This book is a must read for any horse owner or lover. The author, Duaa Anwar, relays the many life lessons and stories that have helped her to understand what makes up a horse. While explaining that they are not merely flight animals acting on instinct, she demonstrates how people have taken advantage of and misunderstood horses since the beginning of time and treated them more as a machine than a loving, trusting friend.
The author uses human traits to describe what she has found and learned from horses and their relationships with their owners. From their courage to their humor, she uses life stories to show that a horse is more than fur covered muscle and bones that is just here to perform as expected. She explains that it is the owner’s responsibility to watch and learn the characteristics of their particular horse, to delve into more than his physical attributes and look for the star within. Every horse has a potential to be a faithful, funny, loving friend if we take the time to treat our horse responsibly and earn his or her trust.
When they do not perform as expected, is it just because they are stubborn or need to be “trained” more, or is it because the human/horse relationship is not there? Does the horse trust that you have his best interest in mind, or is the horse just working for you out of fear? Does the horse know that his heart and body is safe with you? These things and so many more need to be addressed before you have a world class level dressage horse or whatever aspect you are attempting.
It is stated that the horse knows how to be a horse but we do not start out knowing how to respect or ride a horse. If we learn to do that, we take care of the horse with this relationship and act. We need to look at why they do something “wrong” instead of just labeling them as stubborn or non-intelligent and then punishing them. It is our responsibility to take the time and energy it takes to actually learn from our horses in circumstances like this. We need to be the better animal and consider our horses as the gift from God that they are. Only when we reach that understanding can we enjoy the awe inspiring bond with a horse. The creature that was put here for you, to teach you how to love, trust, laugh, and believe.
Book Highlights:
Cover Price: $17.95 (Paperback edition)
Published by: Outskirts Press, Inc
Publication Date: Jan. 27, 2010
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