Public Domain – Shiny Pony

March 16, 2026

First two ebooks updated

This is likely the final version for each, though you won’t catch me swearing to that! Because, if anyone finds a typo, and tells me, I’d fix it.

I added to the rights page in each book, which is why both books got new versions. I am releasing my contributions via a CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Find both titles on my uploads page at the Internet Archive.

Another ebook eventually arriving will be Midnight, by Rutherford Montgomery. It turns out, the copyright for this 1940 title was never renewed. Gutenberg.org has had an ebook available since 2019, digitized from the paperback version I used to own as a child! But that edition only had a single illustration, a frontispiece by Pers Crowell. I will be doing the first edition, 1940 Henry Holt and Company hardcover, fully illustrated by Jacob Bates Abbott.

February 19, 2026

Game-Legs: another horse ebook!

My second public domain EPUB is available for download.

https://archive.org/details/arthur-c-bartlett-game-legs

Game-Legs, first published in 1928, is a lovely and charming story by Arthur C. Bartlett, who wrote two more horse stories for children, General Jim, and 4-H Cowboy.

The main character of Game-Legs is Jimmy Burbank. Jimmy contracted polio as a young child, and needs to use walking sticks to get around. His father, a doctor, has a favorite mare he has bred, hoping for a good foal. But, when the mare gives birth, the foal can’t stand on her own. Jimmy identifies with the weak filly and becomes concerned for her. He does not realize that her weakness could result in her being put down.

January 18, 2026February 17, 2026

Top Horse of Crescent Ranch: an ebook!

Head to the Internet Archive book download page. Don’t judge the ebook by auto-derived preview. Download the EPUB format book!

Top Horse of Crescent Ranch is a 1942 title by Howard L. Hastings. It is not a plot-heavy book, but a pleasing read nevertheless. The first edition print publication is 248 pages. While there are many chapters, they are short. The title fell into the public domain of the United States due to non-renewal of copyright. It is also public domain in countries where the copyright period is “life plus 70” years.

It was written during the same time period as My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara (1941). Both titles are set on Wyoming ranches. The child characters in each book do some unsupervised range riding. Each author clearly loves horses and stresses good treatment of them! Otherwise, they are completely different reads.

The author is best known as an illustrator. A few titles illustrated by Mr. Hastings are public domain and available from Gutenberg.org.

January 1, 2026January 10, 2026

The race to 2026 is over and who won?

The United States of America public domain, that’s who! Happy Public Domain day!

Any titles and images posted below may be under copyright in other countries. Please check the laws for your own country before making use of any of these works!

There’s some nice horse titles entering the public domain this year, non-fiction and fiction. For art lovers, there are two non-fiction titles with Paul Brown illustrations: Gentlemen Up, and Foxhunting Formalities by J. Stanley Reeve.

From the UK, there’s Moorland Mousie by Golden Gorse and Jerry: The Story of an Exmoor Pony by Eleanor E. Helme and Nance Paul. Hildebrand by John Thorburn, features an opinionated piebald who has “ceased to be a willing co-operator.” All illustrated!

If you prefer western horse adventures, there are Tornado Boy by Thomas C. Hinkle, and The Pinto Pony by Hoffman Birney. Lone Cowboy by Will James, though not specifically a horse book, has plenty of horse action and horse illustration.

For fans of a good driving or harness horse, there’s Red Horse Hill by Stephen W. Meader.

There may be others, but those are the titles from my own collection that qualify.