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Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul #1
Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul: Inspirational Stories about Horses and the People Who Love Them
Our connection to the horse is ancient and visceral. These humble creatures are mentioned in the earliest samplings of the written word, which illustrates how the human/equine bond transcends cultural and economic barriers. The horse's integral role in man's evolution, society's development and the growth of civilizations is unquestioned; they have been immortalized by Hollywood, cherished by little girls and mourned by warriors.
"Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul "is filled with inspiring stories of rescue and rehabilitation, heartbreaking losses, dedication and commitment, and positive messages of responsibility and unconditional love. Readers will enjoy uplifting and humorous stories that depict the horse's intelligence, versatility and intuitiveness; they will discover the horse's healing powers, marvel at the graceful performance of a Grand Prix Dressage winner, be awed by the stamina and strength of a working horse and the athletic prowess of a champion racer.
In exchange for our love and companionship, horses teach us, heal us, protect us and guide us. "Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul" is a worthy celebration of a very noble creature.
"Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul "is filled with inspiring stories of rescue and rehabilitation, heartbreaking losses, dedication and commitment, and positive messages of responsibility and unconditional love. Readers will enjoy uplifting and humorous stories that depict the horse's intelligence, versatility and intuitiveness; they will discover the horse's healing powers, marvel at the graceful performance of a Grand Prix Dressage winner, be awed by the stamina and strength of a working horse and the athletic prowess of a champion racer.
In exchange for our love and companionship, horses teach us, heal us, protect us and guide us. "Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul" is a worthy celebration of a very noble creature.
725 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
58 people are currently reading
1614 people want to read
About the author
Jack Canfield
1,286 books1,749 followersJack Canfield is an American motivational speaker and author. He is best known as the co-creator of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book series, which currently has over 124 titles and 100 million copies in print in over 47 languages. According to USA Today, Canfield and his writing partner, Mark Victor Hansen, were the top-selling authors in the United States in 1997.
Canfield received a BA in Chinese History from Harvard University and a Masters from University of Massachusetts. He has worked as a teacher, a workshop facilitator, and a psychotherapist.
Canfield is the founder of "Self Esteem Seminars" in Santa Barbara, and "The Foundation for Self Esteem" in Culver City, California. The stated mission of Self Esteem Seminars is to train entrepreneurs, educators, corporate leaders and employees to achieve their personal and professional goals. The focus of The Foundation for Self Esteem is to train social workers, welfare recipients and human resource professionals.
In 1990,he shared with author Mark Victor Hansen his idea for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. After three years, the two had compiled sixty-eight stories.
Canfield has appeared on numerous television shows, including Good Morning America, 20/20, Eye to Eye, CNN's Talk Back Live, PBS, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Montel Williams Show, Larry King Live and the BBC.
Canfield's most recent book, The Success Principles (2005), shares 64 principles that he claims can make people more successful. In 2006, he appeared in the DVD, "The Secret," and shared his insights on the Law of Attraction and tips for achieving success in personal and professional life.
Jack Canfield was born on August 19, 1944, in Fort Worth, TX. He is the son of Elmer and Ellen (a homemaker; maiden name, Taylor). He attended high school at Linsly Military Institute, Wheeling, WV, 1962. He went to college at Harvard University, B.A., 1966; University of Massachusetts at Amherst, M.Ed., 1973. Canfield married Judith Ohlbaum in 1971 (divorced, November 1976); he married Georgia Lee Noble on September 9, 1978 (divorced, December 1999); he married Inga Marie Mahoney on July 4, 2001; children: (first marriage) Oran, David, Kyle, Dania; (second marriage) Christopher Noble. He is a Democrat and a Christian, and his hobbies include tennis, travel, skiing, running, billiards, reading, and guitar.
Canfield received a BA in Chinese History from Harvard University and a Masters from University of Massachusetts. He has worked as a teacher, a workshop facilitator, and a psychotherapist.
Canfield is the founder of "Self Esteem Seminars" in Santa Barbara, and "The Foundation for Self Esteem" in Culver City, California. The stated mission of Self Esteem Seminars is to train entrepreneurs, educators, corporate leaders and employees to achieve their personal and professional goals. The focus of The Foundation for Self Esteem is to train social workers, welfare recipients and human resource professionals.
