Rutherford G. Montgomery

Rutherford George Montgomery was an American author born in 1894. Quite a prolific writer with many books published, including a number of horse related titles (which tended mostly to be of the wild stallion type favoured by many male writers of the time.) Most famous for his Golden Stallion series about a boy named Charlie and his love for a magnificent palomino stallion. Although these are presented more as boy's western/adventure stories, they are still very enjoyable for all horse-lovers, and there is a nice bond between the young hero and his horse.

As well as his horse stories, he wrote many adventure yarns and lots of novels about other wild animals. He is acclaimed for his excellent and realistic portrayal of animals in the wild. This of course means the stories can be fairly uncompromising at times and do contain some scenes which may upset readers of a more sensitive nature.

The Golden Stallion Series:
Set on an American ranch and the wild surrounding ranges and mountains. The adventures of Charlie Carter and a semi-wild palomino stallion whom he sometimes rides but who spends most of his time running wild with a herd of mares.

1) THE CAPTURE OF THE GOLDEN STALLION
aka THE GOLDEN STALLION (Abridged edition)
(LITTLE, BROWN & CO [USA] 1951)
(1ST UK EDITION HODDER & STOUGHTON 1954)
ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE GIGUERE
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories series.
Reprinted in an abridged form as The Golden Stallion.
Published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton.
SUMMARY: Charlie first spots the golden palomino stallion on the high mountains above his father's ranch and falls in love with the magnificent horse. He eventually manages to capture the horse whom he names Golden Boy, and boy and horse form a close bond.
PONYMAD RATING: 3 HORSESHOES

2) THE GOLDEN STALLION'S REVENGE
(LITTLE, BROWN & CO [USA] 1953)
(1ST UK EDITION HODDER & STOUGHTON 1956)
ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE GIGUERE
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories series.
First published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton,.
Reprinted in the UK by White Lion in hardback in the 1970s.
SUMMARY: Charlie realises that a life in captivity is not right for the vital golden stallion. He persuades his father to move the Bar L Ranch herd up to the high pastures where the stallion can run free and protect the mares. But it proves a more dangerous plan than he had reckoned…

3) THE GOLDEN STALLION TO THE RESCUE
(LITTLE, BROWN & CO [USA] 1954)
(1ST UK EDITION HODDER & STOUGHTON 1956)
ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE GIGUERE
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories series
First published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton.
Reprinted in the UK by White Lion in hardback in the 1970s.
SUMMARY: The Bar L Ranch's finances are in dire straits after a particularly bad winter. A rich boy who is staying on the ranch seems to provide a solution to save the ranch but this could mean Charlie losing Golden Boy forever.
PONYMAD RATING: 4 HORSESHOES

4) THE GOLDEN STALLION'S VICTORY
(LITTLE, BROWN & CO [USA] 1956)
(1ST UK EDITION HODDER & STOUGHTON 1957)
ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE GIGUERE
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories series
First published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton.
Reprinted in the UK by White Lion in hardback in the 1970s.
SUMMARY: The range boss on a nearby ranch causes trouble for the Carters when their semi-wild stallion steals some of his mares.

5) THE GOLDEN STALLION AND THE WOLF DOG
(LITTLE, BROWN & CO [USA] 1958)
(1ST UK EDITION HODDER & STOUGHTON 1958)
ILLUSTRATED BY PERCY LEASON
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories series
First published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton.
Reprinted in the UK by White Lion in hardback in the 1970s.
SUMMARY: When out looking for the troublesome white stallion that has been annoying Golden Boy and his herd, Charlie meets a mysterious Mexican boy and his wolf dog.

6) THE GOLDEN STALLION'S ADVENTURE AT REDSTONE
(LITTLE, BROWN & CO [USA] 1959)
(1ST UK EDITION HODDER & STOUGHTON 1960)
ILLUSTRATED BY PERCY LEASON
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories series
First published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton.
Reprinted in the UK by White Lion in hardback in the 1970s.
SUMMARY: Charlie sets off with Golden Boy and his friends to help his uncle run his ranch at Redstone.

7) THE GOLDEN STALLION AND THE MYSTERIOUS FEUD
(LITTLE, BROWN & CO [USA] 1967)
(1ST UK EDITION BROCKHAMPTON 1970)
ILLUSTRATED BY ALBERT MICHINI
First published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton.
Reprinted in the UK by White Lion in hardback in the 1970s.
SUMMARY: A family of dirt farmers who move into an abandoned farm near the Bar L Ranch cause problems for the Carter family.

