Review: Elina

The novel Elina, written by Canadian author M. Garzon, is a prequel to her Blaze of Glory series. It stands on its own and is more adult-oriented, but both readers of the series and those who haven't yet read the trilogy can enjoy Elina.

The plot revolves around Elina, a non-horsey single-mother struggling to make ends meet who saves up enough money for riding lesson packages for her twins Tea and Seth as a one-time treat. Of course, the kids fall in love with horses, as well as with the lesson stable while Elina finds more than she bargained for in the gruff riding instructor.

Those who have read Blaze of Glory will have an idea of where the story will end, but it's an enjoyable trip and in a way, knowing what will happen to these characters brings an added depth. For those unfamiliar with the series, Garzon will keep readers guessing about the ending until the last few pages (and she will leave those readers wanting more). Those familiar with the books will also get a glimpse of the early days of certain characters who become a big part of the story later in the series.

This novel will appeal to horse people and non-horse people alike as the reader can learn about horses concurrently with Elina herself. Those on the horsey side will be happy to find that the equestrian content is accurate and there is no unrealistic progression through the lessons; the novel nicely emphasizes that everyone learns at their own pace and every rider has his or her own strengths and weaknesses.

Though it is horse-themed, the main focus of the novel is on the people. Life is not idealized; money, job and relationship troubles abound, and each reader will find something that resonates with them. There is some minor adult content, so this novel is not suitable for children.

I enjoyed the unusual set-up of having two very different siblings experiencing both the horse world and life changes in their own very different ways within a single novel. I also felt that Garzon very accurately portrayed what a welcoming place riding stables can be, becoming almost like a home away from home for many. Garzon clearly has experience as a lesson mom.

Overall, Elina is a brief but enjoyable novel that all can enjoy, whether on its own or as part of the Blaze of Glory trilogy.

Elina is currently available in both Kindle and paperback versions on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.

Disclosure: I have received no financial compensation for writing this review aside from a sample or copy of the product to be reviewed. My reviews are always my honest opinion and experience. Readers who use reviewed products do so at their own risk.

Review: What the Heart Wants

What the Heart Wants is the first full-length novel written by Canadian author Marion Myles, and it is also the first book.in her romance Heart Series.

The action centres around Elle Roberts, a dressage trainer who has just been blindsided by her boyfriend of three years revealing that he has found the love of his life, and it isn't her. Elle has always had a unique connection with animals and she resigns herself to the fact that she will always feel more comfortable around them than she feels around her fellow humans.

Enter Leo, a stunning black gelding in need of a considerate trainer to get him over his troubled past, and owner Nicholas, stunning and troubled in his own right. The problem? Nicholas has a drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend named Katherine who is Leo's regular rider, and Elle will need to work with her to ready them both for an upcoming competition, all while Nicholas's presence literally makes her feel dizzy.

Can Elle and Katherine work together while they're both into the same man? Will Elle be able to break through Nicholas's barriers to help him get over his past? Is it possible that Elle could ever end up with someone like Nicholas?

While What the Heart Wants is set in the dressage world, it's much more horsey than purely dressage-y. The author is clearly an experienced horse person and there are no obvious errors from an equestrian standpoint. Horses provide the atmosphere for the story and help to propel the plot but this novel is really about the human relationships.

As far as Elle's mental connection with the animals goes, some suspension of belief may be required as it may seem decidedly, in the words of our protagonist, "woo-woo New Ager", but after the first few pages it simply feels like part of the story, whether or not it's something the reader regularly believes in.

The cast of characters is believable, with many of the usual barn personalities present: the devoted barn manager, the non-riding client who acts as barn cheerleader, the worrywart boarder, the straitlaced working student and more. Any horse person who reads it will recognise at least a few characters from their own barn.

I was initially worried that Nicholas felt a little bit like another rich male lead from a popular adult series with a theme of "woman who doesn't have the highest self-esteem meets rich, attractive man", but they distinguished themselves and developed their own story. There is some adult content in What the Heart Wants but it's not the focus of the novel.

Overall, this is a fun novel that horse people will enjoy reading. The pace is quick and the characters will be believable and familiar to anyone who has spent time in the horse world.

What the Heart Wants is currently available in both Kindle and paperback formats on Amazon.

Disclosure: I have received no financial compensation for writing this review aside from a sample or copy of the product to be reviewed. My reviews are always my honest opinion and experience. Readers who use reviewed products do so at their own risk.

