First Star to the Right and Straight on Till Morning.... At the 90-mile vet check she sat in the middle of the road crying, claiming extreme illness and trying to avoid her nightmarish fears her horse would die of founder or colic, or anything. The last ten miles of trail stretched forever in her mind, black like licorice taffy. After a large measure of TLC from her patient and understanding crew, she and the gelding were out of the check and on the trail again. The entire universe shrank to center on the pair in the moonlight. Time stopped and the world faded into nothingness. They were running in a small, ever-changing pocket of existence, the rhythm of his hooves, the heartbeat of that universe. Ribbons and trail appeared before them and lost substance as they moved past. For the rider, clinging to the saddle, there was no thought, no pain, no emotion, only the instinctive drive to chase past each ribbon as it appeared. Suddenly her horse jumped sideways, eyes and ears frozen forward. Awakened from her trance, she oriented herself on his suspected woods troll, a familiar embankment that meant they were a half-mile from home. Easing him past the scary object, she sent the gelding on, clinging to his neck. As his soft lope swept them across the finish line, she wanted to laugh out loud or cry, but was unable to summon the strength for either. A few small tears trickled down her cheek, the only sign of the enormous pride she felt inside. Becky Huffman Endurance rider, wife, mother of two, and student of author Donna Snyder-Smith The Howell Equestrian Library

"Written and illustrated by the 'Erma Bombeck' of the endurance set, this compilation of short stories and cartoons by Angie McGhee is the culmination of more than a dozen years as a humorous columnist for Trail blazer magazine, Endurance news and other publications... Angie's stories highlight not only her own experiences in the world of endurance but also includes musings on her first pony, horseflies and bad housekeeping, as well as dozens of humorous cartoons depicting situations most riders can identify with and laugh at."-- http://www.longridersgear.com/LongRidersFallCatalog.pdf

The sport of Endurance Riding was established in the UK in the 1960's and was controlled by various organisations until Endurance Great Britain was created in 2001 to govern the sport, from the grass route leisure rider to the international teams. There has not been a book published in the UK covering endurance since 1999 and the author, Karen David, wished to address this. The book is aimed at all levels of endurance rider from the first timer to the seasoned campaigner, with encouragement and advice given throughout. The chapters cover: a history of the sport up to the birth of Endurance Great Britain; how endurance is organised and how to progress through the various levels; selecting a suitable horse; how to begin competing; how to ride a successful endurance ride; feeding and nutrition; alternative therapies; shoeing; training; transporting the horse incorporating UK Legislation; equipment; competing and the support team necessary to help the combination achieve their potential.

NATIONAL BEST SELLER A stunning, personal memoir from the astronaut and modern-day hero who spent a record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station—a message of hope for the future that will inspire for generations to come. The veteran of four spaceflights and the American record holder for consecutive days spent in space, Scott Kelly has experienced things very few have. Now, he takes us inside a sphere utterly hostile to human life. He describes navigating the extreme challenge of long-term spaceflight, both life-threatening and mundane: the devastating effects on the body; the isolation from everyone he loves and the comforts of Earth; the catastrophic risks of colliding with space junk; and the still more haunting threat of being unable to help should tragedy strike at home--an agonizing situation Kelly faced when, on a previous mission, his twin brother's wife, American Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, was shot while he still had two months in space. Kelly's humanity, compassion, humor, and determination resonate throughout, as he recalls his rough-and-tumble New Jersey childhood and the youthful inspiration that sparked his astounding career, and as he makes clear his belief that Mars will be the next, ultimately challenging, step in spaceflight. In Endurance, we see the triumph of the human imagination, the strength of the human will, and the infinite wonder of the galaxy.