The Bridleway

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What to expect

WINNER OF THE ELWYN HARTLEY-EDWARDS AWARD FOR EQUINE WRITING, 2023.

Tiffany Francis-Baker explores how the relationship between humans and horses has shaped the British landscape and how this connection has become part of our nation’s ecosystems.

Many of us enjoy walking or riding on bridleways. These ancient networks crisscross the British countryside, but we rarely pause to ponder how they came to be.

Tiffany Francis-Baker tells the intriguing history of Britain’s bridleways, revealing how our relationship with horses is deeply woven into the fabric of British culture, from street and pub names to trading routes and coaching inns. She meets the closest living descendants of wild horses and investigates our evolving relationship with horses, exploring equestrian sports, horse fairs, horseback travellers and adventurers, and how humans and horses have worked together for millennia.

Part-domesticated and part-fiercely independent, horses have long captured our imaginations, and in The Bridleway, Francis-Baker reveals how deeply rooted they have been in our culture for thousands of years and how they can help us understand the natural world and our place within it.

Critics Review

  • [Francis-Baker’s] ability to closely observe nature in all its beauty makes this book a delight for horse-lovers and non-equestrians alike … A fascinating journey through the world of horses and our enduring relationship with them.

    BBC Countryfile

  • Rather like a gentle summer’s hack, The Bridleway is an enjoyable meander through the British countryside over the centuries. Excellent research and lyrical nature-writing.

    Horse & Hound

  • Her illustrations are captivating, and so is her writing.

    The Tablet

  • The charm of her book lies in wayside details.

    The Spectator

  • A eulogy to the relationship between human and horse, and what we can learn from it … [Tiffany Francis-Baker] evokes the sights and sounds of the countryside beautifully.

    The Oldie

  • Tiffany Francis-Baker offers a new perspective on bridleways and how they have shaped the countryside around us.

    Horse & Rider

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