The Horse

The revelatory and groundbreaking adventure into the 56-million-year history of the horse that horse-lovers have been waiting for

Horses have a story to tell, one of resilience, sociability and intelligence, and of partnership with human beings. In The Horse, the journalist and equestrienne Wendy Williams brings that story brilliantly to life.

Williams celebrates the 56-million-year journey of horses as she visits with scientists and conservationists around the world, revealing what our noble companion may think and feel, and what our biological affinities and differences can tell us about the bond between horses and humans. Indeed, recent scientific breakthroughs regarding the social and cognitive capacities of the horse and its ability to adapt to changing ecosystems indicate that we should celebrate this animal as a major evolutionary triumph. Williams charts the fascinating course that leads to our modern Equus—from the proto-horse to the Dutch warmbloods, thoroughbreds and miniature ponies of the twenty-first century. She observes magnificent and ancient cave art that signals a deep respect and admiration for horses well before they were domesticated; visits the mountains of Wyoming with an expert in equine behavior to understand the dynamics of bands of free-roaming mustangs; witnesses the acrobatics of the famous Lipizzaners of Vienna; contemplates what life is like for the sure-footed, mustachioed Garrano horses who thrive on the rugged terrain of Galicia; and more. She blends profound scientific insights with remarkable stories to create a unique biography of the horse as a sentient being with a fascinating past and a finely nuanced mind.

The Horse is a revelatory account of the animal who has carried us into battle and travelled with us across the plains, giving us unprecedented insight into the behaviour and history of the animal who has been at our side through the ages. Enriched by Wendy Williams’s own experience with horses, The Horse is a masterful work of narrative non-fiction that celebrates and pays tribute to this champion of the natural world.

PRAISE FOR KRAKEN

“Williams writes with a deft, supple hand as she surveys these spindly, extraordinary beasts and their world. She reminds us that the known world might be considerably larger than in the days of the bestiary-makers, but there is still room for wonder and strangeness.” —LOS ANGELES TIMES