Review: Chasing the Wind

It's always comforting when there's clear proof near the beginning of a horse novel that the author is a horse person. Hannah Hooton is without a doubt a horse person, as evidenced by a passage in her new novel Chasing the Wind in which one character can only offer an injured human bute or horse bandages, because what sort of rider drives around with a human first aid kit in their car?

Chasing the Wind is the fifth and final book in Hooton's Aspen Valley series. As with the preceding novels, Chasing the Wind can be read as a stand-alone book, though readers of the entire series will have an even greater appreciation for the stories told about each set of characters featured previously.

At the beginning of Chasing the Wind we find new character Lucy Kendrick posing as a reporter on her way to shadow champion jump racing trainer Jack Carmichael. Her arrival coincides with a terrible tragedy in Jack's life as well as the beginning of a series of mysterious racing offences affecting Aspen Valley runners, both of which threaten to destroy Jack's career and his marriage. Is this the end of Aspen Valley Stables? Will the entrance of charming Irish jockey Finn O'Donaghue cause Lucy to blow her cover? What is Lucy hiding and for what purpose is she at Aspen Valley?

While the novel deals with a nearly unthinkable tragedy and its after-effects, Hooton has mastered the art of writing about difficult topics in a way that allows the reader to appreciate what each character is going through without sacrificing the enjoyability of the book. While tragedy is central to the plot, there are also several mysteries running through Chasing the Wind, as well as romance, both old and new. 

Of the Aspen Valley novels I've read, Chasing the Wind is easily my favourite. Not only is the horse subject matter as accurate and engrossing as ever (Hooton has a talent for making racing scenes in particular come to life), but the depth of characters and skilled storytelling make it a great pleasure to read.

Those in the hunter/jumper world will appreciate mention of certain jump training exercises shared between the jumping disciplines in addition to the captivating human stories intertwined with those of the horses who share their world.

Chasing the Wind is a highly recommended read for the adult horsey crowd and can be purchased at the following links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble/Nook
Apple/iBooks
Kobo

Disclosure: I have received no financial compensation for writing this review aside from a sample or copy of the product to be reviewed. My reviews are always my honest opinion and experience. Readers who use reviewed products do so at their own risk.

Review: Touch of Gold

I had the pleasure of answering a few questions by e-mail from author Vivien Gorham earlier this year, so I was very interested to read and review her first novel after it was published this fall.

Touch of Gold tells the story of Jamie, a thirteen year-old girl who, following her parents' divorce, has moved with her mother from Halifax to a small Nova Scotian town. There she discovers a palomino mare in a field by the road who appears to need a friend as much as Jamie does. Just as Jamie befriends the horse's widowed owner and begins to bond with the mare, she learns that "Peach" will soon be sold to the formidable owner and trainer of Tamarack Stables, a nearby show barn. Will Jamie, new to the horse world, be allowed to maintain contact with her equine friend? Could the more experienced riders around Jamie's age at Tamarack Stables accept her presence there and even become her friends?

Upon receiving my copy of Touch of Gold, I was struck by the beautiful cover and layout. The overall length and short chapters will appeal to the pre-teen demographic who won't feel overwhelmed by the book. The main character is the type of independent, goal-oriented teen who will resonate with readers even if she doesn't always make the wisest decisions.

The story is accessibly written to appeal to a wide range of readers while maintaining enough twists to keep things interesting. I would have liked to see a few of the secondary characters fleshed out more but given the ending of the novel, I wonder if we'll be reading more about some of them in a future novel.

Overall, Vivien Gorham does a very good job of expressing on the page the relationship between a horse and rider or handler, as well as the comfort that horses can provide for us. Each horse has a distinct personality, and many of the different human personalities often present in the horse world are included in the story.

More experienced show riders will notice a few minor horse show mistakes such as a rider wearing white breeches and white gloves for a hunt seat equitation class (beige breeches and dark gloves, please!), or a rider being awarded four faults for a refusal in a hunter class, but these small details don't detract from the story and can easily be remedied in future novels by some more exposure to the hunter/jumper world.

I believe that many young readers would be delighted to receive a copy of Touch of Gold and delve into Jamie and Peach's story.

Touch of Gold, written by Vivien Gorham, is available in Canada from bookstores, Nimbus Publishing, Chapters/Indigo and Amazon.ca. American and international readers may pre-order online from bookstores, Amazon and Book Depository; release date February 2016.

