The world’s oldest horse breed, the Arabian epitomizes equine versatility, participating in all disciplines of English, Western, dressage, driving, and in-hand horse show classes. Flight Without Wings chronicles the essential qualities and capabilities needed for success in every Arabian show division. It shares sound advice from top trainers and exhibitors to prepare for and compete in these competitions. It outlines the who, what, where, when and how of the Arabian show circuit. .

Strong and powerful in body yet gentle and companionable in spirit, the horse has served both kings and peasants in war, work, and play for thousands of years. This lavishly illustrated volume features 100 images of equine excellence, capturing the magnificence and grace of the horse, from photographs by Alfred Stieglitz and Steven Klein to paintings by Da Vinci and Delacroix, presenting a complete study of the elegance and nobility that the horse embodies.

The Arabian, one of the oldest pure breeds, was predominant in founding the thoroughbred, and there are few breeds today which do not contain Arab blood in varying degrees. This book traces the history and development of the breed from the desert to its worldwide role today.

Prized for their stamina and their acclimation to the harsh conditions of the Arabian deserts, the ancestors of the horses that are now recognized as the Egyptian Arabian purebred horse entered Egypt centuries ago, establishing the valuable bloodlines of the breed there. The breeding programs in Egypt therefore became the root source for the finest Arabian horses, attracting passionate enthusiasts from all corners of the world. Artists, poets, and historians have for centuries been inspired by their great beauty and romantic legacy. Nasr Marei is the third-generation owner of a stud farm in Giza, Egypt. His love for and knowledge of the Egyptian Arabian horse, coupled with his sensitive and striking photography, have inspired this visual tribute. His extraordinary photographs, accompanied by text that traces the history and evolution of the Arabian's journey into Egypt, celebrate the lineage of this living treasure of Egyptian heritage.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the remarkable story of the heroic rescue of priceless horses in the closing days of World War II WINNER OF THE PEN AWARD FOR RESEARCH NONFICTION In the chaotic last days of the war, a small troop of battle-weary American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find—his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses that have been stolen and kept on a secret farm behind enemy lines. Hitler has stockpiled the world’s finest purebreds in order to breed the perfect military machine—an equine master race. But with the starving Russian army closing in, the animals are in imminent danger of being slaughtered for food. With only hours to spare, one of the U.S. Army’s last great cavalrymen, Colonel Hank Reed, makes a bold decision—with General George Patton’s blessing—to mount a covert rescue operation. Racing against time, Reed’s small but determined force of soldiers, aided by several turncoat Germans, steals across enemy lines in a last-ditch effort to save the horses. Pulling together this multistranded story, Elizabeth Letts introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters: Alois Podhajsky, director of the famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a former Olympic medalist who is forced to flee the bomb-ravaged Austrian capital with his entire stable in tow; Gustav Rau, Hitler’s imperious chief of horse breeding, a proponent of eugenics who dreams of genetically engineering the perfect warhorse for Germany; and Tom Stewart, a senator’s son who makes a daring moonlight ride on a white stallion to secure the farm’s surrender. A compelling account for animal lovers and World War II buffs alike, The Perfect Horse tells for the first time the full story of these events. Elizabeth Letts’s exhilarating tale of behind-enemy-lines adventure, courage, and sacrifice brings to life one of the most inspiring chapters in the annals of human valor. Praise for The Perfect Horse “Winningly readable . . . Letts captures both the personalities and the stakes of this daring mission with such a sharp ear for drama that the whole second half of the book reads like a WWII thriller dreamed up by Alan Furst or Len Deighton. . . . The right director could make a Hollywood classic out of this fairy tale.”—The Christian Science Monitor “Letts, a lifelong equestrienne, eloquently brings together the many facets of this unlikely, poignant story underscoring the love and respect of man for horses.”—Kirkus Reviews

Today, it is universally recognized that the Arabian horse is a horse with certain unique characteristics. What is less well known is the history of the Arabian horse and its fight to retain its purity and its very survival. In this book the autthor has set out to record the story from pre-biblical times to the present day. It is a record of pilgrimage which began in the desert. Many extracts from contemporary diaries and traveller's accounts, including those of Lady Ann Blunt and her husband Wilfrid Scawen Blunt--to when the world owes a debt than can never be repaid for the survial and preservation of the Arabian breed.