Forward Motion: Humans, Horses, and the Competetive Enterprise

A public radio editorial director and horsewoman, Menino introduces us here to the arcane sport of show jumping. It is a costly operation that requires constant professional care, perhaps $50,000 a year per horse. Menino points out that while the horses are owned by the very wealthy, most of the top riders come from the middle class; at the peak of their careers, they earn less than top golf or tennis players. She focuses on three leading American rider/trainers and their horses: Lendon Grey, one of the most successful practitioners of dressage, and Last Scene; Keith Taylor and Play Me as they compete in combined training; Anne Kurinski, doyenne of show jumping, with Eros and Dynamite (she trains horses for the Olympics). This engaging account will captivate readers who follow horse shows or who simply like horses. (Oct.)