This was pretty neat. I never did understand how the boy realized he was gay in the first place, as most of the story took place while he was in the process of figuring out how to come out. I got the impression that the author knows horses better than gay boys or rich teen girls, because there seemed to be some stereotypes, flat characters, and implausibilities. That being said, it was engaging, valuable, interesting... and I do recommend it. ( )

I read somewhere that the author started to plan this book as the story of Cleo, the spoiled daughter of absentee parents who is living in a boarding school, and she ended to write about Alex, a gay teenager living in a small town where they barely know what riding is, let aside what dressage means. And sincerely it’s clear that, while Cleo is a nice supporting character, Alex is the real life of this story.

Alex’s passion for riding, and dressage, is almost an obsession; and if you read between the lines of his childhood, you will understand that is also an escape from reality. His mother divorced not only her husband, but also her children; Alex is alone in raising two little sister, since not his aunt or his father are of much help, his father even moved in a roulotte in the front garden, probably to not have to live in an house without the woman he loved. But Alex’s father is not a bad man, nor when he is sober or drunk, he is only extremely sad; he is really not able to take care of his children but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love them, and so, when he gets a chance, he brings home an horse, a real horse, for Alex (see living in a country small town? You can have a barn in the backgarden instead of a shed for a dog…).

Problem is that, a) the horse is not a dressage horse and b) even if the horse was, there is no one around there that can teach Alex dressage. And so Alex becomes a little champion of western riding, with cowboy hats and boots, all the while dreaming of tight breeches and top hats. If an external viewer can see that, other than being an escape from reality, Alex’s obsession for dressage is also a proof that he has a sensibility that is completely different, and greater, than a normal boy, it’s not until he hits puberty that Alex realizes that he is gay. But there is no “gay” in the small town, no one he knows who is, no one he can relate, same as it was for dressage: dressage and gay are “stranger” things, not “normal”, and if you like them you are not normal as well.

Alex’s luck changes when Ivan and Fergus move in town: both former dressage champion, they have a beautiful house with attached horse riding and they are willing to teach Alex. To an adult reader, it’s clear that Ivan and Fergus are a couple, but there is no hint of sex, no kiss, nothing: Ivan and Fergus are two horse lovers who are eager to share their love with the others. They are not an example for Alex of how being gay is, but maybe they are giving him an idea of what being gay and having a career related to horses can be. Alex will discover his sexuality (but only for what concerns kisses) with another teenager, finding out that he is not so strange after all, and that even in the small town where he lives there are other like him, and more than what you will expect.

Another Kind of Cowboy is a really sweet and tender story, a romance between teenagers that remains on a teenager level, not adult feelings or issues to ruin the discovery of first love; and even if you read it from an adult perspective, the sweetness is so nice that is good to lose yourself in an innocent world.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003NHRB6I/?tag=elimyrevandra-20

Plot: Alex has loved horses and dressage since he was a little boy. When his father wins Turnip in a poker game, it’s his dream come true. But Turnip is trained for western riding and Alex’s father expects him to become a manly cowboy. Now 16 years old, Alex doesn’t know how to tell his father that not only does he want to switch to English riding but that he’s gay. When the trainers Ivan and Fergus move to town, it’s like a dream come true. But nothing is that simple, he must learn to deal with Cleo, the spoiled rich girl who takes lessons with him, and he still can’t be himself in front of his family and friends.

I loved horse novels growing up so this book was a joy. It’s well written and Alex is endearing. I found myself laughing out loud at parts and was as heart broken as Alex when things went wrong. It made me want to ride again. ( )

Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Cleo O'Shea rides horses. Her wealthy parents work in the movie business and have raised Cleo through a series of housekeepers, drivers, and other assorted caretakers. When Cleo's poor choices lead her into troubled times, they decide to enroll her in a boarding school on Vancouver Island.

An early interest in horses prompted Cleo's mother to enroll her in riding classes. In keeping with this interest, Cleo finds herself at Stoneleigh, a school that focuses on equestrian training. As a hobby, riding had always been fun, but now that Cleo's school experience revolves around riding and competition, she is not so sure about it. Finding Alex Ford seems to improve things a bit.

Alex has never truly fit in. His early childhood was spent pretending his bicycle was a horse. His odd obsession with competitive dressage didn't win him many friends or even acquaintances. When his mother left, Alex became more and more responsible for his twin sisters. His father's interests became more focused on staying drunk and living in the driveway in an old RV. Grappling with a drunken father, a lack of money, and the possibility of being more interested in boys than girls, has Alex feeling anxious and alone. Meeting Cleo gives Alex a courage he never realized he had.

Life in ANOTHER KIND OF COWBOY revolves around dressage riding and competition. Cleo and Alex meet and then find themselves sharing the same trainers, a couple of retired horsemen living on a nearby farm. Filled with Susan Juby's refreshing humor, one-of-a-kind characters, and some serious teen issues, this book is sure to be popular with both male and female readers. As a result of the detailed dressage descriptions and interesting storylines, I found myself imagining what might be a fun film version of the book. ( )

Another Kind of Cowboy, by Susan Juby, is a bit of a strange book because it's all about horses, riding, and training, but ultimately it doesn't have that many scenes where riding and competition feature prominently. Juby splits the narrative between Alex, the closeted dressage enthusiast, and Cleo, the spoiled rich-girl character who is exiled to riding school in Canada for her poor behavior. Alex learns to enjoy the company of people as well as horses, and the book is in some ways the story of the reunification of his family. Cleo learns to exercise her judgment (at least a little), and, of course, Alex finally comes out of the closet. I felt like the horsey details of the book and its supporting cast were its strongest points. Alex's twin sisters, who are convinced they will be martial arts movie stars when they grow up, are hilarious. I didn't quite understand why Alex's narrative was presented in third person while Cleo's was in first person--because Alex's motivations are supposed to be more mysterious? Because the author is female and felt more comfortable using the "I" with Cleo? I felt that this division really did Alex a disservice (his story is to me the more compelling one). It's a quick, easy read, and its engaging characters rise above the somewhat predictable storyline to create a pleasing package. ( )