James Herriot meets Jeff Foxworthy in the real-life adventures of a traveling horse doctor. Climb into the truck alongside large animal vet Dr. Madison Seamans and race to the aid of horses with wounds, stomach aches, allergies, and bizarre behaviors, as well as those in severe physical distress. Quite by accident, you’ll find yourself familiar with and understanding common equine medical problems and how they are diagnosed and treated, all while marveling at the remarkable situations a country veterinarian can find himself in. Playful yet serious, honest yet tongue-in-cheek, this wonderfully written book is an up-close look at a well-lived rural life that is about as authentic as America gets. No one who cares a whit for the animal kingdom, and the humans who dare enter it, will be disappointed.
Whether he was trying to geld a spooked stallion in a blizzard or found himself in the middle of an all-out fracas involving a monkey's abscessed tooth and a shotgun, he took it in stride, with great affection for both his four-legged patients and his two-legged clients.
IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award GOLD Winner in Humor Crowded in the Middle of Nowhere: Tales of Humor and Healing from Rural America is a collection of humorous and poignant stories from a veterinarian in a small, dusty farming and ranching community in rural West Texas. Dr. Brock gives you an intimate look into his small-town and big-hearted perspective on life, animals, and their owners. His unique perspective and tales of doctoring beloved pets, cantankerous livestock, and occasionally their owners will make you smile, laugh, cry, and evoke every other emotion under the sun.
An intensely moving memoir of a young man who left heartbreak in Maine to seek healing Out West in the company of horses. Growing up in a small Maine town, Chris Lombard had never ridden a horse—never even touched one. But on one fateful night, as what he’d thought was a happy twenty-something life full of love and possibility fell suddenly apart, he met two horses and looked into their eyes. What he saw inspired him to leave everything he had, and everything he didn’t have, behind, and go in search of what was missing. With the little he needed packed in his ten-year-old Pontiac Grand Prix, and little more to go on than a belief that someone would give him a chance, Chris headed west to find work on a horse ranch. His journey took him first to the mountains of Colorado, then the Hollywood Hills of California, and finally, the wild borderlands of Southern Arizona. The settings changed but the same lessons came in quiet moments, movingly captured in these pages: watching horses, reaching out to them, swinging upon their backs. Chris learned new meanings for words—presence, connection, softness, and balance—the elements of good horsemanship feeding a deep hunger he didn’t know he had. But learning to ride a horse, learning to communicate with him, to teach him things, these required qualities Chris was only beginning to cultivate. Human nature plans; it pushes and it rushes. And it would take a terrible accident to awaken a whole new awareness for time and space, and Chris's place within it, beside a horse. In the austere beauty of the Sonora Desert, Chris met a cowboy whose intense love for life on the back of a horse held a deep sadness at bay, but only for so long. Their brief time together, working land and livestock, would bring Chris to the realization that the richly fulfilling new life he’d found held all the answers he sought, but only if he could ultimately leave it behind. Evocatively written, interweaving the author’s growing understanding of horses and how we connect with them with his deeply personal experiences, Land of the Horses brings to life a young man’s transformation alongside the horses, people, and dramatic landscapes of the American West. Healing heartbreak, falling and getting back on, searching for something true—this is a story that is in all of us. And it shows we are all capable of creating the life we truly want to live.
The star of The Incredible Dr. Pol shares his amusing, and often poignant, tales from his four decades as a vet in rural Michigan. Dr. Jan Pol is not your typical veterinarian. Born and raised the Netherlands on a dairy farm, he is the star of Nat Geo Wild’s hit show The Incredible Dr. Pol and has been treating animals in rural Michigan since the 1970s. Dr. Pol’s more than 20,000 patients have ranged from white mice to 2600-pound horses and everything in between. From the time he was twelve years old and helped deliver a litter of piglets on his family’s farm to the incredible moments captured on his hit TV show, Dr. Pol has amassed a wealth of stories of what it’s like caring for this menagerie of animals. He shares his own story of growing up surrounded by animals, training to be a vet in the Netherlands, and moving to Michigan to open his first practice in a pre fab house. He has established himself as an empathetic yet no-nonsense vet who isn’t afraid to make the difficult decisions in order to do what’s best for his patients—and their hard-working owners. A sick pet can bring heartache, but a sick cow or horse could threaten the very livelihood of a farmer whose modest profits are dependent on healthy livestock. Reminiscent of the classic books of James Herriot, Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow is a charming, fascinating, and funny memoir that will delight animal lovers everywhere.
