Hey Barnyard Besties,
Whew, what a whirlwind these past few weeks have been!
On April 10, I officially launched the Ultimate Horse Library Giveaway, big, beautiful idea that came together quick with the help of our herd. The goal was to celebrate Buy A Horse Book Day in a way that brought our community together and gave readers (and their favorite nonprofits!) something to smile about. Once we gathered our initial set of authors, the plan was pretty simple. One lucky reader would win a library of 40+ horse books and get to gift a second set to an organization making horses more accessible to children of color.
By May 10, thanks to y’all sharing, tagging, and cheering it on, the giveaway had taken off.
We even got some love from the press:
The Plaid Horse helped us spread the word early.
Publishers Weekly called out the heart behind the project.
And The Chronicle of the Horse shared how fast it all came together (spoiler: very fast).
This was such a feel-good collaboration with 30+ equestrian authors who donated their books and their time, all in the spirit of making horse stories more visible and more accessible. From picture books to memoirs, this giveaway was filled with stories that reflect our love for horses and the people who care for them.
Now for the best part? We got to gift a full set of books to the Philadelphia Urban Riding Academy, an organization doing incredible work to keep horsemanship alive in the city. That felt like a full-circle win.
What’s Next?
Y’all already know… I’m dreaming even bigger for 2026.
I’d love to double the author count, start planning earlier, and maybe even roll out a #HorseLibraryShelfie challenge so we can all see those books living their best lives on your shelves. I’m also working on better ways to track everything so we can see how far this idea can go.
Thank you for riding along with me. Your support, shares, and shelfies made this more than a giveaway. It became a movement rooted in joy, representation, and community.
Until next time! Read good books. Read horse books. And share them with your herd.
~A
