The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis

Haven't finished reading the book but the research and detail put in a form that creates a story makes it good reading. Unfortunately it is so very sad to read about the horrors of war and the affect on innocent animals and people

The book consists of three parts. The first part is a brief history of the Spanish Riding Academy. The second is about the Nazi program to produce the perfect war horse - thus the title. The third part is about the rescue of many valuable horses caught between the Russians moving West, the defeated German Army and the Americans moving east through Germany. Interspersed in parts two and three is the story of the inspirational struggle of the men responsible for keeping the horses out of harms way - their loyalty and perseverance.
I thought the details of the Spanish Riding Academy were too much. The part about the struggle the Germans were having at the end of the war was about right. The part about the American rescue of the horses, the reason I bought the book, could have been developed and elaborated on more.
I thought this would be the "Monuments Men" equivalent but,unfortunately, it isn't of the same caliber.
Oveall, I recommend the book.

This is a well-written book that covers a historical event of interest to a broader audience than simply those of us who love horses. It just won the PEN award for 2016 non-fiction , research-based books.

The book consists of three parts. The first part is a brief history of the Spanish Riding Academy. The second is about the Nazi program to produce the perfect war horse - thus the title. The third part is about the rescue of many valuable horses caught between the Russians moving West, the defeated German Army and the Americans moving east through Germany. Interspersed in parts two and three is the story of the inspirational struggle of the men responsible for keeping the horses out of harms way - their loyalty and perseverance.
I thought the details of the Spanish Riding Academy were too much. The part about the struggle the Germans were having at the end of the war was about right. The part about the American rescue of the horses, the reason I bought the book, could have been developed and elaborated on more.
I thought this would be the "Monuments Men" equivalent but,unfortunately, it isn't of the same caliber.
Oveall, I recommend the book.

This is a well-written book that covers a historical event of interest to a broader audience than simply those of us who love horses. It just won the PEN award for 2016 non-fiction , research-based books.

A fascinating account of the amazing journey of the horses& the people to ultimately reach peace & safety. Heartrending & heartwarming.
Meticulously researched,well written.
I found this book much easier to read on my Kindle than in the hardback version.

Fascinating at what happened to the horse farms in Europe as the WWII was shaping up but had it not been for Patton's support, the horses saved would not have been saved. What seems horrendous is how the horses were managed when they were brought to the USA and the Army did away with it's "horse soldiers." There are a number of heroes on the book and Germans and the Americans working together to save the horses. One forgets how many horses were in the WWI. When you think Germany "used" 2.75 million horses while the US Army over a million, you have to think if there had not been an attempt to save some, it would a disaster for some amazing blood lines.I I the early 1960s or the late 1950s the Vogts in Atlanta who owned a ring and riding school/stables brought a pair of Lipizanner horses; they were Austrian. There daughter still runs the riding school/stables but it has moved.

I really enjoyed the book. The actual pictures of the people involved were great too. The book moved quickly through events, have you insight into the horses perfonalities as well as the people. I would recommend this book to others

Incredible story. This is not just a story about horses, it's about an amazing insight into World War 2 that most have never heard of. Horse lovers and history buffs alike will find this book rewarding.

Loved this book. I learned so much about the rescue of these horses. I must admit to not having known how dire the conditions were for these horses in the final days of WW2 . Well written and informative.

It wasn't what I expected and it was very moving. Our book club has spent a lot of time during this timeframe on myriad directions so this seemed to be another block in the scope of our readings. It was tense and there was palpable fear for the horses but in the end, it worked out pretty well. The characters were many but if you could keep them straight it wasn't too difficult to follow. Anyone who loves horses will like this book.

I gave this book four stars only because as a studied Arabian horse lover and owner, I was saddened to see there was very little mention of Ofir, sire of *Witez II and Witraz and his ENORMOUS contribution to Arabian breeding both along Polish and Domestic lines in the United States. Even *Bask, who was imported by Lasma Arabians in the 60's and almost singlehandedly reshaped the modern arabian horse in this country and throughout the world was by Witraz, one of Ofir's three sons to survive WWII. * Witez II was himself the sire of Ronteza, Sheila Varian's storied mare, the first Arabian ever to win the Reined Cow Horse Championship at the Cow Palace (1961) and *Lotnik the sire of her very first Arabian, Farlotta. The Polish stallions rescued during WWII, if only just responsible for the course Ms. Varian (2005 Cowgirl Hall of Fame honoree) set for her own breeding program, (now over 50 years of breeding champions) would be famous for this one amazing feat alone: statistics released two years ago by the U.S. National Arabian Show showed that 84% of the Arabian show horses winning today carry Varian blood and thus trace in direct lines to both *Witez II and *Lotnik.
I loved this book so much that I finished in twelve hours...I only had to put it down to spend time with my own horse! I was really sad when I turned that last page....