In 1990,he shared with author Mark Victor Hansen his idea for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. After three years, the two had compiled sixty-eight stories.
Canfield has appeared on numerous television shows, including Good Morning America, 20/20, Eye to Eye, CNN's Talk Back Live, PBS, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Montel Williams Show, Larry King Live and the BBC.
Canfield's most recent book, The Success Principles (2005), shares 64 principles that he claims can make people more successful. In 2006, he appeared in the DVD, "The Secret," and shared his insights on the Law of Attraction and tips for achieving success in personal and professional life.
Jack Canfield was born on August 19, 1944, in Fort Worth, TX. He is the son of Elmer and Ellen (a homemaker; maiden name, Taylor). He attended high school at Linsly Military Institute, Wheeling, WV, 1962. He went to college at Harvard University, B.A., 1966; University of Massachusetts at Amherst, M.Ed., 1973. Canfield married Judith Ohlbaum in 1971 (divorced, November 1976); he married Georgia Lee Noble on September 9, 1978 (divorced, December 1999); he married Inga Marie Mahoney on July 4, 2001; children: (first marriage) Oran, David, Kyle, Dania; (second marriage) Christopher Noble. He is a Democrat and a Christian, and his hobbies include tennis, travel, skiing, running, billiards, reading, and guitar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
April 28, 2020
Like any Chicken Soup anthology, this one is riddled with hits and misses. My favorites, "Riding in the Alaskan Bush" and "Instincts of a War Mare," would earn it more than a paltry two stars but for the final entry. "Confessions of a Horse-Show Father" displays, in my opinion, everything wrong with "show" culture, best summed up by a single parenthetical in the piece:
another unwritten rule in the horse business: the present horse is never good enough
January 6, 2010
I love this book, its filled with amazing short stories all about horses, that all happen to be more then true. When I first got it, I powered though most of the stories, each bringing a different emotion. Its a great book to go back to any day, open to a random page, and just start reading. Some will make you cry, some will make you mad, or some will just make you go "awwww" and make you feel weird for talking to a book, but in the end its worth it.
March 4, 2013
So a quick Wikipedia search showed that there are over 200 titles in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Don't worry, I'm not going to review them all, I don't think I could handle that. But I am going to read and review all of the ones on my bookshelf already, so I can justify getting rid of them. This book wasn't actually that bad, it had some decent stories in it.
Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul is about horses (and maybe a mule or two). So obviously if you are not a horse lover, this probably isn't the book for you. It's broken down into different sections, like "And....They're Off" which describes horse racing or "Horses as Healers" which shows the calming influences of horses. All of the stories are short stories, no more than a few pages long. I can't say there were really any stories that stood out for me or that I was particularly taken with. They were all nice in that calming sort of way these books have, but nothing was outstanding. And in the beginning at least, a lot of these stories involved the horse dying. Which was a little disturbing to start a book out that way, especially considering it was supposed to be uplifting.
Since this book is more about horses than people, obviously the little quirks described are all the horses. There are stories about difficult to train horses, horses that are so sweet they'll do anything, horses that are good with children, etc. It kind of shows that horses have their own personalities aside from just being animals. I've never really spent that much time around horses, so this part at least, was informative to me. It also made me a little jealous though, no matter how much I wished for a horse as a child, I never got one, and I only got to go riding once or twice. But I guess for a city girl, that's pretty good. I have a feeling that people who were around horses more would find it easier to relate to this book.
The format of this book is a good one for reading in little doses. Sure you can read the book in one sitting if you'd like, but if you're one of those people that prefers to take a few pages at a time, this book really lends itself to that. The short story format is easy to read and there are a lot of stories in this book. And a good variety of them too, although after awhile some start to sound the same.
An ok book, good for those who love horses or short inspiring stories. I can't say that I'd ever read this book again, but it was good for a first time read.
Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul
Copyright 2003
414 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2013
More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com
Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul is about horses (and maybe a mule or two). So obviously if you are not a horse lover, this probably isn't the book for you. It's broken down into different sections, like "And....They're Off" which describes horse racing or "Horses as Healers" which shows the calming influences of horses. All of the stories are short stories, no more than a few pages long. I can't say there were really any stories that stood out for me or that I was particularly taken with. They were all nice in that calming sort of way these books have, but nothing was outstanding. And in the beginning at least, a lot of these stories involved the horse dying. Which was a little disturbing to start a book out that way, especially considering it was supposed to be uplifting.
