The Spanish Riding School
Author: Hans Handler
Publisher:
Published: 1972
Total Pages: 256
ISBN-13: 9780070259843
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Ghost Riders
Author: Mark Felton
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Published: 2018-10-02
Total Pages: 323
ISBN-13: 0306825600
DOWNLOAD EBOOKIt is April 1945 and the world's most prized horses are about to be slaughtered . . . As the Red Army closes in on the Third Reich, a German colonel sends an American intelligence officer an unusual report about a POW camp soon to be overrun by the Soviets. Locked up, the report says, are over a thousand horses, including the entire herd of white Lipizzaner's from Vienna's Spanish Riding School, as well as Europe's finest Arabian stallions -- stolen to create an equine "master race." The horses are worth millions and, if the starving Red Army reaches the stables first, they will kill the horses for rations. The Americans, under the command of General George Patton, whose love of horses was legendary, decide to help the Germans save the majestic creatures. So begins "Operation Cowboy," as GIs join forces with surrendered German soldiers and liberated prisoners of war to save the world's finest horses from fanatical SS soldiers and the ruthless Red Army in an extraordinary battle during the last few days of the war in Europe. This is an epic untold story from the waning days of World War II. Drawing from newly unearthed archival material, family archives held by descendants of the participants, and interviews with many of the participants published throughout the years, Ghost Riders is the definitive account of this truly unprecedented and moving story of kindness and compassion at the close of humanity's darkest hour.
The Perfect Horse
Author: Elizabeth Letts
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 2016-08-23
Total Pages: 401
ISBN-13: 0345544803
DOWNLOAD EBOOKNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the remarkable story of the heroic rescue of priceless horses in the closing days of World War II WINNER OF THE PEN AWARD FOR RESEARCH NONFICTION In the chaotic last days of the war, a small troop of battle-weary American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find—his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses that have been stolen and kept on a secret farm behind enemy lines. Hitler has stockpiled the world’s finest purebreds in order to breed the perfect military machine—an equine master race. But with the starving Russian army closing in, the animals are in imminent danger of being slaughtered for food. With only hours to spare, one of the U.S. Army’s last great cavalrymen, Colonel Hank Reed, makes a bold decision—with General George Patton’s blessing—to mount a covert rescue operation. Racing against time, Reed’s small but determined force of soldiers, aided by several turncoat Germans, steals across enemy lines in a last-ditch effort to save the horses. Pulling together this multistranded story, Elizabeth Letts introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters: Alois Podhajsky, director of the famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a former Olympic medalist who is forced to flee the bomb-ravaged Austrian capital with his entire stable in tow; Gustav Rau, Hitler’s imperious chief of horse breeding, a proponent of eugenics who dreams of genetically engineering the perfect warhorse for Germany; and Tom Stewart, a senator’s son who makes a daring moonlight ride on a white stallion to secure the farm’s surrender. A compelling account for animal lovers and World War II buffs alike, The Perfect Horse tells for the first time the full story of these events. Elizabeth Letts’s exhilarating tale of behind-enemy-lines adventure, courage, and sacrifice brings to life one of the most inspiring chapters in the annals of human valor. Praise for The Perfect Horse “Winningly readable . . . Letts captures both the personalities and the stakes of this daring mission with such a sharp ear for drama that the whole second half of the book reads like a WWII thriller dreamed up by Alan Furst or Len Deighton. . . . The right director could make a Hollywood classic out of this fairy tale.”—The Christian Science Monitor “Letts, a lifelong equestrienne, eloquently brings together the many facets of this unlikely, poignant story underscoring the love and respect of man for horses.”—Kirkus Reviews
The Complete Training of Horse and Rider
Author: Alois Podhajsky
Publisher: Doubleday
Published: 2013-06-05
Total Pages: 385
ISBN-13: 0307830543
DOWNLOAD EBOOKFor over a quarter of a century, Colonel Alois Podhajsky was the Director of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, home of the famous white Lipizzaner stallions whose remarkable performances have thrilled audiences throughout the world. Now for the first time, Col. Podhajsky has set forth explicitly and in practical, instructive fashion the step-by-step methods of training both horse and rider that are used at the School and that are the applicable foundations of all good horsemanship, for their purpose is to develop the natural abilities of the horse and to make riding a graceful, pleasurable experience.
White Stallion of Lipizza
Author: Marguerite Henry
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2015-04-14
Total Pages: 208
ISBN-13: 1481403923
DOWNLOAD EBOOKNow back in print featuring the original text and illustrations in a gorgeous hardcover edition, the magnificent Lipizzan stallions of Vienna come to life again in this exciting story that is rich in history and horsemanship from a Newbery Medal-winning author.
