Best Horse Breed Encyclopedias: 8 Picks Compared
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Choosing a horse-breed encyclopedia can be tricky when some focus on breed profiles while others also cover care and riding.
Depending on the book, readers can explore breed origins and characteristics, or find material on horse care and riding topics.
This time, we’ll round up eight horse and pony encyclopedias and illustrated guides.
Quick-reference table of recommended products
| Product name | Binding | Coverage focus | Listed age range |
|---|---|---|---|
 International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds | Paperback | Breed origins and backgrounds, size, appearance, chief use, and rarity; extinct and extant breeds worldwide. | — |
 The Complete Book of Horses: Breeds, Care, Riding, Saddlery | Hardcover | Horse and pony breeds, riding instruction, saddlery, and riding equipment. | — |
 The Horse-Lover’s Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition | Trade paperback | Breeds, tack, facilities, equine care and management, health and safety, riding styles and disciplines, and shows across English and Western styles. | — |
 The Horse Encyclopedia | Hardcover | Breed origins, history, and characteristics; horse evolution, anatomy, history, art, culture, and care. | — |
 Storey’s Illustrated Guide to 96 Horse Breeds of North America | Paperback | North American breed profiles covering breed history, special uses, and conformation standards. | — |
 Horses: The Definitive Catalog of Horse and Pony Breeds | Flexibound | Horse and pony breed characteristics, horse care, show-jumping, and polo. | — |
 Children’s Encyclopedia of Horses | Hardcover | Horse and pony breed color, build, height, temperament, and development. | 8–12 |
 Why Are Horses: An Illustrated History of Horse Breeds | Paper over board | Horse breed origins and features, presented with diagrams, comic panels, illustrations, and text. | 9–11 |
International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds
This paperback is recommended for readers seeking a broad reference to horse breeds around the world, including extinct and extant breeds. You’ll find nearly 400 alphabetically arranged entries covering each breed’s origin and background, size, appearance, chief use, and status as rare or common. You’ll also find 530 black-and-white illustrations.
The Complete Book of Horses: Breeds, Care, Riding, Saddlery
For readers looking for horse-breed information alongside riding and equipment topics, this hardcover is recommended. The book covers over 60 horse and pony breeds and includes riding guidance, from trotting and cantering to dressage and competition riding. An illustrated saddlery and riding-equipment directory is included for riders of all levels.
The Horse-Lover’s Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition
This trade paperback is recommended for readers looking for a broad equestrian reference that covers both English and Western styles. Across more than 1,700 entries, the book covers breeds and tack, along with horse care, health and safety, riding disciplines, and shows. This 2nd Edition is full color.
The Horse Encyclopedia
For readers seeking a broad horse reference that goes beyond breed profiles, this hardcover is recommended. The book lists over 150 breeds and types, with information on their origins, history, and characteristics, and also covers horse evolution, anatomy, and care, including feeding, grooming, and health.
Storey’s Illustrated Guide to 96 Horse Breeds of North America
For readers seeking a focused guide to North American horse breeds, this paperback is recommended. The guide offers 96 in-depth profiles covering breed history, special uses, and conformation standards, and is described as photograph-filled.
Horses: The Definitive Catalog of Horse and Pony Breeds
For readers seeking a wide-ranging guide to horse and pony breeds from around the world, this flexibound book is recommended. The guide covers more than 150 horse and pony breeds, with information about their characteristics, along with horse-care advice and topics such as show-jumping and polo.
Children’s Encyclopedia of Horses
For young readers aged 8–12 who want an introduction to horse and pony breeds, this hardcover is recommended. It covers over 50 breeds, with overviews of color, build, height, and temperament, as well as where each breed developed.
Why Are Horses: An Illustrated History of Horse Breeds
For readers aged 9–11 seeking an illustrated introduction to horse breeds, this book is recommended. The book covers 30+ breeds from around the globe, with diagrams showing each breed’s features alongside comic panels, illustrations, and text.
Its information is presented as a classroom and library resource.
Choosing by the kind of horse information you want
- Readers seeking breed references with global coverage
- Readers looking for horse-care, riding, or equipment topics
- Readers seeking profiles of North American horse breeds
- Young readers aged 8–12 looking for an introduction to horse and pony breeds
- Readers aged 9–11 and classroom or library collections
