The Horses of Proud Spirit

The Horses Of Proud Spirit,

by Melanie Sue Bowles:

The bond between horse and caretaker does not happen overnight. It hangs by a fine thread of trust that the author earns with endless patience and a full commitment to the well-being of the horses in her care. The horses, some of which have suffered severe abuse, astound her time and again with their ability to trust, return the love they are given, and enjoy the companionship of other horses.

You will meet a whole stableful of remarkable horses:

Dusty, a Thoroughbred who recovered from severe injuries to reveal a rambunctious personality and a knack for stealing hats;

Maddy, an old mare, and Dancer, a gallant Appaloosa, both of whom had been isolated for years but whose ecstatic first acquaintance at Proud Spirit was, mysteriously, like the reunion of two soul mates;

Annie, a little sorrel mare who will break your heart with her weary kindness and who found peace and compassion, at last, under an old oak tree in a pasture at Proud Spirit;

Hoofprints, More Stories from Proud Spirit,

by Melanie Sue Bowles

Readers were introduced to the graceful heart of Melanie Sue Bowles in her first book, The Horses of Proud Spirit. In Hoof Prints we learn more about the horses she cares for in her horse sanctuary, which has relocated from southwest Florida to the hills of west Arkansas. In the new location, the Proud Spirit horses run free on 320 acres of rolling hills, living the life every horse deserves.

In this book you will meet some people who have no idea how to treat horses, and some wonderful, kindhearted people who open their lives to the beauty of these creatures with so much to teach us. You will meet Cosmina, a Romanian orphan who finds a kinship with these horses, who have also been abandoned. You will, of course, meet the horses—and two donkeys, one of whom can fly!—each one bearing a different scar, recovering at Proud Spirit in the warmth of the care offered there.

The Horses of Proud Spirit is Melanie's first book about her and her husband's, Jim, Sanctuary for abused and neglected horses(and a few others). Each chapter focuses on a horse, or horses, story - and they are wonderful to read, each and every one of them. Melanie and Jim are great people and, while I may not agree with ALL her practices and opinions, I must say it was a priviledge to "meet" her and her husband. Buy the book. Read the book."

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" A good follow-up to Melanie's first book. The horses are still the main focus, but this book has a few personal experiences thrown in (it's a must). Again - Buy the book. Read the book. What Mel and her husband are doing for the horses they take in is beyond compare."

Paula Harrington, Personal Ponies Advocate (personalponies.org)