EQUUS FILM FESTIVAL HONORS MY BOOKS

I am excited to tell you that I attended the 2017 EQUUS FILM FESTIVAL in New York City in November. Both of my books that were submitted won their categories and were awarded the "Winnie Award."

"The Stone of Mercy" won the category for Childrens/Middle Grade Fiction and "In the Heart of a Mustang" won the category for Young Adult Fiction.

I was so honored to receive this wonderful recognition for my work. The following is from their website:http://www.equusfilmfestival.net/ "Our festival has been created to highlight and award the diverse and creative efforts of those who artistically pay homage to the horse. The festival empowers storytellers to show the rich history and diverse tapestry of horses in human culture through equestrian content. We have feature films, documentaries, shorts, music videos, commercials, training educational materials, art and literature."

THE STONE OF COURAGE...A SWITCH TO CENTAURS!

I am so grateful to Blaze Magazine for this wonderful review of "The Stone of Courage - Book 2 of the Centaur Chronicles." Blaze Magazine is a great magazine for horse crazy kids. It is available in print or on line. You can check them out here:

http://blazekids.com/

Http://blazekids.com/

Here is their review:

You can get "The Stone of Courage" as well as "The Stone of Mercy-Book 1 of the Centaur Chroniles" on my website: www.dancinghorsepress.com or on amazon or wherever books are sold. It is also available for Kindle.

HERE I AM IN THE LAND OF THE HANOVERIANS!

Here I am, actually, really, honestly, in the Land of the Hanoverians. Yes, I am in Germany, visiting my son and his family. Chris is assigned to Grafenwoehr Army Post in Bavaria, the southern end of Germany. He is a dentist for the post here in this beautiful place!

Anyone who has been reading my blog knows that I love my hanoverian, Jazz (show name: Love That Jazz.) I love him so much I made him the star of The Mist Trilogy!  It so happens that Germany is the home of the hanoverian breed! Hanoverians are a warmblood breed that originated in Germany. They were developed under the direction of George II, King of England and Elector of Hanover. By the end of the 18th century, the hanoverian had become a high-class coach horse. 

Adjustments in the breed were made after WWI to make the horse better for riding yet still strong enough for farm work. After WWII, when the demand for sport horses boomed, the breed was adapted again. Thoroughbreds were used to refine the breed, with an occasional Anglo-Arabrian or Trekehner Stallion thrown into the mix. 

Today, Hanoverians are popular in the Olympic Games and other English Riding Style events and competitions.

 In the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, three hanoverian geldings, Elvis VA, Bonaparte and Satchmo, made up the gold winning team!

The Hanoverian Breeder's Association has worked hard to keep up the quality of the breed with rigorous grading of breeding stock and careful record keeping. I have a more complete pedigree of my horse than I do of myself! Jazz is registered with the American Hanoverian Society. This is the brand that is on his left hind quarter:

The hanoverian is strong and robust but also known for its willing and trainable nature. Chestnut, Bay (Jazz is a very dark bay,) black and gray are the approved colors. No buckskin, palomino or cremello nor those with too much white are allowed to be registered. They range in height from 15.3 to 17.2 hands (Jazz is 17 hands.)

Of course, Jazz is my favorite Hanoverian, but more famous than my sweet boy is Brentina. I wrote a blog post about her when she was retired. You can read it here:
http://themisttrilogy.blogspot.de/2010/11/dressage-great-brentina.html
I had the privilege of meeting Debbie McDonald. She is my height. That's why she looks so tiny on her 16.2 hand Brentina!

Throughout the year, people come to Germany to search for their DREAM HORSE! (I was lucky to find my dream horse on dreamhorse.com ) One of the most famous sales of Hanoverians is at Verden in the northwest corner of Germany, close to Hanover. October is the time for this sale. This year's Elite Sport Horse auction is Oct. 10 and 11th! I will be so close! I will be in Berlin at that time. I don't think I'll be able to talk my husband and son into taking me over there, however!!!

FUNNY CHAIN LETTER FOR HORSE-LOVERS

This is not my typical post but it was too funny to pass up!

All of you know about those chain letters. The only one I ever tried was a children's book letter. Send a child's book to the top name on the list and within a few weeks you should receive 36 children's books. Well, I sent the book and got the grand total of ZERO books back. So, I wrote off chain letters... until this one!

Dear _________________ (Fill-in the Blank,)

Are you experiencing too many reserves and lower-place finishes due to inferior performance by your horse? Does he forget his own name in the arena? Well, this simple chain letter is meant to bring relief and happiness to you. Unlike most chain letters, it doesn't cost money. Simply send a copy to six other horse owners who are dissatisfied with the way their horses are working and showing. Next, bundle up your horse and send him/her to the horse owner at the top of this list, and add your name to the bottom of the list. Do not use a return address or the postal service may try to contact you. In one week, you will receive 16,436 horses, and one of them should be a real dandy. Have faith in this letter. Do not break the chain. One owner broke the chain and got her own horse back! Isn't that a hoot?! That is your laugh for the day.

MISTS OF DARKNESS will be coming out in print before the holidays. All books that are ordered through the website: www.behindthemist.com will be autographed! You can currently get Mists of Darkness for your Kindle. Just click here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Mists+of+Darkness&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AMists+of+Darkness

VALENTINO- 2011 PATH Intl. Therapeutic riding horse of the year!

Some people are born into the worst of circumstances, poverty, abuse or neglect. Yet some of those people manage to rise above it all and, not only survive but contribute a positive light to the world. Some horses do the same.

One such horse is Valentino.

Valentino is a beautiful Tenessee Walking Horse Cross whose first few years of live were terrible. He had been abandoned in a field as a yearling. For over a year, he was all alone and neglected in this pasture. Some kind neighbors fed him and, finally called a horse rescue organization.

Meanwhile, Therapeutic Animal Partners in Spring Hill, TN, needed some new horses for its center to help handicapped riders. Director Terri Knauer watched Valentino in a training session at the state horse fair and immediately felt something special. He was, not only the right size for a therapy horse, and young enough to be trained for their program, but there was just something special about him...perhaps she knew he would be able to empathize with is riders more than others. She adopted Valentino and started training him for EAAT (Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies.)

He became the perfect Therapy horse...the one they could always "go to" with any need. Not only is he quiet and intelligent but he is so very patient! (Don't we wish we all had such virtues-in Behind the Mist, Nick struggles to develop the unicorn virtue of patience.) In her nominating letter to Path, Intl, Terri Knauer mentioned that "He loves toys and games and sometimes breaks a tense moment by pickiing up a toy in his mouth to help a frustrated rider." Another example: "One child came to the center missing the horse she used to ride at another center. On being introduced, Valentino gently blew on her neck then dropped his head so they could look into each other’s eyes, and the two held each other’s gaze for half a minute. That moment bonded these two and gave this young girl the hope that she could find love, trust, confidence and companionship with another horse."


Yes, horses are truly amazing! He really loves working with the handicapped riders. It's as though he is trying to teach them that they, too, can overcome life's challenges and reach the stars.

Valentino is a star!

Tell me about the noble and great horse that you know. Write to me at:

mjevansbtm@gmail.com

or find me on the Behind the Mist Facebook page.

Don't forget to get Mists of Darkness-Book 2 of the Mist Trilogy on Amazon's Kindle store soon! I will let you know the day it comes out!!!