"The Stallion and His Peculiar Boy" is a historical fiction novel for young adults and adults combining the true story of the life of Witez II with a fictional character who becomes his groom. The twelve-year-old boy lives in the little village of Hostau, Czechoslovakia, where Witez was taken by the Nazis after he was stollen out of Poland. The young boy suffers from Autism at a time when little was known about the condition. As the story unfolds, the boy learns to interact with the world as he learns to work with the horse. The book has been the winner of seven literary awards: The Purple Dragonfly Award, Readers' Favorite Award, The FAPA President's Award, The CIPA Evvy Award, The Global Book Award, The Wishing Shelf Book Award, The Maincrest Media Award, as well as being the #1 Best Seller on Amazon.  

I want to share some of the information I learned about Witez and the Polish Arabian blood lines: 

Witez II, the famed Polish Arabian stallion, left an indelible mark on the world of Arabian horse breeding and garnered international acclaim for his exceptional beauty, conformation, and athletic prowess. Born in 1938 at the Antoniny Stud in Poland, Witez II descended from a long line of esteemed Arabian horses known for their grace and endurance. His sire was the legendary Skowronek, and his dam, Ofirka, contributed to his impressive bloodline.

Witez II's reputation as a superior breeding stallion was solidified during his time at the Janów Podlaski State Stud, where he became an influential sire. His descendants went on to make significant contributions to Arabian horse breeding programs worldwide, enhancing the breed's quality and preserving its unique characteristics. Witez II's offspring were not only successful in the show ring but also excelled in diverse equestrian disciplines, showcasing the versatility that the Arabian breed is known for.

Beyond his influential role as a sire, Witez II achieved recognition for his own show career. Renowned for his stunning presence, he captured the attention of enthusiasts on both sides of the Atlantic. His accolades include championships at prestigious shows, such as the Salon du Cheval in Paris and the National Arabian Horse Show in the United States. Witez II's impact was not limited to the realm of horse shows; he became a symbol of the enduring beauty and grace associated with the Arabian horse.

Witez II's story is intertwined with the broader narrative of Polish Arabian horse breeding, which has consistently produced horses of exceptional quality and distinction. His legacy endures through his descendants, who continue to impress in various equestrian endeavors, carrying forward the tradition of excellence that Witez II epitomized. Today, the Polish Arabian horse community and enthusiasts worldwide celebrate Witez II as an iconic stallion whose contributions have left an enduring imprint on the history and heritage of Arabian horse breeding.

Get your own copy of "The Stallion and His Peculiar Boy" wherever books are sold. Autographed copies are available from the website: www.dancinghorsepress.com

"FINDING FIONN" 

IS A NEW RELEASE COMING OCTOBER 17TH INSPIRED BY THE KIDNAPPING OF THE FAMOUS IRISH RACEHORSE SHERGAR!

On a cold, foggy night in county Kildare, Ireland, the famous racehorse, and Irish hero, Shergar was kidnapped. The next day, a phone call came in to his trainer with a demand for 2 million pounds. Shergar's owner refused to pay and the horse was never seen again. To this day, this mystery has not been solved. 

Shergar was the 1981 European horse of the year. He shocked everyone by winning the Epsom Derby in England by more than 10 lengths. 

Shergar was beloved by everyone who knew him and worked with him. After an extremely successful career as a three-year-old. He was retired back to his birthplace, the Ballymany stud in Ireland. As a four-year-old, he fathered many successful colts and fillies. But his promising career as a stud came to a halt on that fateful night in February 1983. 

Many theories abound as to who was responsible for his theft. Was it the Irish Republican Army (IRA) seeking funds to continue their war efforts? Was it a jealous competitor? Was it insurance fraud? 

No one knows. 

My new book, to be released on all sites on Oct. 17, 2023, takes the facts of the kidnapping and applies them to a fictional horse named Fionn MacCool. Because I am an author, I can create the ending to the story as I would like to have seen it happen. 

Autographed copies are available on the website: www.dancinghorsepress.com

 

 

This article was posted on our Colorado Horse Forum Facebook page. We are expecting a couple of days of record-breaking cold. This might be helpful for all of you horse owners out there who are facing winter weather that is extreme. Please take good care of your equine family members! 

Tips for Taking care of your Horses and Equines with -50°F Temperatures

December 19, 2022 / No Comments

If you haven’t seen yet, Wednesday night through Friday morning, we are supposed to get a MAJOR freeze event in Colorado. They are predicting -12°F as the high in places with a -50°F windchill. This means exposed skin (human and horse alike) can get frostbite in as little as 5 minutes. Not to mention our normal concerns for colic during these drastic weather changes.

