The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle

[ThirdCharm]

Just had to recommend.... I just finished it and so much of it was spot-on.... for example....

"The mare's name was Darling Peaches 'N Cream, which was a bad sign right off. Nothing ensured that a horse would be a killer more than giving it a cutesy name. At shows, it was always a Doll-Baby or a Honeybunch that ended up stomping some kid half to death in the middle of the arena."

Twitching a difficult horse for her dad to treat an injured leg:
"'Think you can handle it?'
It didn't matter if I thought I could or not. I was the only person present who couldn't sue my father if the mare crushed me to pieces."

However there are graphic and sad bits, too, some kind of horrifying. But overall a good book.

Jennifer

[Angela Freda]

Great book!

[Sandy M]

I beg to differ.

Horrible book.

Please tell me the last person (other than the late Jimmy Williams) who trained both reiners and jumpers - at the same time. Even Wililams did one, and then the other.

Badly written.

Stuff about reaction of mares and foals at weaning and the generla handling of the horses and/or training - all ridiculous and inccurate.

The last minute riding and way she won the class on weird mare - unbelieveable.

Sorry - I don't give a pass to any book just because it's about or involves horses. I'm glad that when I read this, I got it off the remainder table for $3.00 - less than a paperback. I didn't feel guilty tossing it in the garbage.

[draftdriver]

I was so dismayed by the level of violence and the hopelessness in the book that I nearly didn't finish it. I would not recommend it.

[maxiford812]

I was so dismayed by the level of violence and the hopelessness in the book that I nearly didn't finish it. I would not recommend it.


Same here. I got to a certain point, put it down, and couldn't bring myself to pick it up again.

[ThirdCharm]

I have to admit I took it as an allegorical tragedy. Isn't it dichotomous to be aware of that kind of literary device even though I've also attended shows that have both jumping AND reining?

(BTW those are called "county shows" around here (I even recall one where there was a separate dressage ring that ran over to one side in the afternoon while the gaited classes went in the main ring!), and they are QUITE, quite common and very often the same trainers are coaching riders in both the Western and the English sections, sometimes even on the same horses. I think it is clear from the book that they are not operating even at the level of a "C" circuit hunter show, much less WEF or NHRA futurities!!)

Yeah, some of the details about the weaning, training, etc. were pretty ridiculous but worked in an allegorical context. Violent and bleak at times (such is life in the real world), but some parts were more hopeful/touching.... like the dad rehabbing old horses, including the one he saw beaten almost to death as a child.... tragedy because he couldn't 'escape his destiny' as it were....

Jennifer

[drmgncolor]

I agree with Third Charm.

It isn't a book I will read again, but I enjoyed it at the time.

[copper1]

I HATED this book! The horse stuff was so inaccuarate it was painful! If it hadn't been set in the horse world it probably would have read far better from my point of view.

[Ridinwyoming]

I agree with the others. I kept on reading hoping it would get better but it didn't. What a depressing read.