The Horse Whisperer

Average customer rating:

Beware: child's edition

what rubbish...

OK

The book and the movie are two entirely different things

great
The Horse Whisperer
Nicholas Evans
Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B0000AA9KE

Amazon.com

The Horse Whisperer is a story made in Hollywood heaven. The novel was written by a first-time author, and the film option was snapped up by aging heartthrob Robert Redford for 3 million smackers. Why take such risks on a brand-spanking-new author? The answer becomes clear upon reading the touching tale.

One morning while teenage Grace Maclean is riding Pilgrim, her goofy, loveable pony, she has a horrendous glass-shattering, bone-splintering, ligament-lynching meeting with a megaton truck that leaves her and her four-legged friend damaged in mind, body, and spirit. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, her jaded, brilliant, bitchy mom, Annie Graves (Kristin Scott Thomas in the 1998 film) is working out a wrinkle in her self-absorbed existence when she gets a call at her plush, Manhattan office about Grace's accident. Racked with guilt, Graves makes it her calling to find the mythical horse whisperer, an equine Zen master who has the ability to heal horses (and broken souls) with soothing words and a gentle touch. Just when it seems he can't be found, what do you know, she finds him. He arrives in the form of Tom Booker-- a rugged, sensitive, dreamy cowboy who helps Pilgrim and Grace repair their fractured selves. To add more mesquite to fire, Booker has a way with not-so-injured, attractive, married women--like Annie. As the plot thickens, so does the familial strife, which threatens to undo Booker's healing work.

Like an expert cinematographer, Evans deftly crafts each scene with precision and clarity, sprinkling in ominous signs and foreboding images. For example, in the opening paragraphs, as Annie starts out on the tragic ride, she comes across a bloody bird wing that seems to have fallen out of nowhere. The weight of impending doom is further strengthened by the truck driver's bad luck--he has a run-in with the highway patrol just moments before his meeting with Grace and Pilgrim. These not-so-subtle subliminal messages are masterfully stitched in throughout the story and may compel readers to act as if they were watching a B-grade horror movie, shouting aloud, "Don't go there!" However sentimental, The Horse Whisperer is an engaging read, sort of like a finely tuned, well-edited film. --Rebekah Warren

Book Description

A forty-ton truck hurtles out of control on a snowy country road, a teenage girl on horseback in its path.  In a few terrible seconds the life of a family is shattered.  And a mother's quest begins -- to save her maimed daughter and a horse driven mad by pain.  It is an odyssey that will bring her to...

The Horse Whisperer

He is the stuff of legend.  His voice can calm wild horses and his touch heal broken spirits.  For secrets uttered softly into pricked and troubled ears, such men were once called Whisperers.  Now Tom Booker, the inheritor of this ancient gift, is to meet his greatest challenge.

Annie Graves has traveled across a continent with her daughter, Grace, and their wounded horse, Pilgrim, to the Booker ranch in Montana.  Annie has risked everything -- her career, her marriage, her comfortable life -- in her desperate belief that the Whisperer can help them.  The accident has turned Pilgrim savage.  He is now so demented and dangerous that everyone says he should be destroyed.  But Annie won't give up on him, for she feels his fate is inextricably entwined with that of her daughter, who has retreated into a heartrending, hostile silence.  Annie knows that if the horse dies, something in Grace will die too.

In the weeks to come, under the massive sky of the Rocky Mountain Front, all their lives -- including Tom Booker's -- will be transformed forever in a way none could have foretold.  At once an epic love story and a gripping adventure, The Horse Whisperer weaves an extraordinary tale of healing and redemption -- a magnificent emotional journey that explores our ancient bonds with earth and sky and hearts untamed.  It is a stirring elegy to the power of belief and self-discovery, to hopes lost and found again.

Customer Reviews:

Beware: child's edition.......2007-08-23

Was not aware the edition would be children. Good to know when ordering in the future.

what rubbish..........2007-08-22

cant believe this went to be a best seller....the writing is terrible, the characters unlikable, and Evans resorts to the same drivel that most romance writers on adulterous affairs use ie. it is beyond their control, meant to happen, etc. etc. BUT, the ending is such that it always remains bitter sweet, with no regrets, no guilt! The fact that this many people actually liked it says something about our morality as well as our literary sense.

OK.......2007-04-14

A great beginning and a great climax, it was the in-between that I found to be a little tedious at times. The stand out sections are the action and relationships between the horse Pilgrim, his 13 year old owner Grace and Tom Booker the "Horse Whisperer". I found the romance annoying.
It wasn't a bad read, but I don't see myself reading any more Nicholas Evans at this stage.

