James & Jigsaw with Antonie de Pluvinel - The Old Masters

Twelve year old James thinks school is boring, history is pointless, and reading is a waste, until his parents sign him up for horse riding lessons in Carlow. Frustrated by challenging ponies and demanding trainers, he’s on the verge of quitting when he discovers a dusty old horsemanship book and finds himself time travelling to 17th century Paris.

There, James meets legendary French horseman Antoine de Pluvinel. Pluvinel’s gentle wisdom and patience inspire James to work harder, both at his horse riding lessons and in school. But when James sees harsh training methods at his local stable, can he stand up for what’s right, face his fears and prove that true horsemanship comes from respect, not force?

Brimming with horse riding tips, fascinating equestrian history, and a touch of time travel magic, this exciting pony adventure is perfect for horse lovers aged 8 to 14 and is an ideal gift for birthdays and Christmas!

The Old Masters Series

This book is part of the Old Masters series. The Old Masters series is a remarkable historical time travel series, celebrating the famous historical figures including Antonie de Pluvinel, William Cavendish, the first Duke of Newcastle, and François Robichon de La Guérinière. This captivating pony adventure series is written by award-winning Irish equestrian author, Elaine Heney.

Reviews

really enjoyed learning about the old masters and I like their methods. It is so awesome that you use them in your stories. There are so many good lessons about life, school, compassion, friendship and horsemanship in the story. Your stories inspire reading and learning. That is so great! Susan F.

In this Old Master's book of James. Elaine Heney masterfully weaves a suspenseful tale around a young boy who is quiet and lacks confidence. After accompanying two very supportive friends to an equestrian competition he is inspired to learn to ride. Through trial and error, and some help from an unexpected source, James transforms. Accompanying him on this journey was fun. This book would be a wonderful addition to any young horse enthusiast. Cheri H.

I really enjoyed this book and the lessons taught. It will be great for other aspiring riders to read and hopefully learn from the lessons mentioned. Mary W.

This is a wonderful and interesting story with so many positive lessons. Love the time travel element and the impact history from long ago can be applied to modern day. The lessons from the old masters are so good and will always be relevant. I like that James was so impressed with Pluvinels teachings that he did his history paper on them and it was nice to see how he has discovered his love of learning. Also enjoy that he applies the lessons from Pluvinel to his working with Thunder and that he can see the results for himself. Susan F.