English Horses

Generations of young readers continue to fall in love with Marguerite Henry’s “horse stories.” In one of her most famous, King of the Wind, the author traces the ancestry of the great Kentucky Derby winner, Man o’ War, whose mysterious pedigree is linked to the noble line leading from the Godolphin Arabian.

From William Shakespeare’s series of history dramas, to Sir Walter Scott, and George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire—not to mention the smash-hit TV show Game of Thrones—the British civil war of 1455 to 1485 has inspired writers for centuries. Ed West’s My Kingdom for a Horse illuminates the bloody war fought for thirty long years between the descendants of King Edward III in a battle for the throne.

Written nearly a century and a half ago, this book was the first major animal story in children’s literature, although the author had intended it for adults. Anna Sewell had been crippled at a young age, but could still drive a horse-drawn carriage. She often drove her father to the station to go to work and later picked him up to bring him home. During those times, she saw there was often inhumane treatment of horses and was inspired to write about it in order to, as she said, “To induce kindness, sympathy, and an understanding treatment of horses.”

There is no denying that the emotional bond between horses and the humans who love them can reach mystical proportions, and nowhere is that relationship more evident than in these 24 true-life accounts of horses rescuing people. Many of the stories recount incidents where death or physical injury was imminent, and only because a horse intervened are the narrators alive to tell the tale.

In Traynor, the title character is believed to be a weak young man, having let Dr. Parker Channing steal his love, Rose Laymon, away from him. When the stage Traynor is driving into Little Snake is robbed and Traynor’s best friend and stage guard, Sam Whitney, is killed by the robber, Traynor chases the thief and recovers his dropped Stetson, which was sold to Dr. Channing less than a month earlier. In Luck and a Horse, Tommy Grant works day and night on the farm of the tyrant and master manipulator Sylvester Train, who has not paid him for 19 months.

Nikki Roberts feels very grown up when her parents leave her alone in their mountain lodge for a few days. The 13-year-old has promised them she will not take any long horseback rides or canoe trips, so she saddles Goblin and heads for a nearby sheep meadow for the afternoon. It’s not long before Nikki’s trail leads her into perilous territory. She surprises deadly poachers at work who are shooting bighorn rams for trophies. Her CB radio picks up a distress call from two children stranded in a forest fire that has broken out down river.

The Thebes State Penal Farm in Mississippi is up a dark river, surrounded by swamps and impenetrable piney woods. It’s the Old South at its most brutal - a place of violence, racial terror, and even more horrific rumors. Of the few who make the journey, black or white, even fewer return.

The bloody Battle of Tippecanoe was only the beginning. It’s 1811, and President James Madison has ordered the destruction of Shawnee warrior Chief Tecumseh’s alliance of tribes in the Great Lakes region. But while General William Henry Harrison would win this fight, the armed conflict between Native Americans and the newly formed United States would rage on for decades.

Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) was a British writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary critic. Chesterton wrote around 80 books, several hundred poems, some 200 short stories, several plays, plus 4,000 essays and newspaper columns. He was a columnist for the Daily News and The Illustrated London News.

This is what happens when a writer, preacher, and lover of words encounters some of creation’s wisest theologians: horses. First, she argues with them. They are, after all, horses. What could they possibly know about life and God that theologians haven’t already written? But slowly, she engages their language and listens to their holy wisdom, attending to how they express their being, actions, and relationships. She allows horses to draw her out of the faith of intellect and into a deeper faith of emotion, body, and soul.

Hutton has now written a fascinating full biography of Sergeant Reckless, who earned two Purple Hearts for her heroic efforts, among other military decorations. Hutton has spoken with the marines who fought alongside Reckless and tells the complete and captivating tale of how a would-be Korean racehorse became one of the greatest Marine Corps wartime heroes. Sgt. Reckless brings the legend back to life more than half a century later.

In the early 1920s, cowboy and dry-range farmer Ralph Moody finds himself with mountainous debts through the collapse of the livestock market and the dealings of a crooked partner. Ralph never surrenders, but finds a way to turn tragedy into opportunity.

Beloved, best-selling author Lauraine Snelling weaves a story of holiday romance, which begins with a simple advertisement for a horse's companion. Turner McNeally's daughter has gone off to college, and her horse is demonstrating signs of loneliness. Rebecca Wilkinson's son hasn't spoken a word since his father's death, and the family counselor suggests a pet. What will Christmas bring these troubled hearts? And what is this gift from God that Turner McNeally keeps talking about?

Feisty Jenna Murphy doesn't give a whiff about an animal's pedigree. As the local horse masseuse, she knows she has the magic touch and is keen to help every animal in her small town, including her beloved pony, Peanut. Any extra money earned from her job at the Equine Center is earmarked for her younger sister. At least someone in their family is going to receive a college education. High-powered businessman Derek Burke's main goal is to fix his new company's financial woes. And the first thing on his agenda is to force employees to only look after thoroughbreds.

Riding Home:The Power of Horses to Heal, is the first and only audiobook to scientifically and experientially explain why horses have the extraordinary ability to emotionally transform the lives of thousands of men, women and children, whether they are horse lovers, or suffering from deep psychological wounds. It is an audiobook for anyone who wants to experience the joy, wonder, self-awareness and peace of mind that comes from creating a horse/human relationship, and it puts forth and clarifies the principles of today's Natural Horsemanship....

Enjoy this Listening to the Horse-inspired book, packed full of stories, lessons, case studies, and exercises for you and your horse. This book is the first book in the Equine Listenology trilogy.

Crazy Horse was the legendary military leader of the Oglala Sioux whose personal power and social nonconformity contributed to his reputation as being “strange.” Crazy Horse fought in many battles, including the famous Battle of the Little Bighorn, and held out tirelessly against the US government’s efforts to confine the Native Americans to reservations. Eventually, in the spring of 1877, he surrendered to military forces and ended up meeting a violent death. Now, nearly a century and a half later, Crazy Horse continues to hold a special place in the hearts and minds of people.

During the depths of the Great Depression, Seabiscuit won against incredible odds and uplifted the hearts of Americans from the streets to the White House. Ralph Moody recounts the thrilling tale of the plucky horse who refused to quit, the down-on-his-luck jockey who didn't let horrendous accidents keep him out of the saddle, and the taciturn trainer who brought out the best in both.

It is race day, and little Princess Shy and her tiny pony, Star, are ready to go. The other princesses laugh, but Shy and Star have a plan. Can they win the big race?

Rose McKenzie may be far from Earth with no way back, but she's made a powerful ally - a fellow prisoner with whom she's formed a strong bond. Sazo's an artificial intelligence. He's saved her from captivity and torture, but he's also put her in the middle of a conflict, leaving Rose with her loyalties divided. Captain Dav Jallan doesn't know why he and his crew have stumbled across an almost legendary Class 5 battleship, but he's not going to complain. The only problem is, all its crew are dead - all except for one strange, new alien being.