The book and the movie are two entirely different things.......2007-04-05

I had mixed feelings about "The Horse Whisperer" by Nicholas Evans. No matter who you are, the story invokes such strong feelings. I got to the point where I didn't want to read the book anymore because certain parts drove me to tears; yet I find myself constantly rereading it. The story is a good one, and there are many things you don't see coming. Also, keep in mind that this is not a book for children (has a couple sex scenes).

I read the book before I saw the movie (The Horse Whisperer). This was probably the right choice. However, if you haven't read the book, and have only seen the movie, you must be aware that they are completely different. The endings in particular.

Overall, I'd recommend this book, but be sure to tell them to be prepared. It's an emotional rollercoaster ride. If you're looking for more a book for a younger audience about horses, check out Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. Or a more mature audience might enjoy The Black Stallion by Walter Farley.

great.......2007-03-20

could have done without the ending, see the movie if you want a diferent ending, but still an amazing book.

Average customer rating:

Great for aspiring Cow-girls & -boys!
a beautiful honest story-about horses, yes, but truly about humans
Buck's way has changed my life.
Psychology for people and horses
The Faraway Horses

The Faraway Horses
Buck Brannaman
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1585743526

Book Description

The life and wisdom of the man wgo inspired "The Horse Whisperer."

Customer Reviews:

Great for aspiring Cow-girls & -boys!.......2006-12-29

Buck invites us on a journey of his life that is less than perfect and yet terribly intriguing. His honesty is refreshing and his story is not tainted by the misgivings of others. This book demonstrates his desire to overcome a difficult childhood, his love of horses, and his compassion for all. He is certainly not a "Hollywood cowboy," though his skills have brought him into unintended notoriety. Inspiring for all horse lovers.

a beautiful honest story-about horses, yes, but truly about humans.......2006-12-27

The faraway Horses is what the author's young daughter refered to when she spoke of her father's job that took him away so often. As a horselover, trainer, teacher etc.. the term rang true to how faraway we can get, horse and equine alike, from where we want and need to be. Buck Brannaman's stories are introspective and beautifully told. A powerful book moving and beautiful.

Buck's way has changed my life. .......2006-07-06

Like many others, I recently jumped on the "natural horsemanship" bandwagon. I grew up riding horses, but after an 11-year hiatus I finally was able to have a horse of my own again-- and found that I had gaping holes in my knowledge and understanding. In my search for enlightenment I tried on Parelli, Clinton Anderson and others. I invested a lot of time, money, sweat and tears, but was ultimately disappointed with what they had to offer. They each do have something good to offer, but they don't have the whole picture. Buck's work has honestly changed my life. It has changed my perspective so entirely, and changed how I react and interact with people as well as horses. I can not come close to doing justice to Buck's way in one paragraph. Please read this book, and Buck's other book "Believe." While you're at it, read Tom Dorrance's book "True Unity" and anything by Ray Hunt (both were Buck's teachers). You won't see Buck on TV very often, clothes and tack emblazoned by sponsors like the other "clinicians." Buck is just out there for the horse.

Psychology for people and horses.......2005-10-04

A feel-good book, but also interesting and informative in a folksy kind of way. I'm a horse person, but I think non-horse people would get just as much out if this. It's about how you should deal with life as much as about how you should deal with horses.

The Faraway Horses.......2005-08-16

A brave insight into the childhood and early adulthood of the author. Inspirational reading.

Shy Boy: The Horse That Came in from the Wild

Average customer rating:

Inspirational example of natural horsemanship, with nice photography.
The taming of a wild horse . . .
Monty Roberts' Dream Horse
Manipulative and exploitational?
"Shy Boy" Review

Shy Boy: The Horse That Came in from the Wild
Monty Roberts
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0060932899

Amazon.com

Celebrated as "the real horse whisperer," Monty Roberts made his literary debut with The Man Who Listens to Horses--half autobiography, half introductory lesson to "Equus," or the language of horses. In Shy Boy, Roberts returns with the story of a wild mustang he captured and domesticated using his renowned, nonviolent training technique. Beginning with the stunning Cuyama Valley in California, where he tracked the young stallion Shy Boy for three days, and moving on to the horse's gradual acclimation to human contact, Roberts walks the reader through the slow, detailed process. In the course of this equine odyssey, he stitches in inspiring anecdotes, as in the case of Samantha, an ailing 12-year-old who used Monty's method: "She saved a horse from an untimely end in a slaughterhouse and spared herself further harm--and she had done it without ever raising a hand or even her voice." However, the real credit for this book should probably go to the photographer, Christopher Dydyk, whose 100 or so colorful glossies dominate the book's 236 pages, with dazzling shots of the ranch, the range, and Monty at work. With brilliant graphics and easy-to-read language, Shy Boy is ideal for a young horse lover. --Rebekah Warren