Important things to consider for your horse and equine friends:

• The ears are the most typical area in horses to be affected by frostbite. Males that drop their penis for extended periods of time can also experience frostbite on their penis. If your animal experiences frostbite, you will want to warm the area slowly with something like a warm towel or compress. In extreme circumstances, you will want to contact your veterinarian to evaluate and potentially prescribe anti-inflammatories and antibiotics or other treatment methods. Don’t rewarm frostbitten skin with direct heat, such as a stove, heat lamp, fireplace or heating pad. This can cause burns.
• Add electrolytes to your horse’s diet for a day or two prior to the weather event, as well as during it, to assist in water intake, and help stave away colic. If you don’t have an electrolyte supplement, you can utilize regular table salt. Per the National Research Council, for an 1,100lb horse you can use approximately 1.5 tablespoons or .75 ounces of loose salt.
• On the topic of water, make sure clean unfrozen (and preferably slightly heated) water is available 24/7. If this is not an option, bring buckets of warm water to your horses every couple of hours.
• Do not add feed sources that your horse is not conditioned to receiving, this can promote colic in horses. If you would like to provide a mash, turn your horse’s regular grain ration into one. Or you can consider making a mash out of hay pellets/cubes of your horse’s normal forage type. Ex: if your horse gets timothy hay, use timothy pellets or cubes to make a mash. Remember there is a recall right now on Top of the Rockies alfalfa cubes.
• Hay, hay, and more hay. Horses and equines produce heat during digestion. Keeping hay in front of them 24/7 will help keep them warm from the inside. Plus a constant source of food in the digestive tract will help prevent colic. A little extra hay spend now might save you expensive vet bills later.
• Blanket, and even double blanket! Layers work for humans, they work for horses too. Your horse will NOT be too warm Wednesday night or Thursday because it is double blanketed. If you can, use a hooded blanket. The more covered they are, the better.
• Shelter is required. And I am not talking about a tree windbreak. I am talking about a 3 sided shelter at minimum. If you absolutely cannot provide this, it is EXTRA important you provide layers and extra hay for your horse.
• Check for shivering and signs of cold. It might be miserable for us to go outside in this, but it is imperative to our horse and equine health that we regularly check on their status. Stick your hand inside their blanket, feel if they are warm or cold, see if they are shivering.

Some tips for humans during this cold snap:

• Adding surgical/latex gloves inside of your regular gloves can help keep warmth in as well as moisture out.
• Rechargeable heated items can be your best friend for cold weather like this. Some options are gloves, socks, scarves, hats, vests, jackets, pants, insoles.
• If you experience frostbite, soak affected area for 20 to 30 minutes or until the skin becomes its normal color or loses its numbness. For the face or ears, apply a warm, wet washcloth. Don’t rewarm frostbitten skin with direct heat, such as a stove, heat lamp, fireplace or heating pad. This can cause burns.
• Stay active, motion creates warmth. Try not to remain immobile while outside during this extreme weather.
• Cover everything up. Your body is prone to dispersing/losing heat the most through your head and extremities. Be sure to wear a good hat, gloves, and as many layers as possible while still being able to function as needed.
• Do your best to stay dry, getting wet will harness the cold and stick it to you.
• If you don’t have a live stream camera setup on your property and want to be able to watch/check on your animals from the comfort of your house, consider adding some wifi cameras. This is what we use: https://coloradohorseforum.com/inexpensive-nanny-cams-for-your-horses/

Thanks to Dr. Kieran Smith from Vetwerx Equine South for providing some of these helpful tips for our horses and equines!

If you have other recommendations, be sure to drop them in the comments below!

THE STALLION AND HIS PECULIAR BOY

 

My new book "The Stallion and His Peculiar Boy" will be out in the spring! It is a Historical Fiction based on the life of the famous Arabian Stallion, Witez II. The professional reviews of starting to come in. Here is one from Readers' Favorite:

Review Rating:

5 Stars - Congratulations on your 5-star review! 

---

Reviewed by Kimberlee J Benart for Readers’ Favorite

The Stallion and His Peculiar Boy: Based On the Life of the Famous Arabian Horse Witez II

is a work of historical fiction by M.J. Evans set in the period 1943 - 1965. Teodor is a 

non-communicative autistic boy living in Hostau, Czechoslovakia, where the finest 

captured horses from all over Europe are sent to a Nazi breeding farm. Teodor meets 

Witez, the two bond immediately, and he becomes a worker at the farm where he trains as 

Witez’s groom. Later, as the war ends and the horses come under the threat of being 

slaughtered for food by the advancing Russian Army, some German officers ask the United 

States Army to rescue the animals and take them out of Czechoslovakia. Soon, Teodor 

accompanies Witez to America in the adventure of a lifetime.

In The Stallion and His Peculiar Boy, M.J. Evans gives us an entertaining and informative 

account of the Polish horse who became a premier stallion in the pedigree of the Arabian 

breed in the United States. Told in part through the fictional character of Teodor and 

sensitive to his therapeutic and devoted bond with Witez over the years, it blends the 

suspense of a World War II military rescue operation with the subsequent challenges of 

resettlement in a new land with new owners. The narrative is engaging and moves at a 

good pace. The choice of an autistic protagonist adds a special dimension, and Teodor 

is both relatable and believable. Suitable for young adult and adult readers, this story 

is sure to please anyone who enjoys good historical fiction.

