Customer Reviews

Dark Horses and Black Beauties: Animals, Women, a Passion

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book begins with an exploration of the mysterious attraction that girls have for horses and becomes a diverse and fascinating essay that covers far more. It surprises and delights the reader at every turn. It asks questions and provokes thought; it deserves a wide readership. Melissa Holbrook Pierson is delightful company; she's a tough, opinionated woman who is not afraid to tackle the big subjects of equine (and animal) welfare. Her topic is huge; her heart is huge; the book is a gift. I've read it twice and bought three copies for friends. I urge everyone who cares about horses to read it and spread the word of what a treasure it is.

This book was not what the publisher's description led me to believe. I thought I was getting an exploration of the unique relationship between women and horses. Instead, I got a 200+ page listing of the many cruelties man has visited on the animals of this world. Pierson's text ranged from 15th century abuses of horses to modern day slaughterhouse atrocities with a glimpse of scientific experimentation's darker moments and a sprinkling of your garden variety backyard animal cruelties thrown in for good measure. A more apt title for this book would be "Random Musings of an Animal Lover on the Inhumanity of Man."

I disliked this book for several reasons. I don't care for the author's wordy style of writing. Sentences meander down the page for 5, 6, 7 and more lines, leaving the reader anxiously awaiting the appearance of a period. I was repeatedly annoyed by the author's habit of making implications or revealing just a corner of the picture, then blithly skipping on to the next topic without ever completing the story, making a point, or reaching a conclusion. I was frustrated by the author's practice of describing some act of animal cruelty that she observed/read about/heard about without providing any details or context.

In the end, however, I was most offended by the "bait and switch" feeling this book gave me. Years ago, as a horse-crazed little girl, I accepted a librarian's recommendation and took "Black Beauty" home to read. After sobbing my way through the first half of the book, I returned it unfinished, feeling betrayed by the librarian that made the recommendation. "Dark Horses and Black Beauties" didn't inspire quite that depth of emotion, but it still left me feeling cheated.

I felt exactly the same about this book as the reviewer from Gainsville. It hardly explores the relationship between women and horses,it simply describes centuries of cruelty inflicted upon them in a self-concious,pseudo artsy style. Whereas I feel there is a great need for people to be educated about the appauling way animals continue to be abused in the name of profit and entertainment(which amounts to the same thing)from horses to racing greyhounds,circus animals,meat animals,puppy mills and too many others to list here-that is not the way this book has been marketed. Look elsewhere for insight into our great love of horses.

I was given the book as a gift following the death of a dearly loved horse who had been part of my life for many years. I dug into it immediately, looking for some relief from my grief. While I could very much relate to her early obsession with horses, and since she is close to my age and from my part of the country, much of it felt like reading my own diary.

However, I felt that some of her points verged on rambling. I consider myself a literate, fairly well read individual, but found that I had to reread passages once or twice to try to distill her point. Parts of the book felt like walking through deep mud in heavy boots. Fortunately, every now and then she would provide a high and dry spot to rest and clean up.

Still I would recommend the book, for some of the important bold messages it does contain. Her obviously heartfelt concern for the welfare of the animal is refreshing. I am sorry to say that probably anyone who would be interested in reading the book probably already shares her concern, and once again has to be tortured by the images of the abuses we are painfully aware of and doing what we can to correct.

This short book falls short of it's potential by giving each tributary that develops less time to wander than it deserves. As an exploration to come up with ideas about the reasons behind the obsessive attraction girls and women have with horses, the book is excellent. Where it loses itself is in the follow up of each of the ideas that get brought up.

She wisely observes that the world would be a different place without horses as they helped us become mobile, build cities, and fight wars (with some very disturbing statistics regarding the number of horses killed in such endeavors).

She begins numerous theories regarding the questions she has: why the attraction between horses and females? Why are almost all dedicated riders female? How does such a strong bond of communication develop between horses and the women who own/ride them? etc. and again, the ideas brought forth are interesting and seemingly valid.

Some more discussion, thought provoking comments, and conclusions would have bumped this up to four stars from the three that it gets without them.

This was by far the best "horse" book I have ever read. The first chapter gave me goosebumps and I couldn't put it down. A must read for any woman who owns a horse or loved one at one time and is debating on whether to do it again. How wonderful to hear your own thoughts and feelings expressed by someone you don't even know. I have recommended this book to all of my horse owning friends as a book they don't want to just borrow,but have as their very own so they can re-read it again and again.