Austrian Art of Horsemanship
Author: Werner Poscharnigg
Publisher: Xenophon Press LLC
Published: 2015-09-01
Total Pages: 222
ISBN-13: 9780933316645
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis book, is the anticipated English translation of "MEILENSTEINE OSTERREICHISCHER REITKUNST" Find out how Austria came to be the safe hold of such a wealth of equestrian tradition: Dr. Werner Poscharnigg eloquently answers this question by chronicling the development of the classical practices in this region of Europe. Austrian Art of Riding traces the contributions of pivotal Austrian horsemen through 500 years of elegance and ease in the equestrian art. Over 140 illustrations--many previously unpublished or little-known--along with inaccessible documents reveal the development of a culture of the thinking rider imbued with careful, loving training that results in a healthy, durable high school horse. Equestrians world-wide who admire fine horsemanship and seek the subtle, passionate, masterful handling of the horse, will find the methods they pursue here, in Austrian horsemanship as they have been for centuries. "Dr. Werner Poscharnigg's stunningly produced Austrian Art of Riding is special for....the incredible illustrations which show good balance in both man and horse in different situations and....a shining pride of achievement, commitment of endeavour and desire for perfection." - Sylvia Loch "Austrian Art of Riding is a major contribution to the understanding of classical riding principles...The Austro-Hungarian classical training method is without fear of force, artifice and cruelty. Instead, it is a monument to impeccable trust between horse and rider. The ennobled horse becomes able to move better than he ever could have had he been left alone in nature. Through correct riding, the rider is elevated in character and his virtues are multiplied." - Charles de Kunffy "Austrian Art of Riding...leads the reader on an exciting journey through the Cultural History of Austria, illuminating five centuries of equestrian advances. The Spanish Riding School in Vienna, the European cradle and sanctuary of classical riding since the Baroque era is masterfully documented in text and illustrations. Historical events are harmoniously melded with the equestrian milestones of the Riding Masters of the past." - Karl Mikolka Dr.Werner Poscharnigg's writing is appreciated the world over for its eloquent style, polished language and reliable expertise. This learned horseman, speaking from personal experience and accurate research, takes us on a pleasurable reading journey rich in detailed information. He makes his home near Graz, in Southern Austria.
The Art of Horsemanship
Author: Xenophon
Publisher: Courier Corporation
Published: 2006-01-01
Total Pages: 210
ISBN-13: 0486447537
DOWNLOAD EBOOKAmong the earliest known works on choosing, caring for, and riding horses, this book is still hailed — 2,300 years after it was written — as one of the most complete, thoughtful, and accessible guides of its type. Morris H. Morgan's fluid translation features 38 illustrations of this classic's practical tips and enlightened observations.
My Horses, My Teachers
Author: Alois Podhajsky
Publisher: Trafalgar Square Books
Published: 2021-08-01
Total Pages: 250
ISBN-13: 1570769796
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis classic memoir by the former director of the renowned Spanish Riding School explores the age-old relationship between horse and rider. Timeless, inspiring, and full of valuable advice. A book every rider should read.
Mercury's Flight
Author: Annie Wedekind
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: 2016-04-19
Total Pages: 129
ISBN-13: 1250120381
DOWNLOAD EBOOKOur "American Girl" of horses, each novel in the Breyer Horse Collection—based on Breyer Animal Creations' top-selling horse breeds—tells a compelling story that captures the true essence and personality of each horse. And now, for the first time, we have a historical novel. Annie Wedekind takes us back to Europe in World War II—a time and place that tested the courage of the noble Lipizzaner horses. In 1930's Austria, life for Favory Mercurio, a Lipizzaner stallion bearing the crest of the renowned Piber stud, begins with his mother's abandonment. From that moment on, the young horse feels different, as if he has a missing piece— even though, despite his doubters, he has talent enough to be accepted into the famed Spanish Riding School. Slowly, but doggedly, Mercury perseveres through the rigors of his years of training. But then, as the war bears down on Vienna and the school is forced to flee two advancing armies, his beloved trainer and rider, Max, with whom he has formed a true bond, is suddenly gone, and Mercury is abandoned once more. Will he have the chance to become one of the great Lipizzaner stallions, or will he lose the people, horses, and home that he loves?
Workbooks from the Spanish School 1948-1951
Author: Charles Harris
Publisher: Ja Allen
Published: 2004
Total Pages: 0
ISBN-13: 9780851318455
DOWNLOAD EBOOK"Charles Harris was the first and only pupil to complete the full three-year course (1948-1951) at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Every day he wrote down what he had learned, illustrating each point and filling two thick quarto notebooks. These numbered notes are faithfully reproduced just as he wrote them and provide the reader with a fascinating and unique record of classical horsemanship."--Book jacket.