Riveting! A wonderful book and history I wasn't aware of, until reading this fascinating and tragic true story. As a young girl I went to see the Lippizanner with my parents and they were truly awesome. I wish I had known the true story when witnessing their rare and graceful talents. The year was probably around 1958 to 1960 when I saw them and I would love to know if Alois Podhadjsky was there at the time.

If you have seen Lippizaner perform, if you just like horse stories, this is quite a ride. The balance of history is not at issue here but the survival of a remarkable breed and the tradition of its riders and trainers is the core of the story in the midst of WW II. The heroes in this case are the men who cared enough to commit to the horses.

Some really interesting information here, but badly marred by incredibly repetitive writing! Didn't she have an editor? Some chapters appeared to have been written with no memory of what she had written earlier. Were they separate essays smushed together? Couldn't finish it. Got to boring.

This book tells a wonderful true story of a little-known event during World War II. Previous to reading this book I had known a little bit about how the White stallions were saved at the end of the war. This book is a must-read for any serious student of World War II.

I’m glad I did not pay attention to the subtitle when I started reading this book. “The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis,” is far from the truth. The exciting story of the rescue of the Lipizzaner horses focuses on three principle players, Alois Podhajsky, Austrian Director of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Hubert Rudofsky, Czech-born German director of the stud farm in Hostau, Czechoslovakia, and Rudolf Lessing, German army veterinarian at the Hostau stud farm. Hitler had recognized the importance of horses in his army and had already authorized General Gustav Rau to launch an intensive breeding program to increase their numbers. He also recognized that the Lipizzaner would bring great prestige to the Nazi regime and supported plans to move them out of Vienna to safety. Problems surfaced when the Russian and American armies converged on Nazi-controlled Austria. The firestorms caused by American bombings were eradicating thousands, while on land, the Russian army was shooting everyone and everything indiscriminately. Fearful that his horses would be captured or killed, Podhajsky led them out of Vienna through the war zone of Central Europe. Think “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness” hundreds of horses and you will get the idea. Toward the end of the war, Colonel Charles Reed of the U.S. 2nd Cavalry led the American effort to save the horses from the Russians and the Czechs, but once several hundred were shipped to America, the U.S. Army had no interest and abandoned its commitment to a mounted army. Except for occasional stretches of embarrassingly purple prose, this is a gripping story.

World War II will forever be remembered for introducing the world to previously unimaginable levels of bloodshed, terror and state-sponsored inhumanity. While the atrocities caused by Nazi Germany in this time have been well-documented and are commonly known --- 11,000,000 murdered in the Holocaust, barbarous medical experiments conducted on living people --- the war involved so many different nations, leaders, armies and interplaying dynamics that it can be terribly difficult to get a sense of what it was like in Europe at this time from reading any single book. But in Elizabeth Letts’ equine-centric WWII historical work, THE PERFECT HORSE, the author provides readers with a wholly original, illuminating perspective on the war by following Europe’s most valuable, best bred horses as their caretakers keep them on the run from seemingly omnipresent danger for the duration of the war.

Letts begins with a description of Nazi ideology and their obsession with the idea of “purity.” She details how Nazis relied on pseudo-science that was already antiquated by the 1930s to create theories about the superiority of Nordic people with “unmixed blood,” and how this twisted theory (coupled with blind, racist hate) inspired the mass extermination of what they saw as inferior peoples. Hitler appoints a man fully on-board with this Nazi brand of eugenics, Gustav Rau, to perform a similar mission with Europe’s horses: to selectively breed only the very best specimens until Nazi Germany is full of nothing but the finest war horses the world has ever seen. Rau seizes all of Europe’s finest horses, including the internationally famous Lipizzaners of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, and tries to put his plan into action.

Because Rau disregards long-established best practices in horse breeding and instead relies on the Nazis’ own ignorant understanding of genetics, he is terribly unsuccessful in his early attempts. And with Russian and American forces simultaneously closing in on central Europe like a steadily tightening vice, there is no safe place to keep these horses out of the line of fire in the Nazis’ short-lived empire. The program falls apart, and these literally priceless horses are completely at the mercy of a handful of men who appreciate their worth too much to leave them for dead.

The war heroes in THE PERFECT HORSE are much unlike the stereotypical warriors presented in military histories; they are equally brave, but it is their gentleness, not their brutality, that makes them heroes. Unforgettable, extraordinary individuals like Spanish Riding School director Alois Podhajsky, master horseman and fearless American commander Col. Hank Reed and modern-day cowboy Lt. William “Quin” Quinlivan put themselves in extreme danger to save these horses simply because it is the right thing to do --- because they couldn’t stand to see so much beauty senselessly taken from the world by letting these horses get caught in the crossfire. Podhajsky and others dedicate years of their lives sneaking these horses on and off trains, on marathon midnight treks through muddy paths, dodging mortar fire and more to keep their stallions alive while surrounded by so much destruction and death. Once Col. Reed learns that some of the world’s finest horses are trapped behind enemy lines, he immediately seeks and receives the permission of polo player-turned-general Patton to dedicate his 2nd Cavalry unit to go on a daring rescue mission and keep the horses alive.