Book Description

"To appreciate Shy Boy," writes horse gentler Monty Roberts, "you must see him or his kind running free and easy, in a wide open space." This compelling story, and the breathtaking photographs that accompany it, offer a chance to do just that. During a dramatic three-day ride across miles of high desert, Monty Roberts used all his skill to connect with the little mustang he finally befriended. In the year that followed, Shy Boy grew to love life on the farm, playfully demanding attention, and becoming fascinated by children. After a year of challenges and one frightening illness, the wild horse's exceptional spirit earned the respect and admiration of his trainers. And, as a result of a PBS-aired program based on his initial encounter with Roberts, Shy Boy gained international fame.

Yet throughout this extraordinary year, Monty Roberts struggled with the question, "Would Shy Boy rather be free?" With trepidation, he took Shy Boy back to the wild to let him choose. The event, and its stunning conclusion, are memorably captured in these magnificent photographs and in a story that is both unforgettable and inspiring.

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational example of natural horsemanship, with nice photography........2007-04-16

As a teenager, author Monty Roberts once managed to gentle a mustang, using methods developed from close observation of equine interaction in the wild, a sharp contrast to the harsh practice of "breaking" a horse used by most ranchers of the time. Ultimately he was able to ride the horse back to his father's ranch. He had hoped this feat would win him some respect from his father, but instead no one could believe it. They ridiculed him, saying he must have chosen a horse that had already been handled by humans. Disheartened, Roberts pursued the matter no further, but did go on to use his experience with the mustang as the model for Join Up, his method of gently getting a horse to the point where he trusts his human handlers and allows himself to be ridden.

Roberts never really expected to duplicate that childhood experience, but got a lucky chance to do just that when the BBC contacted him in 1996, interested in doing a program about his training methods. It took some convincing to get them to agree to the idea of actually working with a wild mustang, but in the end they were won over, and the story that follows is what makes up this book. Periodically the Bureau of Land Management rounds up a number of mustangs and adopts them out to qualified individuals, as a means to keep the wild horse populations at a sustainable level. At one of these adoption events, Roberts acquired a small mustang gelding whom he named Shy Boy. In order to ensure that the horse did not become accustomed to humans, and especially to himself, he stayed away from the horse during his short period of human contact, and made arrangements to have him turned out with a wild band of horses roaming on a large private area of rangeland. Shy Boy remained with this band, untouched by people, for many months before the experiment began. He may have been briefly exposed to humans during his initial capture from the wild, but when Roberts began his work with the horse, he was certainly nowhere near trusting these strange two-legged creatures, which is exactly what Roberts needed in order to prove that his methods really work. And prove it he does, with this touching story as the outcome.

The story is not portrayed in a great amount of depth here, nor does Roberts describe his training methods in great detail. For a more thorough account of his Join Up system, and how he came to develop it, I'd recommend reading Roberts's other book, "The Man Who Listens to Horses," which is excellent. "Shy Boy" is something of a lighter version of that book, relying more on pictures to tell the story. The text is sparse and simple and the book can easily be finished in one day. I was slightly disappointed that the story of Shy Boy was not told at greater length, but it was still an enjoyable read. Roberts also punctuates the story with asides about a few other training experiences he has had. The two that stand out are his experiences with an unmanageable racehorse by the name of Blushing ET, who almost had even Roberts in despair over whether this horse's trust could ever be gained, and another tale about a tiny, sickly 12-year-old girl who contacted him after successfully using Roberts's methods herself on two of her own formerly unmanageable horses.

The photography is another great reason to get this book. While not the very best I've ever seen, most of photographer Christopher Dydyk's work is quite nice, and they really bring the book to life. There are images of Shy Boy in the wild before Roberts began his work, during the gentling and training period, and afterward, living and working successfully with his human family. The beautiful California mountain scenery in these is stunning. In addition, there are photographs of other mustangs in the wild, and of Roberts working both privately and in clinics with a number of domestic horses brought to him for that purpose. "Shy Boy" would definitely make a great coffee table book for any horse lover, and for those that want more detailed information on Roberts and his methods, I also recommend "The Man Who Listens to Horses."