Disclosure: I have received no financial compensation for writing this review aside from a sample or copy of the product to be reviewed. My reviews are always my honest opinion and experience. Readers who use reviewed products do so at their own risk.

Review: Fortune's Fool

Following my review of The Horse is Never Wrong, I was given the chance to read the second book of the series, Fortune's Fool, written by Mary Pagones. While there are many of the same characters in both novels, each centres on a different protagonist and Fortune's Fool can easily be read on its own.

This book focuses on Simon, a talented but largely self-taught and undisciplined rider. After successfully competing on the New Jersey hunter/jumper circuit, Simon looks to challenge himself by switching to eventing. He is able to secure himself a working student position with a prominent eventing trainer based in Vermont, and just before leaving he can't help but "accidentally" purchase a talented but poorly-trained gelding named Fortune's Fool.

The novel follows a year in the life of a working student as Simon and Fortune head to Vermont, a far cry from the busy equestrian and social scene of New Jersey. Not only do both Simon and his new mount need to learn discipline, but Simon must also learn to endure his fellow working students while maintaining a romantic relationship that could be frowned upon were it to be discovered. A variety of themes are touched upon, from homosexuality, to acceptable career choices, to eating disorders, to familial pressure.

Pagones strikes a good balance in providing an idea of what a day in the life of a working student might be without getting bogged down in daily details. There is no question that the work is hard but each working student has their own reason to be there, though their work ethics do vary. Life as a working student is not romanticized and Pagones makes it clear that aspiring to be a professional rider or trainer is not an easy career choice.

Contrary to The Horse is Never Wrong, which told the story of a beginner rider, Fortune's Fool focuses on more experienced horses and riders competing at higher levels, which provides more interest for readers who are already in the horse world, either as jumpers or as eventers.

The common complaint of horsey novels containing a fairytale-like story of a horse and rider emerging from nothing to become world beaters thankfully doesn't apply here. Simon and Fortune each have much to learn but Pagones keeps their progression to a reasonable level.

This novel uses a first person style similar to that used in The Horse is Never Wrong, but it flows better and the conversation feels more natural. Pagones keeps the plot moving forward at all times, allowing the reader to wonder what's to come.

Factually the book seems very accurate, though coming from the jumper world I cannot vouch 100% for the more eventing-themed portions.

Overall, Fortune's Fool is an interesting read for the horsey set, regardless of discipline. It feels more grown-up than The Horse is Never Wrong while still appealing to a broad age range. Pagones is an author to look out for in the future for interesting human stories set in a realistic equestrian setting.

Fortune's Fool, written by Mary Pagones, is available in both Kindle and paperback editions through Amazon.com, where you can also find a preview of the first chapters.

Disclosure: I have received no financial compensation for writing this review aside from a sample or copy of the product to be reviewed. My reviews are always my honest opinion and experience. Readers who use reviewed products do so at their own risk.

Review: The Horse is Never Wrong

I wrote in my last book review how much I appreciated getting the chance to check an equestrian-themed novel for errors, given the number of horse books in existence which seem to have been written by authors who have never actually met a real live horse, let alone attended a horse show! This time I'm reviewing The Horse is Never Wrong, written by first-time YA author Mary Pagones.

The Horse is Never Wrong centres around Heather, a fifteen year-old high school student who has been diagnosed with Asperger's (a "high functioning" autism spectrum disorder). Heather struggles with fitting in socially until she begins to take riding lessons at a local stable. While Heather might not be the most natural of new riders, she finds comfort in the horses and it develops into a common interest with other teens at the stable who share her new-found passion.

The novel is written in the first person in an almost stream-of-consciousness style. This allows the reader to understand how Heather feels about her normalcy or lack thereof, and it also provides a means to disclose her insecurities and what have been labelled as her symptoms of Asperger's, many of which readers might see in themselves. When something is quietly shared amongst many of us, at what point does it cease to be a medical symptom?

Pagones doesn't ram these questions down our throats, but The Horse is Never Wrong will get the reader thinking about them. This is an excellent read for dispelling fear of differences. Should we vilify others for nonconformity, or because they openly present traits that most keep hidden? While many young adult novels serve as a form of escape from the everyday, The Horse is Never Wrong urges readers to look inside themselves while still maintaining a compelling storyline. Though the category might be young adult, Pagones provides material that can be appreciated by all ages.