Since this book is more about horses than people, obviously the little quirks described are all the horses. There are stories about difficult to train horses, horses that are so sweet they'll do anything, horses that are good with children, etc. It kind of shows that horses have their own personalities aside from just being animals. I've never really spent that much time around horses, so this part at least, was informative to me. It also made me a little jealous though, no matter how much I wished for a horse as a child, I never got one, and I only got to go riding once or twice. But I guess for a city girl, that's pretty good. I have a feeling that people who were around horses more would find it easier to relate to this book.
The format of this book is a good one for reading in little doses. Sure you can read the book in one sitting if you'd like, but if you're one of those people that prefers to take a few pages at a time, this book really lends itself to that. The short story format is easy to read and there are a lot of stories in this book. And a good variety of them too, although after awhile some start to sound the same.
An ok book, good for those who love horses or short inspiring stories. I can't say that I'd ever read this book again, but it was good for a first time read.
Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul
Copyright 2003
414 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2013
More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com
August 12, 2008
I got this book for Christmas and haven't been able to put it down! It speaks so true to any horse lovers heart! I makes me so sad that I don't have a horse, but so happy for the people who do and care enough to share their stories with me!
April 18, 2011
I have always loved horses and still do and this book, will all the great horse experiences of other people, made me love it even more! If there are any horse lover's out there, I HIGHLY recommend this book for you!
September 21, 2018
I always love the Chicken Soup series. Being a horse lover this one doesn't disappoint.
March 9, 2008
Great book if you love animals AKA horses.
Short little storys abotu horses and there owners.
Short little storys abotu horses and there owners.
August 2, 2011
I loved this book. I have loved horses my whole life but can't afford to take care of one. This book shows me what I'm missing. Made me cry alot.
November 27, 2018
For a book about horses, there's too much Jesus, with no other religious practices mentioned except when convenient to use quotes about horses from the Qu'ran (which are attributed to "Arabic proverbs", nice, guys). Did I miss that the Chicken Soup books were obnoxiously Christian as a child? Are they supposed to be? Is it just an unfortunate side effect?
Entire racehorse section boring and repetitive, huge differences in quality between pieces, not enough copy-editing, lots of fetishization of disability -- we get a ton of ~inspiring~ pieces from parents, but no actual words from the people they're writing about.
Some very sweet, good pieces; I especially enjoyed the ones that did not attempt to proselytize and instead emphasized horse-human connection. You know. The stated point of the book.
Entire racehorse section boring and repetitive, huge differences in quality between pieces, not enough copy-editing, lots of fetishization of disability -- we get a ton of ~inspiring~ pieces from parents, but no actual words from the people they're writing about.
Some very sweet, good pieces; I especially enjoyed the ones that did not attempt to proselytize and instead emphasized horse-human connection. You know. The stated point of the book.
June 29, 2025
I used to read these Chicken Soup For The Soul books when I was a teenager and when my access to books was severely limited. Back then they were like little pieces of overly sweet candies for my brain--hopeful, inspiring, sometimes heartbreaking, and there were one or two that I still remember the premise of.
For chuckles, because I'm in the midst of preparing for a big trip, I decided to read one of these. I have a bit of experience with riding horses--nothing fancy, just a lot of trail riding, and I love horses.
I liked all of the stories. There's one about Cuddles, a miniature guide horse that I was already very familiar with. Overall these were interesting reads. Nothing Earth shattering, but I don't expect these types of books to be. I've got a bunch more that I'll get to over time.
For chuckles, because I'm in the midst of preparing for a big trip, I decided to read one of these. I have a bit of experience with riding horses--nothing fancy, just a lot of trail riding, and I love horses.
I liked all of the stories. There's one about Cuddles, a miniature guide horse that I was already very familiar with. Overall these were interesting reads. Nothing Earth shattering, but I don't expect these types of books to be. I've got a bunch more that I'll get to over time.
