SADDLE up and prepare for a thrilling ride this Christmas with a new historical fiction series of equestrian adventures, and a book that will make the perfect gift.

The Kingfisher Book of Horse and Pony Stories is compiled by horse fanatic Jenny Oldfield who has put together a collection of original stories by contemporary writers guaranteed to get any horse lover's pulse pounding. Twelve exciting tales take readers from ancient Greece to mediaeval Japan, from an American ranch to the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

Here are brave and beautiful horses in danger, loyal and loving ponies to cherish and magical animals to dream about - essential reading for anyone with a passion for horses.

Jenny is an internationally renowned writer for children with more than a hundred novels to her credit. She is passionate about literacy among children and regularly visits schools and libraries across the UK.

Kingfisher's historical fiction is made up of three new books - Saddle the Wind, Chance of a Lifetime and Blackwater Creek - that are written by young novelist Deborah Kent. She has written more than 50 children's non-fiction titles, mainly about US history.

Saddle the Wind takes readers back in time, from the treacherous mountain trails of the Pony Express to the vast prairies of America where the pioneers first settled. The heroines are from different times and cultures but they have two things in common - a love of horses and a unique brand of courage.

Chance of a Lifetime is set during the American Civil War in the 1860s. Jacquetta May lives on a Mississippi cotton plantation with her father. When Union soldiers attack her home, Jacquetta May smuggles her family's Morgan horses to safety in Louisiana.

Blackwater Creek tells the tale of Erika Nagys, a Hungarian girl who has come to California with her family to find gold. But times are hard and Erika is forced to take employment on a local ranch. Here she forms a special bond with an injured filly named Arany.

For further information on these books, contact Kate McCann on 01761 437165.

HOW TO PLAIT YOUR HORSE'S MANE

SCHOOL holidays will soon be here and ponies will be off hunting or to indoor shows.

Of course, everyone always wants to look their best, and this involves getting several layers of mud off your four-legged friend. You will probably think about plaiting its mane and here are some useful tips on how to go about this equine skill.

Before you start, make sure you have a comb and water brush, a small container of water, some rubber bands, a needle and thread and a pair of scissors.

Start off by brushing your pony's mane to get rid of any tangles and then divide the mane into as many sections as required. Separate each section into three equal strands. Taking the three strands in one bunch, plait down to the end and secure the end with a matching rubber band or sew it firmly with a needle and thread. Turn the plait under and secure.

Sewn plaits are the most secure and should be used if your pony will be out for long periods of hunting, for example, and they will look smarter if the thread does not show. Rubber bands are ideal for show jumping.

If your horse has a long neck, use fewer plaits to shorten it and if he has a short neck, use more plaits to lengthen it. It is usual to have an uneven number of plaits along the horse's neck. Happy holidays!