Horse Story

[JoW]

Hi, I'm looking for a children's book about a boy who had an electronic/mechanical horse, full-size and life-like. He sat inside it and controlled it, think it may have been a racehorse. Pretty sure it was chestnut too, just can't remember the title or author. Any ideas greatly appreciated.

 

[jaybe]

Are you thinking of 'Rocking Horse Winner' D H Lawrence?
http://www.dowse.com/fiction/Lawrence.html

 

[JoW]

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to reply but, no, it's not that book.

Jo

 

[WickedWitch]

I think you are looking for Mylor, The Most Powerful Horse in the World by Michael Maguire (1977).

"The book concerns a group of inventors racing to create a robot horse that can win the Grand National without being detected as a robot. At least one edition of the book features a cover illustration of a brown horse w/ white socks & white blaze on face, and three children, superimposed over a circuit/transistor board. The children are a blonde teen in a plaid jacket w/ white wooly collar, blonde girl in lavender sweater, and brown-haired boy w/ glasses in a brown/blue striped shirt. There is also another book, probably a sequel, called Mylor: The Kidnap. These books are pretty scarce, but can be found online through several U.K. booksellers, as they were published in London."

 

[JoW]

Oh my goodness - you are SO clever The name of the book didn't ring a bell at all but I've searched using the title and author you've given me until I found a picture of the cover and immediately remembered it, some 30 years later!

Thanks very much, fantastic!

Jo

 

[WickedWitch]

Thank you. I'm glad you found your book.