December 5, 2019
I loved this book. I have always been a wanna be rider. Sadly I have to settle with reading about horses and their riders. One of these stories is overwhelmingly moving, describing how a horse lover rescued a horse after years of abuse. It took a long time but the horse and owner developed a special relationship as the owner worked over many months to bring healing to the horse. I truly recommend this book
November 19, 2017
When I started reading this I was excited and was enjoying it. But I put it down for a long while, kind forgot I was reading it and when I went back to it, it didn't really hold my interest anymore. There was some really good stories, some that still stand out to me and really made me feel, but there was some that felt like you had to be in that world. A good book for horse lovers.
October 17, 2025
Very good!
Dislike: someone informs him that people and horse spirits will always be with us, and said that a hummingbird is a visiting spirit.
After someone shares this comforting theological inaccuracy with him, he sees a hummingbird and preaches that yes — this hummingbird is the spirit of his dead friend, come back to visit him.
Dislike: someone informs him that people and horse spirits will always be with us, and said that a hummingbird is a visiting spirit.
After someone shares this comforting theological inaccuracy with him, he sees a hummingbird and preaches that yes — this hummingbird is the spirit of his dead friend, come back to visit him.
June 24, 2018
Not as inspirational as I usually find these books to be, many of the stories were very dark for that. As a horse lover I enjoyed most of them, the collection left me a bit flat afterward, as opposed to uplifted. I certainly would recommend this book to adult horse lovers, but not children.
May 18, 2020
I loved these stories! As a horeslover myself, I found myself touched by many stories in here. My favorite section to read was the healing stories. Those warmed my heart the most.
If you love horses, you'll love this book!
If you love horses, you'll love this book!
March 17, 2018
Read as a kid over and over, but plan to read it again soon!
December 6, 2018
Loved it. Great stories
June 20, 2019
Being a fellow horse lover, I absolutely loved reading this book. It really hits home with some of the stories and I truly relate to some of the stories.
May 18, 2020
Wzruszająca, pełna pozytywnych emocji i prawdziwa. Przemówi do każdego miłośnika koni.
December 30, 2020
I loved reading this. It was a bit slow at times because there isn't one story with a plot; it's a collection of a ton of individual stories. They're all horse stories, so I absolutely loved it. Definitely would recommend for anyone who loves horses and is a fan of the Chicken Soup books.
January 17, 2021
This book was ok but a bit BB too sad for me. Too much death for inspiration. A bit disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2021
Decided not to keep this one, though I loved it growing up.
February 22, 2022
4.5 stars. I haven't read this book in a decade at least, but I still remember several stories from it.
June 23, 2012
Rarely do I come across a book that fills me with so much emotion! Nearly every story in this book reminded me of at least one of the horses that we’ve had on our own farm at one time or another in my lifetime…from Lucky (our incorrigible little Shetland pony) to April and Willy (our free, seemingly untamable spirits) to Grey (our soft hearted and lovable thoroughbred). I grew up knowing a special love for horses that has only grown stronger in my adulthood. Reading this book brought back a flood of memories that include the joy of walking up to one of our horses in the pasture and jumping on their back, feeling the wind in my face as we ran, unburdened by saddle, bridle, or even reins through the field…and the gut wrenching agony of realizing that sometimes you can’t save them no matter how hard you fight and struggle. This book brought up a lot of memories that I have been blessed to store in my mind of these beloved creatures, and inspired a yearning for a childhood dream I had given up years ago. This book is definitely a must-read for anyone who loves horses, whether they have known the joys and sorrows of owning one (or several), or whether they daydream of owning one of these majestic creatures. This book had me laughing, crying, and feeling a longing I had almost forgotten existed within me; and it’s a book that I definitely plan to keep in my collection to open and re-read sections on days when I feel that the world is closing in. I definitely would recommend this book to anyone who has a love and passion for horses!
October 20, 2023
"Once you love horses, you always will."
When I tell you I started crying one story in, I'm not even lying. I love horses. I've loved them for my entire life. Words can't really express how much I miss their smell and their affection, and how much of me thinking riding a horse is like flying. It's magic to me, pure and simple.
So reading this makes me think of my old horse of all the horses I've known and trained and loved. They're almost always happy tears. But then I read stories about horses being saved from kill bidders or mustangs being rounded up and it makes me want to cry for a completely different reason.