While perusing the horse section at my local Borders, it was refreshing to come across a "different" kind of horse book. Here was not a book that would teach me how to ride or care for my horse, but rather enlighten me to the aspects of just why I am the horsey girl I am (although a grown woman these days).

I was sucked in with the first few pages, so I took this book home. Through most of the first third to half of the book, I couldn't believe that someone out there had hit the nail on the head so many times -- the author almostly perfectly described (in my opinion) the forlorn love of the little horse-crazed girl, particularly the kind that can't have one. Like one of the other reviewers, I too was hoping for a trip down nostalgia lane.

However, in comparison to the author, I am a woman that was fortunate to achieve my dream. I have had three horses in my lifetime so far, and I actively compete and live the dream I always had. I believe that the many years this author spent not realizing her dream helped fuel a resentment within her. Not to mention her animal activist views she proceeds to share with the reader in a writing style that suggests that the longer and more poetic the sounding sentence, the more spiritual it will be.

Like many other reviewers, I found the book to be misleading in its intentions, and I don't believe the author quite understands the kind of love that those of us who ride our horses have. I have met her kind before, the type that believe we are disrespecting and abusing horses by riding them for our own pleasure. I know there are all types of horse owners out there, and that all types of abuses are out there, but I'm not one of those types of owners and therefore the darkness of this book's true underlying message saddens me when it's not insulting me.

I'm curious to speculate what this author's views would have been had she gone on to become a loving, doting horse owner earlier in life.

Overall, I'm glad I bought this book. I'm glad I read this book, and for a lot of reasons enjoyed the experience of reading it regardless of the overall feeling it left me with. I would recommend others to just expect to take the good with the bad on this one.

I have read this book several times, when it was first published and again recently. This book is more than a feel good read about the relationship between women and horses. And it's also more than just an animal rights platform. From this book, I've re-established many of my earlier convictions about horses and developed new ones. As a former competitive rider who has been involved in Western performance events and recently taken up dressage, I've taken a hard look at myself and just exactly what I want to accomplish with a life blessed with horses. This book will help anyone figure out the same for themselves. A person who doesn't want to make any changes in the way their horses fit into their life will likely resent the author. But it can be a great inspiring journey for those who choose to take it. For the benefit of the horse and all other creatures, I hope this book reaches as many people as possible. As a last note, the controversial marketing of this book didn't bother this conservative republican non-vegetarian reader one bit.

It is a little book, one that describes the love from childhood of all things horse related and how a person grows but doesn't lose that feeling of awe and delight in the presence of horses. The author quotes brief remembrances of others who have had these incredible animals touch their lives.

While it focuses on little girls, women and gender, it is of definate interest to everyone here who loves horses. The author tries to explain why so few males continue to ride and lauds those who do.

I got halfway through the book and had to call ..... By that time, I had already cried twice and been astonished to find chapters dealing with COTH BB topics just in the past few days. ... topic on the Rich/Poor gap, Dressage vs Hunt Seat, "Natural Horsemanship vs Plain Common Sense, the desire for custom boots, doeskin britches, jeweled stock pins.

I was reminded of our dear ... and her bright and down to earth "Stupid Question of the Week" several times as the author describes her return to the horse dreams of childhood by taking up lessons after a 25 year hiatus.

After I got off the telephone with ..., the book turned even more towards the topics we are all obviously interested in. Slaughter, abuse, unwanted horses. She revisited her childhood anger over the plight of mustangs and the terrible treatment of livestock shipped for profit as opposed to our treasured pets and companions, first discovered through Marguerite Henry's book "Mustang, Wild Spirit of the West".

I was dumbfounded to read of Dr. Temple Grandin, a short few hours from the first time I had ever come across her work (in researching ... COTH Slaughter article topic). Totally surprised to not only find this information on the internet, then to have ... mention it later in the day, yet again in a book I had randomly selected!

This book, as I told ..., is really the inner core of many of us. I thought to call her back later to let her know that it is far more complex than I had led her to believe and not all happy memories.

Definately an intriguing book, perhaps not for everyone as it tells a grim tale of the treatment of horses in our society without rose colored glasses.

A horse owner and lover, I was given this book as a gift. Had it not been a gift I would have happily thrown it in the trash, but I kept reading in order to give the soon-to-be-asked-for book review. This book is dark, very dark. There are a few nice "moments." I kept waiting for the "payoff" for all the darkness and it never came. Overall I found it disturbing and wanted only to expunge it from my memory. There are other books that will be much more enlightening and enjoyable. Buy those.