Refreshingly, Heather's first steps into the horse world aren't of the magical, teen phenomenon variety so often found in YA horse novels. She struggles to master posting the trot, as many beginner riders do. For once, the goals set are reasonable and realistically attainable! Because the protagonist herself is new to horses, the material is basic enough for the non-horse person to understand, while at the same time providing enough realistic equine interaction to satisfy the horsey set.

The dialogue can feel slightly stilted at times, occasionally lacking some of the contractions that we're used to hearing in casual conversation, but I think that some of this can be forgiven in a first novel. The chapters are very short, which keeps the story moving along. If anything, the book might have felt a little bit too concise! On the horse front, there are some minor errors that will be noticed by experienced competitors, such as local-level jumpers being fond of colourful helmet covers (which are generally favoured by eventers rather than jumpers) or an 'A' circuit hunter/jumper show holding dressage classes at the same time. These inaccuracies are few and far between, however, and none contribute more to the plot than a passing remark.

Overall, The Horse is Never Wrong is a great novel to promote empathy and introduce a different world view to teens, horse-crazy or not. It's also a nice light, albeit thought-provoking, read for adults of any age who remember what it was like to navigate the tumultuous high school years. 

The Horse is Never Wrong, written by Mary Pagones, is available in both Kindle and paperback editions through Amazon.com, where you can also find a preview of the first chapters.

Disclosure: I have received no financial compensation for writing this review aside from a sample or copy of the product to be reviewed. My reviews are always my honest opinion and experience. Readers who use reviewed products do so at their own risk.

Review: Making the Running

My first thought when I was asked to review this novel was that an equestrian romance novel likely wouldn't fit into the theme of this blog. Upon further thought, I realized that it would be entirely appropriate because I'm sure that most of us have, at least once, struggled to read through a horse-related novel riddled with so many errors that the author couldn't possibly be a horse person. Reviewing an equestrian-themed novel on a blog devoted to the intricacies of grooming seems like a pretty good way to screen out painfully inaccurate or pseudo- horse books.

Making the Running, written by Hannah Hooton, takes place in the world of jump racing. While the discipline is not something that most of us hunter/jumper riders take part in, we share a lot in common and it provides an exciting background to the human side of the story. Hooton's race descriptions are both enlightening and exciting, allowing the reader to feel as though they are anxiously watching from the sidelines alongside our protagonist Kate.

Kate Cresswell is a stable lass at Aspen Valley Racing Stables. She juggles her job and a dysfunctional family life, and things only get more complicated when she meets polar-opposite brothers Nicholas Borden, a preppy investment banker and his family's racing manager, and Ben de Jager, an amateur jump jockey with a mysterious past. Kate struggles to support her siblings while making tough choices about her horses and her love life, all in the lead-up to the famous Cheltenham Festival.

Making the Running is the fourth book in Hannah Hooton's Aspen Valley series, but it easily stands on its own as the main characters are new to the series. Having never read the previous novels, I had no trouble dropping into the Aspen Valley world, though I am sure that there are enough references to events and characters from the previous books to satisfy regular Hooton fans.  

As a horse person, it's a relief to come across a line on the very first page such as "his poor excuse for a forelock" because that is a description that only a true horse person would think to use. Despite being a romance novel, the horse world is depicted in a very real way, with no hesitation in having the equine characters slobber, head-butt and generally put themselves between the human characters. Given that there is no attempt to falsely paint every human character within the business as a devoted horse lover, Hooton has clearly been in the industry and understands the diverse cast of characters to be found.

Hooton creates characters full of depth, each with his or her own back story. The relationships between and setbacks suffered by all of the characters feel real; this is not your typical fairytale romance. Hooton deftly handles dark topics such as alcoholism without losing the light tone of the novel.

While some of the plot lines are somewhat predictable as can be expected in a romance novel, it's an enjoyable ride and Hooton even manages to sneak in a couple of surprises near the end. Although there are a couple of scenes with adult content, this book is much more about the emotional relationships between characters rather than the physical.

Overall, Making the Running is a fun, well-written book, with the reader's attention captured alternately by the fantastic race descriptions and duelling characters. It's available as an e-book (Kindle users click here), and for those wishing to start from the beginning, the first book in the Aspen Valley series, Keeping the Peace, is currently available for free in various formats through Hannah Hooton's website, where you can also learn more about her other books!

Disclosure: I have received no financial compensation for writing this review aside from a sample or copy of the product to be reviewed. My reviews are always my honest opinion and experience. Readers who use reviewed products do so at their own risk.