Belgium's 500 Year Tradition of Shrimp Fishing on Horseback

 

Since the late 15th century, fishermen in the seaside communities that line the North Sea have practiced a unique form of shrimp fishing. While riding a horse, these fishermen, called "Paardenvisser," trawl the shallow waters along the coast to capture the well-loved crustaceans. 

They came up with a very ingenious method of fishing. Riding a Brabant Draft Horse, they pull a net attached to two metal and wood boards. The water pressure keeps the net open as well as pushes the catch to the back of the net. A metal chain attached to the front of the net sends shockwaves through the sand which causes the shrimp to jump into the trap. I have no idea who the brilliant person was who thought of that!

The paardenvissers can be seen wearing their bright yellow oilskin pants and jackets atop their sturdy horses during shrimp fishing season which lasts from March to May and September to November. There is a two-day Shrimp Festival in June when the horses get to parade down the streets leading elaborate floats. 

At this writing, there are only seventeen known paardenvissers. 

So that is your fun horse fact for the day!

COMING SOON: MY NEW BOOK ABOUT THE FAMOUS POLISH ARABIAN STALLION, WITEZ II! More info on that next time.

I REMEMBER FURY!

 

From 1955 to 1960, NBC televised a western titled: "Fury." My parents didn't get a T.V. until 1956, but once they did, I HAD to watch every episode of the story about the wild stallion that only one boy could tame and ride. I dreamt of being that boy. 

Fury was an equine actor. He was thought to be the most popular horse in the country during the 1950s. He held the title role on the popular Saturday morning television series which was also broadcast around the world. Additionally, he starred in several movies: "Black Beauty," "Brave Stallion," "Gyspy Colt," "Wild is the Wind," "The Return of Wildfire," and "Giant" with Elizabeth Taylor.

He won several Patsy Awards. The Patsy Award was created in 1939 by the Hollywood office of the American Human Society. It was created to honor a horse that was killed on set while filming a movie. It stands for "Picture Animal Top Star of the Year." 

Fury was born in 1943 in Missouri. The Saddlebred Stallion was named Highland Dale. He died in 1972, at the age of 29 in California and is buried there. He worked only four months of the year. He earned his owner/trainer Ralph McCutcheon $500,000 in the eight years he performed. He was paid $1,500 for each Fury episode. By the time Highland Dale retired, he ranked second only to Lassie in net earnings by an animal actor. 

THE SAND POUNDERS OF THE U.S. COAST GUARD DURING WWII

 It's not your fault if you have never heard of the Sand Pounders...most people haven't! 

For two years during World War 2, the U.S. Coast Guard had a mounted beach patrol. After the U.S. was attacked by Japan on December 7th, 1941 at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, the call went out to Horsemen across the country to enlist in the new division of the Coast Guard called the Sand Pounders. Their job was threefold: 

“We have been tasked with protecting American shores against sabotage, enemy submarines, and enemy landings. We have three basic functions: to detect and observe enemy vessels operating in coastal waters and to transmit information thus obtained to the appropriate Navy and Army commands, to report attempts of landing by the enemy and to assist in preventing such activity, and to prevent communication between persons on shore and the enemy at sea.” (The Sand Pounder pg. 66)

Cowboys, jockeys, show jumpers, horse trainers, and rodeo riders answered the call. In all, 24,000 men signed up to patrol 3700 miles of coastline on the east coast, the west coast, and along the Gulf coast. 

I was born in 1951, just a few years after WWII ended. My family lived in Oregon and we often went to the Oregon Coast. My father took us to Fort Stevens, the only place in the continental U.S. that was shelled during the war. He talked to us about the war but he never mentioned the Sand Pounders!

It was just a few years ago that I stumbled upon them. I began researching. I was able to get a copy of the newly released confidential report that the Coast Guard had submitted so many years before. I researched for a year. (Which is why I haven't written a blog post for so long!)

Thus...my new novel was born! 

"The Sand Pounder - Love and Drama on Horseback in WWII" is a young adult to adult historical fiction. Set on the Oregon coast, it is the story of an older teen who wants to become a sand pounder. The only problem is, SHE is a girl and they are only taking men. Let's just say it is a "Mulan" story- if you know what I mean! I mixed in a lot of horse stuff, a little romance, and information about both the Sand Pounders and what life was like for citizens during world war 2. 

I am honored to receive the Maincrest Media Award for outstanding Historical Fiction before the book was even released. The release date is September 28th, 2021. 

Here is what the critics are saying: 

“Evans’ writing and use of descriptive imagery is incredible.” Maincrest Media Awards

 “The Sand Pounder is one of those rare historical novels with a charm that appeals to both young and old readers.” Vincent Dublado for Readers’ Favorite

 “M.J. Evans does an excellent job of winding the era's history and the lesser-known job of the Sand Pounders into a realistic story of a mature teen's determination to make a difference in her world.” Diane Donovan for Midwest Book Review:

 “A gripping YA historical novel packed full of twists, turns, and memorable characters. Highly recommended!”  The Wishing Shelf Book Review(UK)

This fun and informative book is available NOW on my website: 

www.dancinghorsepress.com

and wherever books are sold.