In addition to telling a thrilling war story by conventional standards, Letts uses the horses’ travails to share a great deal about the nations that fought in the war. For example, the way that Russia, the US and Germany treat the horses they encounter speaks volumes about the countries. When the Russian army comes upon enemy horses, they usually kill them on the spot because horses are a symbol of luxury, and there is no place for luxury in cold Communist Russia. The Americans proceed with reckless abandon once they learn about the spectacular horses and, recognizing their immense value, are perhaps too confident in themselves as they rush through the mission and are constantly averting disaster. The Germans terribly mismanage the horses to begin with because their plans are utterly misguided and based on empty ideology and nationalist talking points instead of practicable principles, and many suffer because of it.

THE PERFECT HORSE tells a fascinating story of bravery and benevolence that has gone far too long without reaching an audience. Full of action, heartbreak and well-developed characters, it has everything needed to be adapted into an outstanding war movie. To anyone with a love of horses or other animals, Letts’ fantastic, almost humanizing characterizations of some of the horses will make this book an instant favorite. And to history buffs, THE PERFECT HORSE provides a totally fresh look at WWII that can’t be found anywhere else.

Reviewed by Rob Bentlyewski

I was horse-crazy as a child and read anything I could get my hands on about horses, including Marguerite Henry’s book, “White Stallion of Lipizza.” I’ve also seen the Lipizzaner perform at the Washington International Horse Show. And now as an adult and trained historian, I have an interest in the background behind these marvelous horses, so I was keen to dive into Elizabeth Letts’ book.

Unfortunately I bogged down after a few chapters and now I find myself skimming some of the paragraphs to get through them. There is a lot of description of what people look like but for me the characters just seemed flat. References to how some of the men cared so much for their horses that they put them above their families actually makes them come across as cold and calculating. My biggest issue is that I simply don’t feel their passion, and as a reader that disappoints me.

Honestly, I’m not sure what’s missing from the text, because it’s clear that Letts has made an effort to put the drama on the page. I can even visualize some of these scenes in my head as powerful cinematography, but they just don’t work on the page. Perhaps the issue is that for a movie you can "look around" a scene and take in what you want to look at, but on the page you must read linearly -- and that means sometimes reading repetitive material. For me that's a buzz kill.

My overall impression of the book is that it reads like a draft – but here I must state that I received an advanced reader’s copy and not the final product. At the core there is an incredible story here, and not one that most people will be familiar with. The author has done a lot of research to pull this book together, too. I give her kudos for the work, and frankly I feel bad for giving the book only three stars, but it reads like a boring history book and not a passionate account of what should be an amazing story.

Not many today are even aware of what a Lipizzaner is. Hopefully this book will help to remedy that situation, along with the story of the rescue of these magnificent horses in WWII. The book is written in a thorough but extremely interesting way, both in the history of the horses and their training and performance. The reader is given a continuous picture of the horses, themselves as individuals with soulful eyes.

Even those who know the story and history will find much of interest in the pages… what happened during air raids and the sacrifices that were made to save these and other steeds from the Germans and the ravages of war. The caretakers and instructor, Alois Podhajsky are well described, as well as men such as Colonel Reed who risked much to bring a favorable ending to the story.
A list of characters, prologue and epilogue are much appreciated in a tale such as this. This is a book for many – horse lovers, history buffs and those who enjoy stories of the heroism of WWII.

A story of how a few passionate, horse loving individuals influenced equestrian history and saved influential horse breeds and human cultural treasures from extinction. This was full of horse history I didn’t know, and I could not put it down. The people, the places, the horses...just incredible! I had just returned from my trip of a lifetime to the Danube river area so I had visited a lot of these locations in the weeks before I read the book. The narrative added to the depth of my travels. Loved this book! This is one I’ll return to often. And now I kind of have a crush on the cavalry officer who made it happen.

This is a fascinating account against impossible odds and how the overwhelming love of horses and the possible extinction of Austrian Lipizzaner foundation stock as well as Polish Arabians were saved from that fate. The author did her homework and presented the reader with a fact based account of how these magnificent creatures survived destruction in the waning days of WWII.

I have read a couple of reviews that thought Ms. Letts went off on some boring tangents. I respectfully disagree. The detailed study of all the moving parts was a history lesson, not a boring tangent. There were many individuals involved in this rescue mission. It required a great deal of planning and cooperation from unsung heroes as well as that of - none other than - George S. Patton. As well known as the general is, his part was actually minor compared to the players that no one has ever heard of and none of this would have happened without them.

