This book brings to life one man's quest to fulfill his eternal love for the Arabian horse. Keeping that dream alive through heartbreak, triumph, defeat and perseverance; his dream is fulfilled creating a forever bond that will live throughout the eternities. A must-read book based on true life events giving all an understanding of the passion and kindred connections between horse, man and the creator. It provides an easy to understand and proper way to approach the horse to develop a long lasting partnership. This work is the next best thing for all horse enthusiasts, especially the ones who want to improve their abilities to truly and deeply connect with any horse on an entirely spiritual level.
I enjoyed this book mostly because I love horses and this book gave lots of information about horses and how to train them etc. Mike a true horse lover who loved Arabian horses. He taught and cared for horses but he ended up losing what he had. He was depressed and ended up having to drive truck for a living. When the boy across the street finally got to save a horse from being sold for slaughter he helped him out, as it goes on they become close friends. The story get better as Mike is given away out of his depression and life became so much better. Listen to what the horse says he told his young friend . Also listen to what God tells you. Great ending for all the families.
I've never been a horse lover although I have cowboyed for several years on one of East Texas's largest cattle ranches. Arabian horses were never part of my life. Quarter horses are cattle horses. I like a well trained cuttung horse.
This book describes the affinity of one man with the Arabian horse. It focuses on the tragic death of his father, his early upbringing near a racetrack in Los Angeles, and his move out into the country of Oregon where he began his lifelong journey of faith and close relationship with Arabian horses.
Matthew Peters struggles to find himself. When his mother accedes to his wish to acquire a horse, Matthew meets a neighbor named Mike Chapman who appears to know a lot about horses and how to raise them. Mrs. Peters notices a strangeness in Mike; she discovers Mike's tragic divorce and horse farm bankruptcy. The author tells his story partly as a faith journey, partly as a spiritual partnership with the horse, and also as a memoir of determination and courage. There are plenty of tips concerning effective horse training.
This book tugs at the heartstrings. For anyone who raises horses or wishes to have the opportunity to do so, the powerful bond described here is appealing and inspiring. Hanna includes spiritual references, though he does not try to preach or convert.
This book is recommended for middle-grade readers, young adults, and adults.
I confess that I did not completely finish this book, and I do not enjoy giving a bad review for any book, as I greatly admire any author. The work and dedication authors put into their books is admirable. However, I read 75% of it and could not continue. This book is very informative about a loving approach to training horses and the life of breeding the Arabian horse, but I found it too tedious to finish. It would be great for a young/pre-teen person who is interested in the subject. It was also interlaced with faith/religion beliefs, which I respect, but was not aware of when I started reading. It was just not the book for me.
I loved the characters and the story— it held my interest and I enjoyed learning more about the Arabian breed and the relationship-building between man and horse. The editing was poorly done and interfered with my pleasure in reading this fine story—too many repetitions and inserted commas in the wrong spots. Many violations of the “show; don’t tell” rule. Paragraphs non-existent. I hope the next in the series receives the editing it deserves.
I have been dreaming and drawing Arabian horses ever since I was born. I had to wait until I was in my twenties before I could have my first horse. I was drawn to endurance riding and experienced everything my 1st Arab had to offer on many trails. I loved reading these descriptions, especially from a youngster on up.......
As an Arabian horse lover and an avid reader of all kinds of horse books since childhood picking up a copy of The Horse Listener was an absolute must for me.
In the spirit of classics like The Black Stallion and the Jinny & Shantih series The Horse Listener explores a boy's journey with horses, but also so much more. The turns of this tale sees fate bringing horses and people together for the greater good of all involved. This is a tale of hope and renewal, faith and fate as much as it is a tale about horses.
While this is an entertaining page turner, the author, Mark Hanna has also crafted this book to illustrate the principles of kind, sensible horsemanship.
A beautiful read full of good heart and good horsemanship. I look forward to reading more from this author!