The taming of a wild horse . . ........2007-02-26

At the age of 65, Monty Roberts the original horse whisperer, replicates an experience he had as a boy - gentling a horse in the wild. The horse in this case is Shy Boy, brought in from the high deserts as part of a BLM program to control the numbers of mustangs that roam the public lands of the western states. Set free to join a herd on the open range of a huge ranch in northern California, he has a new life until Roberts (and a BBC film crew) single him out for Roberts' system of training horses without violence. Without a holding pen, the process is strenuous and extends over days. Just as interesting is the transformation that occurs afterwards, as Shy Boy becomes a riding and working horse and adjusts to improved diet, better health care, and the presence of humans.

Also included in the book is a description of Roberts' training of a racehorse, Blushing ET, who has an extreme fear and hatred of starting gates. Roberts' account of these man-horse encounters is made vividly dramatic by the many photographs of Christopher Dydyk that illustrate this enjoyable book. Definitely for lovers of horses and those fascinated by the mystique of the wild mustang.

Monty Roberts' Dream Horse.......2006-03-23

I recommend that you read Monty Roberts "The Man Who Listens to Horses" whether you read it before or after "Shy Boy..." Having read Monty's earlier book first the story of Shy Boy meant so much more to me. To read that, at the age of 62 with a bad back and not-so-young anymore, Monty relived one of the best times of his life gentling a wild Mustang as he did as a kid, but for a BBC Documentary as well. The gentling and training went better than he expected and he created a friendly and willing partner out of a wild horse. Not only that, the BBC special and the book continues to change the lives of many people and horses around the world as Monty's way of working with horses becomes known and accepted. The book itself contains spectacular photography of Monty, Shy Boy, other horses, and the beautiful country filmed in the BBC special. It is a heartwarming and inspiring story to say the least.

Manipulative and exploitational?.......2006-02-18

Cute idea for a story. Wild horse given choice of whether to remain free or whether to go with nice man, chooses nice man. One may have, on further research, reason to question whether all details of this tale, as presented in the story, are 100% truthful. One might question whether the mustang and the horses used to pursue him were handled humanely.

One might go so far as to question whether the experiment that was the basis for this book and its companion video, *should* have been performed, on the basis of humane concern for the animals and for scientific validity.

"Shy Boy" Review.......2005-09-26

"Shy Boy: The Horse that came in from the Wild" is a wonderful book that I would highly recommend to any horse lover... especially those who, like me, find commonly used "breaking techniques" distasteful at best. Monty Robert's books are well written, and draw you into his world...

Shy Boy will warm your heart and make you want to learn the language!

Eager Star (Winnie the Horse Gentler, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

This is an awesome book!
EAGER STAR...ANOTHER WINNER FOR WINNIE

Eager Star (Winnie the Horse Gentler, Book 2)
Dandi Daley Mackall
Manufacturer: Tyndale Kids
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 084235543X

Book Description

Twelve-year-old Winnie Willis has a way with horses. She can gentle the wildest mare, but other parts of her life don't always come as easily. Along with her dad and sister, Lizzy, Winnie is learning how to live without her mom, who was also a natural horse gentler. As Winnie teaches her horses about unconditional love and blind trust, God shows Winnie that he can be trusted too. Readers will be hooked on the series' vivid characters, whose quirky personalities fill Winnie's life with friendship and adventure. In #2 Eager Star, Winnie learns something about people as well as horses when she begins to value the power of praise and encouragement.

Customer Reviews:

This is an awesome book!.......2002-10-17

This book is SO good! The entire series would be an awesome Christmas/birthday gift! It gives Christian values, with added horse bonus, and real life expierences, Winnie is a young girl with a dead mother, whom she wishes to follow, and so she gentles horses,these books are written by Dandi Daley Mackall, a wonderful writer, enjoy this book, and all others, with Christian values and horses!

EAGER STAR...ANOTHER WINNER FOR WINNIE.......2002-05-25

Winnie tries to adjust to her 7th grade year in a new school. She wonders why her sister Lizzie always finds it so easy to make friends, when she would rather talk to horses than people. Winnie thinks the only way she can fit in at school is to train a horse for Grant Baines, the most popular boy in school. But she only has one week in which to do this. Will she have enough time? Readers will find that once they start this book, they won't be able to set it down. And when they do finish EAGER STAR, they'll know they need to read the whole series!

