A Year of Reading: The Mongol Derby and other endurance horse races, reviewed by Katherine Roberts

This month, we expand on July's theme of long-distance walking routes to tackle endurance horse races.

First we have non-fiction: Rough Magic by Lara Prior-Palmer, which I read in the evenings while riding a much less arduous trail of my own across the Welsh mountains.

Rough Magic
by Lara Prior-Palmer

This beautifully-written memoir by the niece of event rider Lucinda Prior-Palmer describes Lara's experience, aged just 19, of riding the Mongol Derby. Arguably the world's toughest horse race, this 1000 km test of endurance takes place each August across the steppes made famous by Genghis Khan. Riders change mounts at each stopover and complete the course by riding 25 of the tough little Mongolian horses provided by herders along the route. This year's Derby will have just finished by the time this post goes up, but entries are now open for the 2026 race if you are inspired!

Second is fiction: The Glory by Lauren St John.

The Glory
by Lauren St John

When I first saw this title, I thought the Glory was a real race - it's that convincing! But this book is fiction aimed at teenage readers. Lauren St John has woven an intricate tale of two troubled teens - Alexandra and Will - who find themselves entering a 1200 mile race across several US states, hunted by shady characters who won't hold back from putting a rattlesnake in your sleeping bag. Desperate to protect their horses and their own secrets, they are forced to work together to survive.

The author has written several books for children, including the well-received One Dollar Horse trilogy for younger readers (which I also really enjoyed) so she knows exactly how to tell a story featuring horses, and this book will keep you turning the pages whether you're a fan of long-distance riding or not. As with any fiction title it's necessary to suspend disbelief in several places, and you need your wits about you as the story unfolds through the eyes of both Alex and Will with occasional episodes from the villains, but I can imagine it being made into an exciting action-packed film along the lines of an Indiana Jones movie. And, of course, it's the horses - Alex's palomino mustang Scout, and Will's beloved Arabian Shiraz - that stole my heart.

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Katherine Roberts has ridden since childhood and also worked in National Hunt racing yards.

She draws upon her experience with horses in the following titles featuring equine heroes from history:

I am the Great Horse
The adventures of Alexander the Great from the mouth of his warhorse Bucephalas.

The Horse Who Would Be Emperor
Meet Emperor Caligula's favourite racehorse, first and only four-legged senator of Rome.

Katherine also writes fantasy for younger readers, often featuring magical equines such as unicorns and fairy horses.

Find out more at www.katherineroberts.co.uk