Collection of short stories written by a man who traded horses and mules for a living, back when they were the major form of transportation and power in America.... The stories are mostly with a little twist- where the man thought he made a good trade but found out the horse had a hidden fault or behavior problem, sometimes thought he had sneakily played a poor horse off on a better trade, only to discover the animal he'd acquired wasn't as advertised, either. There were mules painted to look like young, grey dapple, a gypsy mare trained to lie down and groan when saddled, a spoiled lady's riding horse that wouldn't go more than a few yards from the barn. Many times the author showed how he could make the best of a poor situation, due to his understanding of equine behavior- train them out of their bad habits, or cleverly corral a bunch of wild mules that he'd been given in trade because the prior owner assumed he would never be able to catch them. Most of the tales take place in Texas, a few further south- he traveled a lot in his work. There's one story of a match race on a native American reservation. Sometimes, Green couldn't make good on a bad trade, and foisted the poor quality mule or horse off on another unsuspecting person. But there are good, honest transactions in here too, where both parties were well satisfied and respected each other. Overall, fun, humorous and interesting tales. Especially if you like horses.

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Horse Tradin' was my introduction to the fascinating, amazing, and more often than not, hilarious world of Ben K. Green. His stories, which may nor may not be true (but probably are) are gems of Americana.

Even if you don't love horses, or Texas, or cowboys, or veterinarians? Well, if you have any interest in Americana, this book is a must have for your library. ( )

Ben Green's tales of his experiences horse and mule trading span the southwest and many years. From his early days still wet behind the ears to his later days, Green isn't afraid to relate a tale in which he's the butt of the joke. From the crippled boy who needed a pony so he could get to school on time, to the southern lady's spoiled Easter Lily, the Colonel's Rebel Commander to the painted mule, the tricks of the trade from days gone by demonstrate that looking a gift horse in the mouth is never a bad idea! ( )

Wonderful window on 'Texas past' by a born storyteller. A 'read-aloud' classic. ( )