Curtis loved to rope. In his early years he rode bulls and spent much time around the rodeo scene. Now that he was older his preference was team roping...He would spend hours upon hours taking a young horse through the same process until perfection was accomplished. Sandy would sit on the back deck and watch how patient he would be with his horses.Sandy Armstrong was only eighteen when her husband was killed in a gun accident, and she was left to raise their son on her own. Waitressing part-time to pay the bills, she enrolled in cosmetology school and began to rebuild her life. One night at a dance hall, she met Curtis, a handsome, rugged cowboy with a son of his own. After a quick courtship, the two were married. Neither realized they both had pasts that could ruin their future together. Curtis's patience with horses did not extend to his family, and he was often harsh with them. He frequented the bars and slept with other women. Sandy almost left him several times. But Sandy knew Curtis had a big heart, and she forgave him. Many years later, when Curtis was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, Sandy stood by his side as he underwent treatments, eventually selling their wedding rings to pay bills. When Curtis passed away, Sandy remembered his words to her: 'You move on with your life. My life is ending, but yours has not.'Taking Life by the Reins, Sandy started to rebuild her life once more.

A father's spiritual lessons to his son. "A father teaches his son about life, commitment, and spirituality."--Cover.

Christina considers a career in veterinary medicine after she has a horse racing accident. Melanie continues to pursue her career as a jockey and strives to have a good relationship with Christina.

A young rider encounters well-known horses and new friends in the final installment of the Ellen & Ned trilogy by Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley. Ellen's family has moved to a new town...but some things, like her love for horses, remain the same. Ellen is now the proud owner of her own horse, Tater. She's learning new skills and challenging herself as a rider...but she still can't stop thinking about Ned, the feisty former racehorse she sees on the ranch during her lessons. In the meantime, Ellen's making new friends and encountering old ones. Most exciting of all is Da, a boy from a riding family who is possessed of a spirit of mischief and daring and knows his own mind. Ellen still has a lot to learn...about horses, friendship, and herself. And will she ever be able to get Ned off her mind?

When Sasha Silver and her horse, Charm, arrive on the campus of the elite Canterwood Crest Academy, Sasha knows that she's in trouble. She's not exactly welcomed with open arms. One group of girls in particular is used to being the best, the brightest, and the prettiest on the team, and when Sasha shows her skills in the arena, the girls' claws come out. Sasha is determined to prove that she belongs at Canterwood. Will she rise to the occasion and make the advanced riding team by the end of her first semester? Or will the pressure send Sasha packing?

Between the ReinsA Continuing Journey into Honest HorsemanshipEquestrian journalist and author, Tom Moates, is back with more chronicles of his earnest attempts to improve his horsemanship skills with the tolerant guidance of renowned horsemanship clinician, Harry Whitney. This follow up to A Horse 's Thought contains fresh equine adventures and insights as Moates tirelessly pursues to understand Whitney 's uncanny ability to see things from the horse 's point of view. Western Horseman says of the work: Between the Reins tells the story of a horseman who has survived the introductory phases of an equestrian education, and is now venturing forward past the clich?'s of the clinic scene.... A skilled storyteller and gifted writer, Moates 's ongoing contributions to the equestrian literary canon make for inspiring reading. Whether riding at home in Virginia 's Blue Ridge Mountains, traveling to audit Whitney 's clinics in various states, or getting bucked off again while riding in a clinic himself--vital lessons unfold in these pages as Moates increasingly comes to a deeper understanding of horses and what goes on in that space Between the Reins.

Authors Steve and Carol Huffman take you on a lifetime ride and inside view of what it takes to fulfill a passion and become a professional horseman. The chapters of this book give a full accounting of both the pleasures and the hardships that come along with the driving passion.