Plains folklorist Roger L. Welsch has edited a lively collection of stories by some master yarnspinners—those old-time traveling horse traders. Told to Federal Writers' Project fieldworkers in the 1930s, these stories cover the span of horse trading: human and equine trickery, orneriness, debility—and generosity.
Mary Ellis follows her captivating Widow's Hope with a new story from the heart of Holmes County, Ohio. In Never Far From Home, fifteen-year-old Emma Miller finishes school, starts her own wool business, and is longing for someone to court. When the object of her affection is a handsome English sheep farmer, with a fast truck and modern methods, her deacon father, Simon, knows he has more than the farm alliance to worry about. Emma isn't the only one with longings in Holmes County. Her aunt Hannah wants a baby and her uncle Seth hopes he'll reap financial rewards when he takes a risk with his harvest. But are these the dreams God has for this Amish family? With engaging interactions and thoughtful characters, Ellis weaves a story about waiting for God's timing and discovering that the dreams planted close to home can grow a lasting harvest of hope and love.
WHAT IF YOU SWITCHED PLACES WITH YOUR CAT? Mean Girls meets Freaky Friday in this laugh-out-loud story about self-acceptance, learning who your friends are, and coming of age . . . as a cat. Fifth-grader Poppy McBean likes rules and order. She's a follower, and she's totally okay with that. And if you judge her for that, she's okay with that too! But after falling prey to her friends' bullying one too many times, Poppy makes a wish to be happy—and it comes true in a very unexpected way: She wakes up in the body of her cat, Mitten Man. Mayhem ensues as Poppy-the-girl attempts to navigate the wilds of the wilderness as a cat . . . and her free-thinking, groundbreaking kitty has had it with his owner's timidity. He's out to put the purr in perfectionist and take over middle school—as Poppy. Hilarious and unexpected, Don't Trust the Cat is a coming-of-age adventure that will keep readers cringing, cracking up, and reconsidering what it means to be a good person. HILARIOUS: Guaranteed, this will be many kids' favorite book of the year. EMPATHY READ: This book is a sneaky way to talk about empathy with kids. Both cat and human learn a lot about each other and change over the course of the book. Each becomes a better being because of their unusual experience. DEEPLY FELT: This book has a funny premise and is packed with hysterical scenes, but it's also grounded and emotional. Readers will sympathize with all characters and leave the book feeling like they made friends while reading. CAT SHENANIGANS: When Poppy's cat takes on Poppy's body, she wants to transform Poppy's life, turning her from a timid kid into someone who believes in herself. Like most cats she has good intentions, but things don't always go according to plan. LEARNING NEW WAYS OF COMMUNICATING: For anyone who has ever wanted to communicate with their pets, this novel might make you think twice! Poppy and her cat come to meet in the middle, but they have to learn a lot about communication along the way. EMPOWERING: Friendships are often messy, but this book shows that it's important to never lose sense of yourself within a friendship, and that sometimes it is necessary to stand up for yourself even to your best friends. Perfect for: A smart, funny book for girls and boys of all ages! Cat owners and cat lovers Parents of tweens, teachers, and librarians looking for chapter books for 5th graders or reluctant readers Gift or self-purchase for kids seeking self-empowering books with humor Fans of Frindle, the Mr. Terupt series, the Wayside School series, Katherine Applegate, and R.J. Palacio books
The Free Spirit Pony Diaries....... ......or perhaps this should be titled 'The journal of a slightly 'odd' horsewoman, her infinitely patient 'other half', 13 independent ponies (including the 'just a bit too big to be ponies' ones), 3 hilarious pigs and 5 very energetic Jack Russells'. When I first moved to East Sussex, UK over a decade ago, with 7 ponies in tow to 'start a riding school', little did I know that the ponies had other ideas..... 12 years later and we are on a very different path - a far better and more rewarding one but one which has challenges all of it's own! Inside the covers of this book you'll find our journey between November 2011 and December 2014, exactly as it happened and as it was recorded - the ups and downs; the tears and the laughter, but most of all, you'll find the story of how our horses reminded me of what it really means to love horses.
