace-time manoeuvres. Then bombs fell on Pearl
Harbour, and Top Kick began active service, and in the days to follow, both horse and rider
had the opportunity to prove themselves as true soldiers. 

Shavetail Sam, U.S. Army Mule

Houghton Mifflin, New York, 1944, illus Bernard Garbutt, 163 pp.

Sam is trained by Elmer, and is sold to the U.S. Army for a pack and riding mule.  He goes overseas into
battle, where  he is blinded by a bomb.  Eventually he is reunited with Elmer

High Stepper

Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1946, illus Manning de V Lee, 198 pp.

Zan finds a dying colt after its mother has been killed by a mountain lion.  Zan carts the foal home in a wheelbarrow,
and brings it up.  The horse escapes and runs with wild horses, though he and Zan are eventually reunited.  They
learn to do tricks, and are offered a job in a circus.  There Zan works on training Star to be a high school horse.

Black Horse of Culver

Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1950, illus Bernard Garbutt, 186 pp.

Bruce, a rebel, is sent to Culver Military Academy.  He does not get on with his fellow students, but he does learn
to ride, and forms a bond with the black horse Storm Cloud.

Fools Over Horses

Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1952, illus Wesley Dennis, 237 pp.

An adult book.

Sally Catlin can’t pay the mortgage on her horse farm, Foxhollow, but when Tom is sent there to sell it, he
becomes interested in helping the farm pay its way, as well as in getting to know Sally better.