Review: Equine Omega Complete

The more we learn about nutrition, the more complicated it seems to become to feed our horses in the best possible way. In recent years, the importance of the correct ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 has become more recognized, and many of the foods traditionally fed to show horses contain far too much of the bad omega-6 fatty acids.

There is evidence for omega-3 fatty acids having an anti-inflammatory effect¹, which is beneficial for sport horses. Omega-6s, on the other hand, have an inflammatory effect. Studies have shown that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids has a beneficial effect for arthritic horses².

A grass-based diet provides a higher amount of omega-3 than does a grain-based diet³. For show horses who spend most of their time in stalls, and especially those who are fed a lot of grain, adding as little extra omega-6 as possible is important to maintain the best ratio of omega-3 to omega-6.

Traditional fat supplements for horses tend to be extremely high in omega-6s (corn oil is in the region of 1:58 omega-3 to omega-6, and sunflower seeds contain almost exclusively omega-6). Flax seeds and flaxseed oil are essentially the only traditional fat source for horses containing more omega-3 than omega-6.

Vegetable sources such as flax contain short-chain omega-3 fatty acids, while fish oil contains long-chain versions. The body is not very efficient at converting short-chain omega-3 fatty acids to the more desirable long-chain ones, so feeding fish oil allows the long-chain fatty acids to be given directly in the most desirable form.

For all of these reasons, I was very interested to try Equine Omega Complete when I was asked to review it. Equine Omega Complete contains mechanically-expelled soybean oil, human-grade deepwater fish oil, 3000 IU of Vitamin E per daily dose and all eight essential amino acids. I chose two different horses with different needs to see what a month's worth of Equine Omega Complete could do.

Horse A, a thoroughbred, is a fairly difficult keeper who always has a shiny coat but tends to have dry skin, and she is very particular about what she eats. Horse B, a warmblood, will generally eat anything, and suffered this spring from a dull coat.

My initial concern was whether or not the horses would even eat something containing fish oil. I was shocked when my picky eater ate an entire daily dose of Equine Omega Complete in just a small amount of grain without hesitation! The second horse enjoys his Equine Omega Complete so much that he will eat an entire daily dose out of his feed tub with no grain at all. Both horses became more vocal than usual at dinner time while they were on the supplement and clearly enjoyed eating it.

The top photo shows Horse A's weight
on day 1 of Equine Omega Complete,
while the bottom photo shows her
condition after finishing a month of
Equine Omega Complete and
after three weeks of horse shows!

The supplement is very easy to use and my supply came with a convenient measuring cup to give an accurate daily dose. I tried feeding it all at once as well as splitting it into two doses per day, and didn't find much of a difference in terms of results or feed tub leftovers between the two methods. I did find that this supplement didn't pour quite as cleanly (it is quite thick) as other oils that I've used, but the person responsible for feeding the second horse didn't find hers messy so perhaps it depends on your pouring technique. I'm told that Equine Omega Complete now comes with a pump and I suspect that makes it even easier and cleaner to administer.

As far as results go, horse A finished the month shinier than she has ever been, more than she ever was on ground flax or black oil sunflower seeds. While her skin is still on the dry side, it doesn't seem as flaky as it used to be and she has held her weight far better than she usually would through the first few shows of the year.

Horse B has finally developed the deep shine to his coat that has been elusive all year until now.

Neither horse seemed to get "hot" while on the supplement.

It would have been interesting to see whether there were any other improvements visible over a longer period, but over the short term I think that the supplement did all that it could be expected to do. You can read about all of the potential benefits at www.o3animalhealth.com

The only real downside to the product is that it is more expensive than many of the more commonly-used (but high omega-6) oils, but from what I can tell it is similarly-priced to flaxseed oil.

If you are looking for a complete oil supplement to feed to your horse, I would certainly recommend Equine Omega Complete for consideration. While I don't like to promote any one product as a "must have", I can say that it seems to do what it's intended to do and would be a very good option.

Another great thing about Equine Omega Complete is that they give away a free bottle of product every month on their website! Head over there and enter your e-mail address for a chance to win!

Disclosure: I have received no financial compensation for writing this review aside from a sample or copy of the product to be reviewed. My reviews are always my honest opinion and experience. Readers who use reviewed products do so at their own risk.

¹ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00287.x/abstract;jsessionid=EF1A2D58889844640C29E4DF88AB740A.f02t04

² http://pas.fass.org/content/25/2/155.short

³ http://www.journalofanimalscience.org/content/87/9/2961