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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #112410 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-12
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 380 pages

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.

About the Author
Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, are professional speakers who have dedicated their lives to enhancing the personal and professional development of others.

Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, are professional speakers who have dedicated their lives to enhancing the personal and professional development of others.

Marty Becker, D.V.M., is the popular veterinary contributor to ABC-TV's Good Morning America and a frequent contributor to Reader's Digest and Parade magazines. His weekly column, "The Bond," is internationally distributed by Knight Ridder Tribune Services to more than 17 million readers. Marty is also the humble human companion to five Quarter Horses.

Gary Seidler was born in Shanghai, China, raised in London, England and immigrated to Toronto, Canada, in his late teens. While working as a journalist at the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario, he met Peter Vegso. In 1976 they formed a partnership and relocated to Miami, Florida, to establish their publishing enterprise. Now semi retired, Gary continues to work with The U.S. Journal Training Inc. (USJT) in developing training opportunities for professionals in the field.

Peter Vegso arrived in the United States in 1976 with Gary Seidler to co-found The U.S. Journal, Inc. (USJ), Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) and The U.S. Journal Training, Inc. (USJT). Since then his entrepreneurial vision has left an indelible mark on the recovery movement and the 'self-help' genre. He continues to guide HCI and its affiliated companies in making a difference in the lives of everyone touched by their work.

Theresa Peluso's search for perpetual sunshine brought her to South Florida in 1981 where she lives with her husband and nurtures her love of words by working for Health Communications, Inc. Theresa is the coauthor of several Chicken Soup for the Soul titles including: Horse Lover's Soul (Vols I and II), Recovering Soul, Daily Inspirations for the Recovering Soul, Shopper's Soul, Dieter's Soul, Coffee Lover's Soul and Chicken Wine Lover's Soul.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The Racking Horse A horse is worth more than riches. Spanish Proverb The first time Bart told me about his horse Dude, I knew their bond had been something special. But I never suspected that Dude would deliver a wonderful gift to me. Growing up on a 100-year-old family farm in Tennessee, Bart loved all animals. But Dude, the chestnut-colored Quarter Horse that Bart received when he turned nine, became his favorite. Years later when Bart's father sold Dude, Bart grieved in secret. Even before I met and married Bart, I knew all about grieving in secret, too. Because of my dad's job, our family relocated every year. Deep inside, I wished we could stay in one place where I could develop lasting friendships. But I never said anything to my parents. I didn't want to hurt them. Yet sometimes I wondered if even God could keep track of us the way we moved from place to place. One summer evening in 1987, as Bart and I glided on our front-porch swing, my husband suddenly blurted out, Did I ever tell you that Dude won the World Racking Horse Championship? Rocking horse championship? I asked. Racking, Bart corrected, smiling gently. It's a kind of dancing that horses do. Takes lots of training. You use four reins to guide the horse. It's pretty hard. Bart gazed at the pasture. Dude was the greatest racking horse ever. Then why'd you let your dad sell him? I probed. I didn't know he was even thinking about it, Bart explained. When I was seventeen, I started a short construction job down in Florida. I guess Dad figured I wouldn't be riding anymore, so he sold Dude without even asking me. Running a horse farm means you buy and sell horses all the time, and that's what Dad did. I've always wondered if that horse missed me as much as I've missed him. I've never had the heart to try to find him. I couldn't stand knowing if something bad... Bart's voice trailed off. After that, few nights passed without Bart mentioning Dude. My heart ached for him. I didn't know what to do. Then one afternoon while I walked through the pasture, a strange thought came to me. In my heart, a quiet voice said, Lori, find Dude for Bart. How absurd! I thought. I knew nothing about horses, certainly not how to find and buy one. That was Bart's department. The harder I tried to dismiss the thought, the stronger it grew. I did not dare mention it to anyone except God. Each day I asked him to guide me. On a Saturday morning three weeks after the first find Dude notion, a new meter reader, Mr. Parker, stopped by while I was working in the garden. We struck up a friendly conversation. When he mentioned he'd once bought a horse from Bart's dad, I interrupted. You remember the horse's name? I asked. Sure do, Mr. Parker said. Dude. Paid $2,500 for him. I wiped the dirt from my hands and jumped up, barely catching my breath. Do you know what happened to him? I asked. Yep. I sold him for a good profit. Where's Dude now? I asked. I need to

Customer Reviews

I laughed and cried myself horse!
I like a heartwarming story as much as the next dude, but previous "Chicken Soup" books have left me cold. I tried the original Chicken Soup for the Soul, as well as the Chicken Soup for the Bride's soul, the Single and Couple's souls, the Teacher, Volunteer, Kid's, Unsinkable, Hawaii, and Pet Lover's souls, and got nothing. I've even tried Chicken Soup for the Teenage soul (Volumes 1 through 3), the Parent's, Writer's, and Working Woman's souls, the Nature Lover's soul, the Christian's soul and even the Ocean Lover's soul. Boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, and boring. How was I supposed to relate to inspirational stories about people who have interests and hobbies different than I do?

Finally there's a Chicken Soup for non-empathetic equine enthusiasts like me! I would encourage all horse lovers to pick this up as soon as possible. Even my horse - who usually prefers detective stories - enjoyed this wonderful book.

An AMAZING, must-have read for horse enthusiasts of all ages
This must truly the most beautiful book I have ever read. These amazing true stories of learning lessons from God's most stunning creation, coping with the loss of an equine friend, et cetera, are tear-jerking, heart-warming and may even make you crack a smile. Whether you are searching for the perfect gift for an equine-obsessed loved one or you are simply looking for a great horsey read to curl up with on a rainy day, "Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul" is most definately for you.

The best chicken soup yet
this book was great i loved it love horses and love to know that there are people out there who have gone through what i have