It's awesome to see how many people fell in love with horses from reading Black Beauty or The Black Stallion, the same as me. There's a connection there, between little girls who grew up imagining their own beautiful black horses, watching Zorro and pretending it was them, and never really growing out of it.
I can't want to read more of these animal version of the Chicken Soup books.
When I tell you I started crying one story in, I'm not even lying. I love horses. I've loved them for my entire life. Words can't really express how much I miss their smell and their affection, and how much of me thinking riding a horse is like flying. It's magic to me, pure and simple.
So reading this makes me think of my old horse of all the horses I've known and trained and loved. They're almost always happy tears. But then I read stories about horses being saved from kill bidders or mustangs being rounded up and it makes me want to cry for a completely different reason.
It's awesome to see how many people fell in love with horses from reading Black Beauty or The Black Stallion, the same as me. There's a connection there, between little girls who grew up imagining their own beautiful black horses, watching Zorro and pretending it was them, and never really growing out of it.
I can't want to read more of these animal version of the Chicken Soup books.
February 10, 2015
This book came into my hands from a bookbox. I was already planning on giving away a large number of horse-themed books for the Becky's Hugs Release Challenge this February, so I thought it might make a good addition to that cause. (http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/23/.... Becky is the daughter of my friend ResQgeek. She was tragically killed when hit by a car while riding her bike. ResQgeek sponsor a release challenge every year in her honor, and also maintains a webpage. Becky's love lives in you! Live her love by sharing Becky's hugs! Visit the Becky's Hugs page at Facebook. http://www.BeckysHugs.com.) I usually only give away children's books, which I register in honor of Becky, but thought it might be interesting to try giving away a book for a grown-up as well.
Of course, before I could give it away, I had to read it. I am not a horse-crazy person and I have only been on a horse once or twice in my life, both times when I was very small. I still enjoyed the stories and found them funny and poignant and uplifting and all of the other things you expect from a Chicken Soup collection. Made a nice compilation to read on a hermit weekend.
Of course, before I could give it away, I had to read it. I am not a horse-crazy person and I have only been on a horse once or twice in my life, both times when I was very small. I still enjoyed the stories and found them funny and poignant and uplifting and all of the other things you expect from a Chicken Soup collection. Made a nice compilation to read on a hermit weekend.
September 8, 2011
Horses - if God made anything more beautiful, he kept it for himself. ~Author Unknown
And since I do not have the pleasure or ability to be around these ethereal animals at this stage of my life, this book does restore the soul by inspiring memories of being a teenager who was fortunate to be accepted and loved and taught by one of the most noble creatures on earth – My dun, Czardas.
The stories contained in the book are tender, funny and true to the nature of horses, and each tale defines the nobility, intelligence, sensitivity and grace (and a gazillion other adjectives) of these most exquisite animals.
And since I do not have the pleasure or ability to be around these ethereal animals at this stage of my life, this book does restore the soul by inspiring memories of being a teenager who was fortunate to be accepted and loved and taught by one of the most noble creatures on earth – My dun, Czardas.
The stories contained in the book are tender, funny and true to the nature of horses, and each tale defines the nobility, intelligence, sensitivity and grace (and a gazillion other adjectives) of these most exquisite animals.
December 28, 2015
This is a collection of stories about people who own horses and love them. Each chapter is a new story by a new person.
This would be a great read aloud book or one to have in the classroom library. The stories can be inspirational to anyone and everyone despite their experiences with horses. Students might like to journal about their favorite animal story (horse-related or not).
I loved these stories. Some made me cry and others made me laugh. I felt a strong connection with each person sharing their story. I am a horse lover, so reading these stories was a lot of fun and inspirational.
This would be a great read aloud book or one to have in the classroom library. The stories can be inspirational to anyone and everyone despite their experiences with horses. Students might like to journal about their favorite animal story (horse-related or not).
I loved these stories. Some made me cry and others made me laugh. I felt a strong connection with each person sharing their story. I am a horse lover, so reading these stories was a lot of fun and inspirational.
February 26, 2008
After a long day of work and college, I love the short but uplifting, inspirational, or sometimes emotionally sad stories about horses and their owners/riders. I have only ridden a horse a couple of times, but through reading this stories I feel like I am closer to understanding this amazing creature.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews