Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing


Elizabeth Mitchell - 2002
    Focusing on the 1999 Derby winner Charismatic, Mitchell traces this horse's amazing and ultimately tragic story, from the birth of a foal through its surprising rise to fame. Mitchell also follows the major players in Charismatic's life, including the family who bred him, the trainer, the owners, and the famed jockey Chris Antley, whose own story is more tragic than that of his horse. Through these interlocking stories a sense of familiarity with the key players in the industry evolves, as well as a greater understanding of the heart and soul of a sport that has fascinated human beings for centuries.

Slovenology: Living and Traveling in the World's Best Country


Noah Charney - 2017
    It is meant to act as a guide-in-hand while visiting Slovenia, but it can be read just as well from the comfort of your own home to give you a deep­er and more colorful sense of what it’s like to live in this remarkable, little-known country.

Horses Never Lie about Love: The Heartwarming Story of a Remarkable Horse Who Changed the World Around Her


Jana Harris - 2011
    And Harris knew the horse on whom she could build her dreams the minute she saw her on a ranch in the Eastern Mountains where a herd had been corralled to be sold: a beautiful, deep dark red–colored mare known as a blood bay, standing about sixteen hands, with a pretty head with a white star and a narrow stripe that slid down her face to two black nostrils. Something about the way the mare guarded her handsome foal, a black two-month-old 200-pound colt, spoke to Harris. The mare was named True Colors. But when True Colors was delivered to Harris’s ranch three months later, she was unrecognizable. She had gone feral, run away, and been recaptured. Terrified of people, she was head-shy from the infected sores on her face and her lungs were damaged by smoke-induced pneumonia. She sensed demons hiding in everything from the scent of fabric softener on clothes to a gate in a fence. Her will to escape was enormous. This injured, traumatized horse existed between two worlds—wild and domesticated—and belonged to neither. But there were glimmers of hope: The other horses fell in love with her on sight, just as Harris had. And true to her name and herself, True Colors would never pretend to be something she was not; with her wise, intuitive nature, she would end up changing the lives of everyone she encountered, animal and human. Horses Never Lie About Love is the story of this remarkable horse and the revelations about life and love that she gave Harris over the course of their decades together. Now thirty-three years old, this complex, magnetic animal retains the outsize personality that transforms everyone around her, both human and equine. True Colors has grown to become the heart of the range and the farm, her quiet wisdom transmitting a strength of character that transcends the thin line between animals and the humans they love. There is a famous horseman’s saying: A horse never lies about its pain. But maybe we should also consider: A horse never lies about love.

Happy Horsemanship


Dorothy Henderson Pinch - 1966
    My name in Latin is Equus. From this name comes the word ‘equine’ which means something to do with a horse, and the word ‘equestrian,’ which means one who rides a horse.” With this, Happy Horsemanship starts you and your child on a most wonderful journey. Told from the point of view of the horse, this little gem introduces every aspect of riding and caring for horses—from body to mind, from tack to riding position.

The Horse God Built


Lawrence Scanlan - 2006
    . . "the horse God built."Most of us know the legend of Secretariat, the tall, handsome chestnut racehorse whose string of honors runs long and rich: the only two-year-old ever to win Horse of the Year, in 1972; winner in 1973 of the Triple Crown, his times in all three races still unsurpassed; featured on the cover of Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated; the only horse listed on ESPN's top fifty athletes of the twentieth century (ahead of Mickey Mantle). His final race at Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack is a touchstone memory for horse lovers everywhere. Yet while Secretariat will be remembered forever, one man, Eddie "Shorty" Sweat, who was pivotal to the great horse's success, has been all but forgotten---until now.In The Horse God Built, bestselling equestrian writer Lawrence Scanlan has written a tribute to an exceptional man that is also a backroads journey to a corner of the racing world rarely visited. As a young black man growing up in South Carolina, Eddie Sweat struggled at several occupations before settling on the job he was born for---groom to North America's finest racehorses. As Secretariat's groom, loyal friend, and protector, Eddie understood the horse far better than anyone else. A wildly generous man who could read a horse with his eyes, he shared in little of the financial success or glamour of Secretariat's wins on the track, but won the heart of Big Red with his soft words and relentless devotion.In Scanlan's rich narrative, we get a groom's-eye view of the racing world and the vantage of a man who spent every possible moment with the horse he loved, yet who often basked in the horse's glory from the sidelines. More than anything else, The Horse God Built is a moving portrait of the powerful bond between human and horse.

My Chincoteague Pony


Susan Jeffers - 2008
    With her whole heart, Julie longs for a pony of her own. And she has a plan. Every summer on Chincoteague Island, there is an auction of ponies who have swum across the channel from Assateague, where ponies run free. If Julie works hard and saves her money all year, perhaps she can win the pony of her dreams--her very own Chincoteague pony.

And We Danced


Toni Mari - 2013
    Windsong had the breeding, training, and the flashy good looks to win medals at national competitions, but conservative, shy Jane wasn't sure she was up to the challenge of riding the temperamental beast. He may have been an imported Swedish Warmblood, and he may have had Grand Prix dressage training, but he was wild. When her spirited, new horse races out of control, help comes unexpectedly—unwelcomed—from a loathsome cowboy, a horribly mean-spirited, condescendingly brusque, gorgeous black-haired, azure-eyed reining champion, who is positive Jane is most definitely not up to the challenge. As these two from opposite ends of the horse world are forced to work together, tempers blaze and horseshoes fly, but something else begins to spark. Can Jane overcome her fear and preconceptions to win her goal of competing in the National Junior Rider Championships…and not lose her heart at the same time?

Mary King: The Autobiography


Mary King - 2009
    In her two Caveliers—Call Again Cavalier and Imperial Cavalier—she has two of the very best event horses in the world. Mary Kings's success in the world of eventing has been hard won. She does not come from a privileged background. Her first pony was the ancient "cast off" from the local vicar's children—and success with this pony gave her an iron will to succeed. To support herself in the early days she had a variety of unglamorous jobs—including butcher delivery rounds and cleaning out toilets in the local campsite. Her talent was apparent from very early on and she first competed at Badminton in 1985, had her first win there on King William in 1992, and had her second on Star Appeal in 2000. Just when everything seemed to be going well she suffered a terrible fall in 2001 and broke her neck but she was back competing at the very top level the following year. Mary King's story is fascinating and inspiring for anyone with an interest in equestrian sports.

My Guy Barbaro: A Jockey's Journey Through Love, Triumph, and Heartbreak with America's Favorite Horse


Edgar Prado - 2008
    Barbaro's impressive performance immediately stirred talk of a possible Triple Crown. But in the opening yards of the Preakness Stakes two weeks later, the horse suffered a catastrophic leg injury that ended his undefeated career and left him fighting for his life.Edgar Prado, a native of Peru and one of the world's top jockeys, rode Barbaro to glory and then stood beside him for months as the horse valiantly struggled to survive and millions of fans held their breath. Having ridden in more than twenty-five thousand races over the previous two decades, Prado thought he had been around too long to fall for any one horse, but Barbaro—intelligent, charismatic, and resourceful in sickness as well as in health—stole his heart.In My Guy Barbaro, Prado recounts his own story, a tale of grit and dreams that moves from his impoverished childhood in Lima, Peru, to the winner's circles of the greatest racetracks in the world, and memorably chronicles his emotional time with Barbaro before, during, and after the horse's breakdown. Their bond was special and immeasurable. With Prado still reeling from a wrenching personal loss, Barbaro lifted his spirits by giving him “the ride of a lifetime” in the Derby. When the tables turned and the horse needed support two weeks later, Prado was there, going out of his way to make a succession of visits to the New Bolton Center, the animal hospital in Pennsylvania where Barbaro underwent more than two dozen surgeries and was ultimately put down.Barbaro made worldwide headlines for eight months, and now Prado's poignant, clear-eyed narrative takes us where no reader has gone before—onto Barbaro's back in the heat of a race and into the intensive care suite where Barbaro's life-and-death drama played itself out. My Guy Barbaro is a heartwarming, unforgettable story of a man and his love for a beautiful animal and an irreplaceable teammate.

Norbert's Little Lessons for a Big Life


Julie Steines - 2017
    With fifty adorable full-color photographs throughout the book, Norbert aims to continue spreading smiles, inspiring kindness, and bringing comfort to those in need.