Collectors Info:
Not particular common books but certainly not impossible to find. For obvious reasons they are easier to find in the USA where they were reprinted a number of times. Probably the Grosset Famous Horse Stories edition is the easiest to find there. However due to Hodder and Stoughton and later White Lion reprinting them in the UK they may still be found here without too much trouble. 

Claudia and Dennis Series:
(With Natlee Kenoyer)
Short series which focuses on the problems caused by money (or lack of it) in keeping horses. The first book was written with the author Natlee Kenoyer. The sequel was written by Natlee Kenoyer alone, but I have included both books here for those who would like to know about the full series.

1) A HORSE FOR CLAUDIA AND DENNIS
(With Natlee Kenoyer)
(DUELL, SLOANE & PEARCE [USA] 1958)
ILLUSTRATED BY CAROL WESTMORE
SUMMARY: Claudia and Dennis save up to buy their longed-for horse Blaze. But even when they get him they must still continue to earn money to keep him.

2) CLAUDIA'S FIVE DOLLAR HORSE
(By Natlee Kenoyer)
(DUELL, SLOANE & PEARCE [USA] 1960)
ILLUSTRATED BY EVERETT RAYMOND KINSTLER
SUMMARY: With the family ranch in jeopardy due to lack of funds, Claudia may be ill-advised to spend five dollars buying a starving mare, but she can't abandon the horse to its fate. She decides to try and help save the ranch too by thinking up a scheme to make money by boarding horses and taking tourists on trail rides.

Collector's Info:
Reasonably easy to find in the USA via the internet. Can be very hard to find elsewhere.

Other Horse & Pony Books:

MIDNIGHT WILD STALLION OF THE WEST
(HOLT [USA] 1940)
(1ST UK EDITION HUTCHINSON 1944)
ILLUSTRATED BY J. B. ABBOTT
Reprinted in hardback by Grosset & Dunlap as part of their Famous Horse Stories series.
Reprinted in paperback by Scholastic.
SUMMARY: When beautiful mare Lady Ebony disappears, old Sam is branded a horse thief and sent to jail. But Lady has in fact ran off to join a herd of wild horses. She gives birth to Midnight, a black colt who will eventually take command of the herd and may even be able to prove poor Sam innocent.

EL BLANCO THE LEGEND OF THE WHITE STALLION
(GOLDEN PRESS [USA] 1961)
(1ST UK EDITION PURNELL 1962)
ILLUSTRATED BY GLORIA STEVENS
SUMMARY: Based on a Walt Disney TV show. The story of a wild white stallion and the Mexican legend which is connected to him.

SNOWMAN
(DUELL, SLOAN & PEARCE [USA] 1962)
SUMMARY: Fictionalised account of the true story of the legendary American jumper who was rescued from slaughter to become a household name. When Harry de Leyer buys a big gray horse rescued from the slaughterhouse for the girls at his school to ride, he is amazed to discover the horse is a talented jumper.

THE CAPTURE OF WEST WIND
(DUELL, SLOAN & PEARCE [USA] 1962)
Also a Book Club edition.
SUMMARY: Historical Indian story. Young Sioux Gray Eagle decides to capture the pinto stallion West Wind to use as a steed, even though his fellow tribesmen only see horses as useful to eat

CRAZY KILL RANGE
(WORLD [USA] 1963)
ILLUSTRATED BY LORENCE BJORKLUND
SUMMARY: A black colt, born on a high plateau after his mother is stolen from a ranch, survives the dangers of life on the range to grow into a great stallion and leader of his own herd.

THE STUBBORN ONE
(DUELL, SLOAN & PEARCE [USA] 1965)
SUMMARY: When their ranch is struggling, Brett's uncle thinks it would be a good idea to sell the cattle and horses and turn the place into a resort. Brett does not share this view and decides instead to try and turn the fortunes of the ranch around with the help of his friends.

BIG RED, A WILD STALLION
(CALDWELL [USA] 1971)
ILLUSTRATED BY P. CROWELL
SUMMARY: In the days before the wild herds of the west became protected, a wild stallion and his mares face capture by men who would sell them for meat. Ranger Tom and his son Eddy determine to catch the poachers who are after the horses, but this puts them in danger….

Collectors Info:
El Blanco and Midnight are probably the easiest to find of the stand-alone titles and copies can usually be picked up in the UK as well as in America. The others are harder to get hold of and may have to be bought from the USA, where most of the books are easy to find. Snowman, however, is the rarest and is usually fairly expensive even in America.