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Rating: 
Summary: Horses from the Land of Fire and Ice
Review: This wonderfully written, beautiful book is the perfect guide for the U.S. horse enthusiast who has discovered the magic of the Icelandic horse. While every Icelandic has a magic to it embued by 1,000 years of culture and its direct ties to the Viking times and spirit, not every Icelandic horse will fit the riding style and dreams of every U.S. rider. These horses are loved because they are different from what we know: they are self-assured, friendly, beautiful, and comfortable--but they are different, and building a successful, "joyful" partnership with an Icelandic horse requires these differences to be understood and respected. Nancy's chronicle of her own search for the perfect Icelandic horse--at times hilarious--at times deeply moving--always insightful-- relays a practical wisdom regarding the Icelandic horse that only comes from knowledge, personal experience and astute reflection. It is a tremendous boon, not only to the interest of the book, but also to Nancy's understanding of the horse, that she long has been a student of Icelandic language and culture.Nancy's search is almost archytypal for many US riders: middle aged, novice riders looking for more of a personal experience than they can get from a weary school horse; and--looking for the almost mythically beautiful, brave and smooth-gaited horse that will carry them safely through the most rugged of landscapes. As Nancy discovers, finding the perfect Icelandic, is not a search for external qualities,like color or flash, but for qualities of mind and soul. Nancy's insights are not confined just to the Icelandic horse, but show us clear pictures of the Icelandic people who live with this horse and who share its geography and its culture on the most elemental level. Practical and astutue, this is a MUST READ for any American interested in buying an Icelandic horse. Articulate, romantic, culturally intruguing, this is a MUST READ for anyone who loves good travel writing.
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