Customer Reviews

Power and Grace; The Working Horse

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Power and Grace is a remarkable - and beautiful - look at draft horses. The focus on European animals puts an intelligent perspective on horses which in America are now being used to correct (they call it "enhance") lighter breeds that have become difficult to manage or physically fragile.

For those of us with drafts of our own, the book also brings home where the breeds came from and what the drafts should be. Sadly, in America, the focus has been on "bigger is better" or painful extremes like exaggerated "platter feet." Mr. Alvermann brings it all back to where it should be - Power and Grace.

(Not part of the review - please if possible forward to the author or publisher - I donated my copy of this book to the veterinary students at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine - Large Animal Hospital. They do not see very many drafts come through, and appreciated it. My hope is that the publisher will consider another printing - my Percherons would appreciate it!)

This book offers good pictures of several European draft breeds. In fact, it concentrates on Europe, rather than the U.S. The author is primarily a photographer, and the selection and quality of the pictures is uniformly excellent. Most pictures are in work situations. There are excellent shots of government stud farms. There are a few minor errors in the text, but not enough to detract. This is one I've picked up again and again. One of the better horse picture books that are all too common.