Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul: Inspirational Stories About Horses and the People Who Love Them (Chicken Soup for the Soul) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Mark Victor Hansen (Author), (Author), Gary Seidler (Author), (Author), (Author) "The first time Bart told me about his horse Dude, I knew their bond had been something special..." (more)
Key Phrases: great finesse, Funny Cide, Quarter Horse, Black Jack (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of National Velvet and the Black Stallion may enjoy Canfield and Hansen's latest collection of heart-warming stories, which targets devotees of all things equine. Divided into seven sections-"A Special Bond," "Horses as Teachers," "These Amazing Animals," "Horses as Healers," "On Companionship and Commitment," "Horse...cetera," "And They're Off"-the book contains 93 stories about "the horse's intelligence, versatility and intuitiveness." Vikki Marshall writes warmly about how her carriage horse, Lynn, walked right past a group of noisy firemen and smoldering timbers as part of her job in "The Wedding." Craig Wilson remembers his amateur run down the Saratoga Race Course in "Down the Stretch He Comes, Hanging on for Dear Life." Other stories describe the pleasures and difficulties of owning, and losing, these beautiful animals. There's a good dose of schmaltz, but fans of this series will surely find what they want here.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Our connection to the horse is ancient and visceral. These humble creatures are mentioned in the earliest samplings of the written word, which illustrates how the human/equine bond transcends cultural and economic barriers. The horse's integral role in man's evolution, society's development and the growth of civilizations is unquestioned; they have been immortalized by Hollywood, cherished by little girls and mourned by warriors.

Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul is filled with inspiring stories of rescue and rehabilitation, heartbreaking losses, dedication and commitment, and positive messages of responsibility and unconditional love. Readers will enjoy uplifting and humorous stories that depict the horse's intelligence, versatility and intuitiveness; they will discover the horse's healing powers, marvel at the graceful performance of a Grand Prix Dressage winner, be awed by the stamina and strength of a working horse and the athletic prowess of a champion racer.

In exchange for our love and companionship, horses teach us, heal us, protect us and guide us. Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul is a worthy celebration of a very noble creature.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Health Communications, Inc. (July 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0757300987
• ISBN-13: 978-0757300981
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #40,185 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A heartwarming collection for any horse enthusiast., November 21, 2004

By	Monika "equestrienne_23" (Davis, California) - See all my reviews

I don't generally go for books in the "inspirational / self-help" category, but there were a few Chicken Soup books that even I couldn't pass up. The first was "Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul," followed by "Chicken Soup for the Cat and Dog Lover's Soul," and now finally, one that addresses my favorite creature of all, "Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul." If you are unfamiliar with the Chicken Soup books, they are collections of short (generally 2-5 pages), uplifting, and usually true stories submitted by readers. This particular volume contains 95 such tales, all pertaining to that magnificent animal, the horse. As a collection of short stories, the book can be read at whatever pace you like - an occasional dose here and there whenever you need a pick-me-up, or a consistent one or two stories per day, or even all at once.

The book is divided into seven sections: "A Special Bond" shares tales of the deep and lasting friendships that can arise between horse and human. "Horses as Teachers" looks at the lessons we can learn from our equine friends. "These Amazing Animals" honors horses that have gone beyond the ordinary in a variety of ways, including the story of Sergeant Reckless, a little mare that served in the Korean War. "Horses as Healers" explores the ways in which equines have helped humans overcome all kinds of physical and emotional ills. "On Companionship and Commitment" is very similar to the first section and looks at horse-human bonds. "And... They're Off!" is dedicated entirely to stories of racehoreses. And finally, "Horse... Cetera" pulls together everything that doesn't quite fit anywhere else.

Most horse lovers will find much to enjoy in this book. There are a few duds, and a few of the stories are overly corny or sappy, but the majority are truly heartwarming. Some will make you chuckle, like "Battle of the Titans" (pg. 381) and "Trail Etiquette" (pg. 388). Others will leave you with a wistful smile, like "Confessions of a Horse-Show Father" (pg. 394). And others will simply leave you feeling warm and happy, and appreciative of the good things in life, like "A Job for Missy" (pg. 157) and, one of my personal favorites, "Ride the Yule Tide" (pg. 291). Being an avid racing fan, I was delighted to see an entire section dedicated to racehorses. Included are accounts of well-known runners like Seabiscuit, Da Hoss, Funny Cide, and even the great race mule Black Ruby, as well as tales of more obscure horses who, nevertheless, have interesting stories to share.

"Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul" is almost a guaranteed winner for horse lovers. Some pieces are more entertaining than others, and the writing skills of the contributors varies (though the editors have ensured that all the stories are still very readable), but the overall effect is to bring together horse enthusiasts from all walks of life into a solid, well-rounded collection that will leave you smiling and fulfilled. I opted for the "occasional dosage when needed" method of reading, and each session evoked fond memories of the childhood years I spent around horses, and renewed my resolve to return to the world of riding as soon as I am able (currently a college student with limited funds). This would make a great treat for yourself, a gift for any horse-loving friend - or both!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Word: Fantastic, September 10, 2003

A Kid's Review

Isn't it a great feeling when you read the backs of every horse book in the bookstore, and then finally come across one that's perfect? There's something about horse stories that when you read one, you are eager to hear more and more. This book will definately satisfy that feeling, and there are plenty of stories so you can read on and on! I found these submitted tales enjoyable because I could picture exactly what the horse owner must have felt like, since I have a horse of my own. If you don't own a horse yourself, this is still a heartwarming treasury to walk a day (and many more weeks to come!) in an horse person's "boots". Considering that I know many adults that have loved this book as much as I do, kids and adults alike will enjoy it. This is a must-read, must-have, must-go-crazy-for, two hooves up, Chicken Soup book! : )

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A quick pick-me-up for horse lovers, January 5, 2004

By	H. Cunningham (Boise, ID United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you're worried the book will emphasize religion, don't fear - only a few of the stories mention God or directly speak to religion in any way. Essentially this is a series of anecdotes about horses of all kinds, from all kinds of people. Some are well written, others less so, but on the whole the book is an enjoyable and easy read, and great for times when you get interrupted or just want a quick story instead of getting engrossed in a novel. It is easily readable for both kids and adults and contains a number of stories guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye of any true horse lover.