Average customer rating:

Unhappy Appy (Winnie the Horse Gentler)
Dandi Daley Mackall
Manufacturer: Tyndale Kids
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0842355464

Book Description

Twelve-year-old Winnie Willis has a way with horses. Along with her dad and sister, Lizzy, Winnie is learning how to live without her mom--who was also a natural horse gentler. As Winnie teaches her horses about unconditional love and blind trust, God shows Winnie that he can be trusted as well. Readers will be hooked on the series’ vivid characters, whose quirky personalities fill Winnie’s life with friendship and adventure.

Book Description

Gift Horse: When a mysterious horse, soon discovered to be sick and with foal, appears in Winnie's pasture, she's suddenly faced with life and death. Just as Christmas arrives, Winnie learns an unforgettable lesson about sacrificial love and God's Christmas gift to the world.

Customer Reviews:

fantastic!.......2007-04-25

If you want to learn to be a horse whisperer, read this book. The characters seem so real that I felt like I was part of the storyl

Winnie The Horse Gentler: Gift Horse.......2007-04-12

The book that I read was Winnie The Horse Gentler: Gift Hore by Dandi Daley Mackall. I thought it was a really good book. Winnie The Horse Gentler is a series and i think that I might read the rest of them because this one was so good. Most of the chapter books that Dandi wrote are about horses.

Brittney

Winnie The Horse Gentler: Gift Horse.......2007-04-12

Average customer rating:

The Horse Whisperer
Nicholas Evans
Manufacturer: A Dell Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: B000GQMS9Y

Average customer rating:

The Horse Whisperer (94633)

Manufacturer: Recorded Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 0788704419

Product Description

The Horse Whisperer. 94633 (9 cassettes/12.75 hours). Copyright 1995 by Nicholas Evans. P 1995 by Recorded Books, Inc. Unabridged. Narrated by Frank Muller. ISBN 0-7887-0441-9. (from cassettes and case)

Secrets of the People Whisperer: A Horse Whisperer's Techniques for Enhancing Communication and Building Relationships

Average customer rating:

Secrets of the People Whisperer: A Horse Whisperer's Techniques for Enhancing Communication and Building Relationships
Perry Wood
Manufacturer: Ulysses Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1569754659

Book Description

Perry Wood learned the true art of communication in the most unforgiving of situations: standing in front of a half ton of agitated, hypersensitive horse. In Secrets of the People Whisperer, he shows how the same techniques for developing trust and understanding with a horse can work equally well in one's personal, business, family, and romantic relationships.

Proving the timeless axiom "actions speak louder than words," Secrets of the People Whisperer explains how to be a highly skilled communicator who sends and receives messages that are far more powerful than mere speech. The author's unique methods allow one to clearly relate to and positively influence another person for the mutual benefit of both parties. Finally, the author reveals how mastering this deeper way of communicating improves virtually all aspects of one's life, from more fruitful work relationships to personal relationships that are open, loving, and trusting.

Spoken in Whispers: The Autobiography of a Horse Whisperer

Average customer rating:

Something a little different, and surprisingly convincing!
To believe or not to believe?
Can you say "New Agey?"
Very enjoyable reading! Well written and thought provoking

Spoken in Whispers: The Autobiography of a Horse Whisperer
Nicci Mackay
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0684852985

Book Description

She's not just an observer. She's an active participant who actually talks to the animals -- and understands what they are saying.

Since the dawn of time, animals have communicated with one another. Now a remarkable woman hears their language and communicates directly with them. In this heartwarming account, you'll learn how Nicci Mackay transforms the lives of owner and animal. There's Aristotle, the naughty stallion with a heart of gold; Hector, the abused horse who learns to trust again; Gnasher, the balky herd-dog who makes a remarkable comeback; and Charlie, the forlorn spaniel who convinces Nicci that he doesn't need -- and will not tolerate -- a leg amputation.

Nicci Mackay is an enchanting storyteller who recounts a miraculous life dedicated to animals. In her years spent as a groom and jockey, she "spoke" in secret. Now she interprets everywhere on behalf of horses, as well as other animals. From horses to hounds, sheep to sheepdogs, these four-legged friends share the inability to speak to humans. But as the animals' translator, Mackay is second to none in making their voices heard.

