Customer Reviews

Conversations with a Prince: A Year of Riding at East Hill Farm

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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A wonderful book for anyone with even a remote interest in the world of horses. I originally bought this book for my girlfriend who has two horses herself, but I ended up reading the book myself before I had a chance to give it to her.

On one level this is familiar turf. Cowboys, schoolgirls, whispering trainers, jockeys ... everyone has a story about communicating with a horse. What sets Husher's apart is her increasing growth as a wordsmith. She has blossomed into one of Vermont's finest writers, and fine writing always trumps well-trod subject material.
"Conversations With a Prince" is loaded with fine characters--most equine, some human. Husher is not afraid to put herself under scrutiny as well, and my guess is that she learned a great deal about herself in the writing of this book. She knows she's a little off the deep end on this subject, but that's exactly where she wants to be. She's a playful writer who is not afraid to take chances. As a result, she is never boring.
She's at her very best when she gets right into the mind of the horse, such as by explaining how vulnerable horses are to their riders who sit in the one blind spot where an ancient tiger might attack. This, in turn, explains how one horse, Bones, became addicted to the symbiotic company of a dog who would patrol the perimeter on "tiger alert." Who knows if this is a correct interpretation of what's going on in a horse's mind? The point is, Husher's treatment is so well done that the reader never questions the believability.
You will enjoy "Conversations with a Prince" whether or not you are a horse person. If you are a horse person, however, you will just enjoy it more.

A former Vermonter, I received this book for Christmas. I've been around horses quite a bit, although I'm no expert. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Husher is full of insight into herself and horses. She has fun with unique phraseology throughout the book, and I laughed aloud several times. I was having fun reading, but also learning. You hear a lot about that "special relationship" between horses and people, especially in fiction works. This is the first time that I've heard about communicating with horses from a real world person who claims no special expertise. In fact, she is quite humble. It was fun to hear her insights into horse psychology. I'm sure the horsey set will enjoy this more than those with no interest in horses. But if you've never been around a horse and would like to, or are just plain curious about what they're really like, you'd enjoy this book.

What more is there to say? This is a book that operates, both for the writer and the reader, on a number of different levels at once. Through her depiction of her relationship with the horse, Prince, you felt you saw into the author and into human relationships as a whole. Yet, if you are a horse lover just looking for that kind of story, you find that here as well.

This was my first Husher book after having her name recommended to me more than a few times. It definitely won't be my last.

Bravo!

The writing speaks for itself:

"Because for the most part I really don't-to be young, to a large degree, is to be strong but stupid, blissfully unaware of the dangers of gum disease."

and

"Horses, it seems to me, know how to relinquish power without being diminished, and there is something important and instructive here, something to be grasped something to be sustained and labored for."

Insightful, honest and touching, this tale of a woman who resumes horseback riding lessons in her middle years brings out many of life's truths. The author has penned a book with broader appeal than you might guess based on the subject matter.

Helen Husher does a great job writing about the nature of the horse and her descriptions of horse behavior will bring a thrill to all riders who will recognize their own experiences with lesson horses and barn life. I really enjoyed this book and wish I could ride at such a barn.