"Pat and Mandy Retzlaff lived a hard but satisfying farming life in Zimbabwe. Working all hours of the day on their sprawling ranch and raising three boisterous children, they savored the beauty of the veld and the diverse wildlife that grazed the meadows outside their dining room window. After their children, the couple's true pride and joy were their horses. But in early 2001, the Retzlaffs' lives were thrown into turmoil when armed members of President Robert Mugabe's War Veterans' Association began invading the farmlands owned by white Zimbabweans and violently reclaiming the land"--Dust jacket flap.
This is the story of incredible bonds - a love of the land, the strength of a family, and of the connection between man and the most majestic of animals, the horse. As the invasions gathered pace, the Retzlaffs began an epic journey across Zimbabwe, facing eviction after eviction, trying to save a group of horses with whom they felt a deep and enduring bond. When their neighbours fled to New Zealand, the Retzlaffs promised to look after their horses, and made similar promises to other farmers; they amassed an astonishing herd and faced an arduous journey to freedom.
Pat and Mandy Retzlaff enjoyed a hard but satisfying farming life in Zimbabwe. After their children, the couple's true pride and joy were their horses. But in early 2001, their lives were thrown into turmoil when armed members of President Robert Mugabe's War Veterans' Association began violently reclaiming farmlands owned by white Zimbabweans. Under the threat of death, they were forced to flee. As families across the country abandoned their land, they left behind dozens of horses. Devoted animal lovers, Pat and Mandy—virtually homeless themselves—vowed to save these beautiful animals, risking their lives to bring them to safety: Shere Khan, the queen of the herd; Tequila, the escape artist forever trying to walk back to his original home; Grey, the silver gelding and leader; Princess, the temperamental mare; and the numerous others they rescued along the way. One Hundred and Four Horses recounts their unforgettable journey and the remarkable horses they protected. It is a love story and an epic tale of survival and unbreakable bonds—those that hold us to land and family, but also those between man and the most majestic of animals, the horse.
A memoir, a love story and a thrilling account of dramatic escape and survival, an epic tale of human and animal fortitude On an early summer morning in 2001, Mandy Retzlaff received the phone call that she and her family had been dreading. Her farmhouse in northern Zimbabwe was being decimated at the hands of an angry mob of Robert Mugabe's war veterans, who had been tasked with driving white farmers from their homes. In just a few short days, forty-five of Mandy's neighbours narrowly escaped with their lives and decided to leave Zimbabwe behind. These families would forge a new life overseas, safe from the recriminations of Mugabe's warmongers--yet, as they fled, they left so much behind, not least the beloved pets and farm animals to which they had devoted their lives. Mandy knew that her life, and that of her family, had changed forever. As her friend fled Zimbabwe, she had only oneparting request. "We need your help," she said. "It's our horses. Something has got to be done about our horses." It was in this moment that Mandy, along with her husband, Pat, made the decision not to shrink into fear but to reach out and help. Over the following months, they rescued a group of 104 horses from the violence of the home invasions and, in one case, quite literally from the jaws of lions. As they moved across the Zimbabwean countryside, seeking ever more remote enclaves of safety for a herd of horses, it became clear: it was not just the family who were rescuing the horses, but the horses who were rescuing the family. One Hundred and Four Horses is the story of an idyllic existence torn apart, and a story of incredible bonds--a love of the land, the strength of a family, and the connection between man and the most majestic of animals, the horse.
From the author of A Dog Called Homeless, winner of the Schneider Family Book Award, comes another gentle novel with a touch of magic about the power of friendship and the truth of belonging. Nell isn't happy about spending her vacation on a farm, but when she meets a half-wild and mysterious girl named Angel, the two girls are tied in an adventure that may help Nell discover something special about herself—and the most special of a hundred horses. Girls and horses are a classic pairing, and fans of favorites such as My Friend Flicka and Misty of Chincoteague are sure to love the heartwarming friendship story and adorable—and magical—animals in A Hundred Horses.
As the land invasions gather pace, the Retzlaffs begin an epic journey across Zimbabwe, facing farm eviction after eviction, trying to save the group of animals with whom they feel a deep and enduring bond--the horses.
From a Caldecott Medalist ("Mirette on the High Wire") comes an amazing true story about an extraordinary horse and the man who trained him. Full color.
Johnny’s wish had come true. His family would be visiting his grandparents for Christmas. His grandparents lived in an old house in New England where his father had been born. The family together, the smells of the cookies baking, the snowy Christmas tree farm with trees of so many shapes and sizes, and most of all the wooden horse he had told his brother Liam about would make this the best Christmas ever. In his grandparents’ attic Johnny finds many treasures, but the wooden horse he remembered so well is missing. How can Johnny make his brother’s Christmas wish come true? Beloved and internationally bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark’s loving story together with Wendell Minor’s captivating paintings make The Magical Christmas Horse a book that captures the true heart of Christmas and one that families will make part of their Christmas tradition year after year.
Abby Lovitt is put in charge of training the expensive and haughty horse Pie in the Sky after his owner refuses. While trying to get a hold on him, she must deal with the new challenges, both good and bad, that come with being a freshman in high school in 1970's Northern California.