Customer Reviews:

Something a little different, and surprisingly convincing!.......2004-07-18

I received this book as a gift years ago, and until now it's just been sitting by the wayside. I'm always skeptical of people who call themselves "horse whisperers" - while I'm willing to believe there are levels of communication that most of us do not yet understand, it takes quite a bit to convince me that someone who claims to have any sort of telepathic abilities is actually the real deal. Not only that, but the term "horse whisperer" is incredibly hackneyed by now. Ever since the movie of the same title came out, the name has been slapped on just about every moderately successful trainer out there, even though their methods vary widely and don't actually involve any "whispering." However, when I finally gave the book a chance, I was very surprised. The first two chapters alone had me convinced that Nicci Mackay is something genuinely different.

The book is more like a memoir of her experiences communicating with horses (and other animals), and not actually a full biography. She takes up the story in her adult life, revealing the circumstances under which she first "came out of the closet" about her abilities. Believing most people would think her a quack if she ever claimed she could speak with horses, Mackay kept quiet about it for years. She only spoke out publicly when a close friend adamantly insisted that she do so, for the benefit of a particular horse. When she received a surprisingly favorable reaction, the author began offering her services professionally, helping people better communicate with and understand their beloved animals. And though horses are her most common subject, being her favorite animal and the one with which she first recognized her abilities, she has also successfully worked with dogs, sheep, cows, and even birds. The bulk of the book shares with us a series of the author's most interesting and touching cases.

Part of what makes Mackay's book so convincing is her down-to-earth nature. She does not come across as pretentious is any way. In fact, she freely admits to not fully understanding her abilities herself, and occasionally suffers doubts about the extent to which any as-yet-untried application will be successful. She never lords her abilities over anyone else, doesn't believe herself to be superior to other horse owners because of her communication skills, and nowhere does she attempt to argue the reader into believing everything she has to say. Rather, she lets the case examples speak for themselves. There is also an abundance of self-deprecating humor, as she shares some of her more comical and occasionally downright hilarious experiences. To me, Mackay's book reads a bit like something a telepathic James Herriot would have written.

Amazing as it may be, Nicci Mackay actually seems to be the real thing. Her book is utterly convincing and a joy to read. Mackay is also an excellent writer, and the text is vivid and captivating. Her style is very friendly and open. I wouldn't blame anyone for being initially skeptical - after all, I set the book aside for quite some time for this very reason - but for anyone with an interest in horses to entirely bypass this book would be a great loss. I'd urge any horse lover to give this one a chance, as it will broaden your horizons and is definitely well worth the read.

To believe or not to believe?.......2002-04-11

Okay, I'm a skeptic--or at least was. I bought this book to prove to myself that communicating with animals is not real. But before I reached halfway, I was already a believer. It's real, and it's strange. Nicci Mackay actually speaks her thoughts to animals, asking them questions about their behavior, feelings, etc, and receives answers from them. She's not a horse whisperer like Monty Roberts. This woman can carry on a conversation with any horse (although she can't always persuade them to do things for her!)

Nicci's writing is beautiful and captivating. Her book is nicely put together chronologically (unlike some autobiographies which keep jumping back and forth). Her stories can be dreadfully depressing or hilariously funny. Some of her experiences are downright eccentric, though not lacking charm. She has a brilliant sense of humor that caught me off guard in situations where I should have contained my laughter.

To sum things up, this book is a gem and I will read it many more times. I wholeheartedly urge you to pick a copy for yourself--regardless of whether you are a believer or not. Niccy Mackay, if you read this, please drop me a line as I would like you to talk to my horse.

Reader, what are you still doing reading this review? Buy the book!

Can you say "New Agey?".......2001-04-21

I do believe that people form strong spiritual bonds with each other and animals too. I also believe we can sense things intuitvely when we're close to someone. HOWEVER, this book is a little wacho and new agey. You know the drill. . . 'We are one with nature" type book. No thanks!!!

Very enjoyable reading! Well written and thought provoking.......2000-04-23

In this book Nicci Mackay shares her experience of being able to communicate telepathically with primarily horses, but also a few dogs, goats and birds. It starts when she first shares her ability with some fellow horsemen, and then progresses as she gets more and more well known and works with many different animals. Very enjoyable, she doesn't try to "push" her views on the reader to hard. She just shares her experiences. This book is slightly different then The Man Who Listens to Horses by Monty Roberts. Mackay was very much into "psychic" communication with the horses, while Roberts was more into the body language of the horses. I don't doubt that they both incorporated both of these methods, to some degree or other. Personally, I'm still unsure about "psychic communication with animals" but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I also recomend Conversations with Animals by Lydia Hiby.

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