Unbreakable: The Woman Who Defied the Nazis in the World’s Most Dangerous Horse Race


Richard Askwith - 2019
    Europe’s youngest democracy is on its knees. Millions are mourning the death of the nation’s founding father, the saintly Tomáš Masaryk. Across the border, the Third Reich is menacing – and plotting to invade.In the Czechoslovak heartlands, vast crowds have gathered to watch the threatened nation’s most prestigious sporting contest: the Grand Pardubice steeplechase. Notoriously dangerous, the race is considered the ultimate test of manhood and fighting spirit. The Nazis, as usual, have sent their paramilitary elite: SS officers schooled to be Hitler’s most ruthless enforcers. Their mission: to crush – yet again – the “subhuman Slavs”. The local cavalry officers have no hope of stopping them.But there is one other contestant: a silver-haired countess riding a little golden mare…The story of Lata Brandisová is one of the strangest and most inspiring in all sport. Born into privilege, she spent much of her life in poverty. Modest and shy, she refused to accept the constraints society placed on her because of her gender. Instead, with quiet courage, she repeatedly achieved what others said was impossible. The scandal of her first attempt to ride in Pardubice reverberated across Europe. Ten years later, she became her nation’s figurehead in its darkest hour. Then came retribution…

Hold Your Horses: Nuggets of Truth for People Who Love Horses...No Matter What


Bonnie Timmons - 2003
    The pleasure of whoa. The surprise of the “unscheduled dismount.” And why, when jumping, to throw your heart over first. Drawing on her lifelong passion for horses and riding, award-winning artist Bonnie Timmons offers up a book full of whimsy and wisdom and a huge helping of giddy up. These are the truths as recorded by an astute observer:Of little girls who spend every minute after school mucking out the barn in hope of one trail rideOf the mechanics of riding: the walk, the trot, the canter, the gallop—a gait so fast your worries can’t keep upOf English vs. Cowboy-speak. Of Outfits and Accessories, and Good Horse-Keeping Tips, (including how to weigh your horse so you know how much to feed him: 1. Weigh yourself. 2. Weigh yourself holding your horse. 3. Subtract 1. from 2.)And finally, of knowing at the end of the day that when you hold your hoses, they will hold you right back

The Thirteenth Horse


Amanda Wills - 2017
    So, when she lands a job at Mill Farm Stables, she hopes she’ll make friends with the children who keep their ponies there. When she’s given the cold shoulder by their ringleader, bossy Norah Bergman, she seeks solace by befriending the mysterious and mighty black Percheron, Cassius. To her surprise, Norah and her friends invite Kristy to join their quadrille team. Fate deals them one disaster after another and Kristy begins to wonder if they are destined to fail. As the day of the quadrille draws near, can Kristy and her new friends overcome adversity and triumph against all odds? And will Kristy lose the one thing she loves more than anything – her beloved horse Cassius? From the Amazon bestselling author of the Riverdale Pony Stories, a new heart-warming tale of friendship, loyalty - and horses.

Beyond the Homestretch: What I've Learned from Saving Racehorses


Lynn Reardon - 2009
    In 2002, she quit her Washington DC–area office job and moved to rural Texas to open the racehorse adoption ranch LOPE (LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers). Since then, LOPE has helped transition more than 725 thoroughbreds into new homes. Though now the director of this high-profile organization, Reardon didn’t learn to ride until she was an adult. Here she presents a vivid inside look into the world of horse racing, complete with colorful horses, jockeys, trainers, and gallop girls, depicting the insights horses can offer when we reevaluate our relationship with them.In this riveting account, Reardon encounters dozens of unruly racehorses, all with special needs, unusual histories, and distinct personalities. As she fumbles to help them find new careers, they return the favor by becoming her most memorable mentors in horsemanship and life philosophy.Horses such as Tawakoni, the son of a Kentucky Derby winner, and Endofthestorm, the speedy bay who required an emergency tracheotomy, give Reardon an apprenticeship in facing fear and finding a new life. Reardon may have saved these horses’ lives, but she points out that they saved hers as well.

Snakes: Amazing Pictures & Fun Facts on Animals in Nature (Our Amazing World Series Book 7)


Kay de Silva - 2012
    The book uses captivating illustrations and carefully chosen words to teach children about "the farmer’s friend”. This series is known as one of the most beautiful on the kindle. The pictures look great even in black and white and are excellent on the full color kindle. The description in the large text beneath is simple enough for early readers or for a parent to guide a child through. There are also picture captions that provide more information to talk about with your child. Alternatively, a child of any age (even the child in you) can just look at the images and appreciate their beauty. This book depicts the wonder of the world of Snakes in all its glory. Children are given a well-rounded understanding of this beautiful reptile: its anatomy, feeding habits and behavior. The following Snakes are featured: * The magnificent Anaconda * The fearsome Boa Constrictor * The majestic Cobra * The gentle Corn Snake * The social Garter * The fierce Inland Taipan * The awesome Python * The ominous Rattlesnake * The stealthy Sea Snake Get this book at this SPECIAL PRICE exclusive to the Amazon Store. *** Your child will love it - this is guaranteed.***