Duaa Anwar has attributed the writing of I am Equus: Understanding the Horse's Potential through Everyday Encounters (Outskirts Press; ISBN: 978-1-4327-5149-4) to the inspiration that she has received from her horse, Gerry. Basing the text on assigning attributes usually thought of as human to horses, Anwar insists that every one of her ideas is based on fact and is supported by real-life encounters. Regarding the horse’s ability to trust in us as a blessing both for us and for them from God, she holds that horses that have been maltreated by people in the past have great difficulty trusting anyone, and that hard-earned trust should never be tampered with. Anwar states, “Trust is the foundation. Establish that and you have established a solid bond with your horse.”
Chock a block full of personal anecdotes and insights into how to get the best out of one’s horse, I am Equus proffers valuable advice on caring for horses. The tone is heartwarming and down to earth. Anwar’s being a horse whisperer does not detract from the value of this work one jot, but only serves to make her far more aware of the potential of the horse—which is an awareness that she shares wholeheartedly with the reader. Her hands on knowledge of horses makes her eminently capable of comparing the advice offered, and the example provided, by others with her own experiences with horses. She clearly and unhesitatingly states where she differs from their opinions regarding the treatment of horses. Her guidelines are instructive and blended with a great deal of solid, down to earth advice.
Duaa Anwar, an Egyptian raised in the United Arab Emirates, was born with a love for horses. In addition to advocating classical riding and natural horsemanship through her website www.ArtofRiding.com, she has had many of her articles on horses published across the net, as well as in a range of equestrian publications. From her online experience, she has gleaned a list of website addresses of equine rescue and charity organizations, with which she concludes I am Equus.
Anwar’s writing is extremely fluent and readable, so that I am Equus should appeal to any horse lover, no matter his or her age. Her use of direct speech adds to the liveliness of her writing. Although the work is not illustrated and lacks an index, I am Equus would make a valuable contribution to any animal lover’s library.
No comments:
Post a Comment