“If you buy that horse, you’re buying your daughter’s death warrant,” Jane Pohl’s father was warned at the army barracks in the spring of 1941. But the potential that his teenage daughter Jane saw in the small, temperamental Thoroughbred was enough to convince him otherwise. Earlier that year, when Fitzrada arrived at the army base where Jane’s family lived, the horse was stubborn, unpredictable, and dangerous. Any man who dared addle him up soon found himself face down in the dirt. Jane, excited to ride any horse and up for the challenge, had the most success with Fitz. She was patient and consistent, and the horse responded well at last, showing a great affinity for jumping. Then, inexplicably, a terrible riding accident resulted in serious injuries for both Jane and Fitz, and the army decide that it was time to destroy the horse. Heartbroken, Jane pleaded with her reluctant father: the only way to save Fitz was to buy him from the army. Jane Pohl’s foresight proved to be correct. Jane and Fitz went on to take the Virginia show-jumping circuit by storm, winning 37 jumper and 6 hinter championships. At a time when women were rarely seen in jumping classes at horse shows and were not taken seriously by male competitors, Jane and Fitz helped to break down barriers against women riders competing in the Olympics. In 1946, Jane and Fitz found themselves at the Jumper Championship at the prestigious National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden—the highest jumping title in North America. The road there for horse and rider was a five-year test of faith, patience, and understanding friendship.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The dramatic and inspiring story of a man and his horse, an unlikely duo whose rise to stardom in the sport of show jumping captivated the nation Harry de Leyer first saw the horse he would name Snowman on a truck bound for the slaughterhouse. The recent Dutch immigrant recognized the spark in the eye of the beaten-up nag and bought him for eighty dollars. On Harry’s modest farm on Long Island, he ultimately taught Snowman how to fly. Here is the dramatic and inspiring rise to stardom of an unlikely duo. One show at a time, against extraordinary odds and some of the most expensive thoroughbreds alive, the pair climbed to the very top of the sport of show jumping. Their story captured the heart of Cold War–era America—a story of unstoppable hope, inconceivable dreams, and the chance to have it all. They were the longest of all longshots—and their win was the stuff of legend.

When Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew retired from racing in 1978 to stand at stud at Spendthrift Farm, no one could be certain he would be a successful sire. But just four years later, his dark bay daughter Landaluce won the Hollywood Lassie Stakes by twenty-one lengths—a margin of victory that remains the largest ever in any race by a two-year-old at Hollywood Park. California horse racing had a new superstar, and Slew was launched on a stud career that would make him one of the most influential sires in North America. Like her father, Landaluce soon became a national celebrity, and was poised to become the next American super-horse. But those dreams ended when the two-year-old died in her stall at Santa Anita four months later, the victim of a swift and mysterious illness. Today, with her "I Love Luce" bumper stickers long gone, the filly has been largely forgotten. In Landaluce: The Story of Seattle Slew's First Champion, Mary Perdue tells the story of a horse whose short but meteoric career could have changed racing history forever. Sparking comparisons to Ruffian, Landaluce helped elevate California horse racing to the national stage and could have been the first filly to ever win the Triple Crown. In telling this story, Perdue explores the lives and careers of Landaluce's breeders, owners, and trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, as well as her famous sire Seattle Slew—and shows not only how one filly captured the imagination of racing fans across the country, but also set the stage for another filly turned super-horse, Zenyatta, in the decades to come. Find out more at landalucebook.com

From the humble working horse to the fanciful show horse, you'll not be left disappointed by this gorgeous display of 40 of the world's finest equine beauties. Whether you're a horse expert or just a casual admirer, these magnificent mares and stunning stallions will capture your attention and leave you awestruck. With each glossy, professional photograph of the breed comes information about their individual histories, where they originated from, details about temperament, and notes about size and color. This way, you can get to know each glamorous individual from the experts. Featuring an illuminating introduction exploring the colorful history of the horse, and reportage photography offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the stars as they prepare for the show, Beautiful Horses is the perfect gift for any horse-lover.

Someone actually counted the 968 useful facts and fun trivia that make The Horse Book of Lists such an irresistible page turner for horse lovers of all ages. Organized in over 90 lists of horsey topics, this 336-page volume attempts to sate the horse enthusiast’s unquenchable appetite for horse-related knowledge. Whether it’s practical tips, such as purchasing a horse, caring for a horse, or training, or sheer nonsense, like deciphering the meaning of horse sayings or cowboy-speak, The Horse Book of Lists delivers in quality and quantity. The book is divided into 12 chapters, focusing on the following topics: the horse in history, from archaeological sites and American West museums to myths and religion; horse breeds and color, including popular and rare breeds and nearly two dozen patterns; horses at work; cowboys and trail horses; buying a horse; tack and supplies, for English and Western, plus bits and training aids; training the horse, from becoming a horse trainer to curing naughty horse habits; competitive horse and rider, spanning the range of quirky equestrian competitions and ways to recycle horse show ribbons to racehorse greats and female firsts; the horse in art, exploring paintings, sculptures, photographs, and more; the horse in entertainment, spotlighting classic horse novels, songs, movies, horse-happy celebrities, and more; horse health, including anatomy, breeding, and health issues; and horses coast-to-coast, touring 119 scenic horse places around the USA. A glossary (“A Hodgepodge of Horseology”) and appendix conclude the volume.

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Karen Bumgarners Americas Long Distance Challenge fills a long overdue need within the sport of distance riding. It makes it clear that being a successful endurance competitor is more complex that simply running your horse as hard as possible..she does an excellent job of showing that the proper care, conditioning and concern for the horse the hallmark of the good competitor and the sport itself. Kerry J Ridgeway, DVM past Chairman of the AERC Veterinary Advisory Board