Horse Country: Kathryn O’Shea-Evans’s New Book

Seen from an unexpected angle, the horse becomes a study in movement. “You can almost feel the muscles moving beneath the horse’s coat,” says author and horsewoman Kathryn O’Shea-Evans. | Photo: Ciara Doone Rush

Horse lovers will find much to admire in Horse Country, Kathryn O’Shea-Evans’ lavish exploration of the equestrian way of life. Presented in a large, 10-by-12-inch format and spanning 240 pages, the book gives its magnificent photography the space it deserves. Its pages bring together horses, extraordinary landscapes, historic estates and beautiful stables, inviting readers into a richly textured world shaped by tradition and craftsmanship.

Organized as a journey through some of the world’s most celebrated equine landscapes, Horse Country moves effortlessly from elegant English dressage arenas to the working ranches of the American West. Along the way are stately stables, weathered tack rooms, rolling pastures and manicured polo fields. Elegant manor houses overlook immaculate paddocks, while generations-old barns and purpose-built stables reflect the pride and artistry that have long been woven into the fabric of equestrian culture.

An Andalusian—often called the “Royal Horse of Europe”—embodies an exhilarating sense of freedom and grace. “This beautiful horse seems almost untethered from the earth,” says O’Shea-Evans. | Photo: Ciara Doone Rush

Featuring the work of distinguished photographers (including Carlos Hernâni, Ciara Doone Rush and Thomas Loof) from around the world, the images are cinematic in scale and rich in atmosphere. Majestic Friesians seem almost mythical against dramatic landscapes, while Thoroughbreds and Arabians are portrayed with beauty and grace.

Some photographs capture the exhilaration of horses at full gallop; others linger over quieter moments—grazing in sunlit fields or waiting patiently (with mane intricately braided) before the start of a competition. Other photographs celebrate the rituals surrounding horse life: a groom adjusting a bridle, soft morning light filtering into an old stable, or a quiet moment of companionship between horse and rider.

True grit takes center stage at a Utah rodeo. “Women represent a growing share of rodeo competitors,” says O’Shea-Evans. “The new generation is reshaping one of the American West’s oldest traditions.” | Photo: AzmanL/iStock by Getty Images

O’Shea-Evans says that one of the surprises of researching Horse Country was discovering how much horse people have in common, regardless of where they live. Whether in Ireland’s County Kildare, Slovenia’s Lipizzaner stud farms, the bluegrass horse country of Kentucky or the American West, she found them to be kind, quietly confident, deeply grounded and devoted to their horses.

She came away convinced that despite differences in geography and tradition, the equestrian world is united by a remarkable sense of community. That shared spirit lends the book a warmth that extends well beyond its extraordinary photography.

The Andalusian breed has long been prized by royalty throughout Europe for its beauty and intelligence. | Photo: Ciara Doone Rush

Rather than interrupt the visual experience, brief essays encourage readers to look more closely at the photographs and appreciate the traditions and stories behind them. Designer, author and lifestyle entrepreneur India Hicks contributed a warm foreword drawing on her own lifelong affection for horses. “Horse Country gallops through the rugged romance of the American West, the polished traditions of English riding and the effortless luxury of a life woven with leather, linen, and the thunder of hooves,” she opined.

At its heart, Horse Country is a celebration of the enduring relationship between horses and people. O’Shea-Evans shares that simply being around horses “calms and soothes me within minutes.” That same serenity permeates every page of this beautifully curated volume.

As seen in Mountain Living’s November/December 2026 issue.

O’Shea-Evans shares a quiet moment with Cy, a rescued Thoroughbred. | Photo: Angella Crabb

Semi-wild horses roam high in the Italian Dolomites, perfectly at home amid the wild grandeur of the landscape, their flowing manes and quiet grace echoing the beauty of the surrounding mountains. | Photo: Ascent Xmedia/iStock by Getty Images

In Monument Valley, a Diné horsewoman embraces a horse—a tender scene reflecting the enduring place of horses in Diné life and culture. | Photo: The Palmer/iStock by Getty Images

HORSE COUNTRY by Kathryn O’Shea-Evans (forward by India Hicks), $60, Gibbs Smith, gibbs-smith.com