As a lifelong horse lover, I loved this book; not simply because it is a great story about these marvelous animals, but the men who managed to succeed while a war was twirling around them. They put themselves at great personal risk. At the very end you find out what happened to the horses and the major participants. I personally enjoyed meeting these men and having a glimpse into their lives before, during and after the rescue. Five stars, interesting book, great theater and a history lesson all rolled into one.

THE PERFECT HORSE is the amazing story of a daring U.S. Army mission to rescue priceless horses taken from all over Europe by the Nazis. For all the reading I’ve done on World War II, I can’t believe I had never heard of the German horse breeding program, the difficulties the captured horses endured when Germany faced defeat, or even the plight of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

The first half of the book sets everything up: introducing the major players such as Alois Podhajsky, Gustav Rau, Colonel Reed, and Witez. The big U.S. rescue doesn’t come in until the second half, which was fine with me, because I was so interested in everything else going on. For example, I never knew Poland had a big Arabian breeding program, which was almost entirely wiped out by the war. I learned a *lot* in THE PERFECT HORSE, from Poland’s Arabians to the different Lipizzaner lines to the lessening of the U.S. cavalry during WWII.

The book was well-researched and well-written, educational and entertaining. I did feel like the author got a little carried away with recounting the emotions of the horses. Imagining Witez’s thoughts drew me out of the narrative, because it just didn’t fit for me in a non-fiction book. At the end of the book, there’s a nice summary of what happened to many of the people/horses/places mentioned, although I thought there were a few curious exceptions, such as Podhajsky.

I’d recommend THE PERFECT HORSE even if you don’t have a huge interest in horses -- by no means is this just a “horse book.” It’s a fascinating story of living treasures who were almost destroyed because of the Nazi obsession with purity. It’s also a fascinating story of how enemies came together to rescue those treasures.

Thought this was an ok book. A little disjointed in the flow. Wish the book would have paid more attention to what happened to all these horses instead of just glossing over where some/many of them ended up. According to the story, many horses ended up in bad circumstances. Would have been more historical if we knew the consequences of those circumstances and how those horses got to where they were. Also a lot of writing focused on people. Would rather the book totally focused on the horses, who they were, how they go to the Spanish Riding School, why were other horses focused on more than the stallions. Little time spent on how the Spanish Riding School was able to revive itself.

I'd read and greatly enjoyed another book by this author -- "The Eighty-Dollar Champion," about a farm horse that became a champion jumper -- so I was champing at the bit (har har) to read "The Perfect Horse." World War II was a time period full of stories, some great, others heartbreaking, but the story of the Lipizzaner stallions isn't as well-known as other tales, despite being the subject of a film in the '60s. I was curious to learn more, and as an animal lover I wanted to see how the war affected the animals caught in its crossfire, beings who had no say in humanity's struggles but all too often ended up paying a cruel price.

While a bit dry in parts, "The Perfect Horse" tells a riveting tale about the brave efforts to save these magnificent animals, and captures a portrait of a nation in transition -- moving from the age of the horse to the age of the machine.

"The Perfect Horse" derives its title from an ambitious program by the Nazi regime to breed the perfect German horse, using the same eugenics and dedication to Aryan pure-blooded-ness that drove many of their beliefs. Their quest ended up rounding up the most valuable and magnificent horses from all corners of Europe, from Austria to Czechoslovakia to Poland, and included not only some of the world's most beautiful Arabians, but the prized Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School in Austria. But as the war entered its final days, the head of the riding school and a handful of caretakers and veterinarians realized that not only was the program a failure, but the precious horses were in danger of being killed by airstrikes or soldiers... or worse, captured and shot for food by the invading Russians. They had to take desperate measures to save their charges... including seeking help from a weary but scrappy and determined American troop stationed close by. With Germans, Austrians, and Americans making an uneasy alliance -- and with the blessing of the famed General Patton -- it would take a great deal of cleverness, careful planning, and sheer luck to smuggle these horses across the border and get them to safety... and save the Lipizzaner line from extinction.

Elizabeth Letts' writing impressed me in "The Eighty-Dollar Champion," but "The Perfect Horse" was a bit of a letdown in comparison. Letts is obviously far more comfortable describing horses and horsemanship than war, as the portions of the book where she's describing the horses themselves, or the breeding, care, and riding of said horses, are the best portions of the book. Her writing shines at these parts, vivid and full of life. In comparison, the sections dealing with history or war are serviceable, but dry in comparison. Still, it's readable and does its job.

The story itself is a fascinating one, with a varied cast of characters and a gripping race against time to save a living cultural treasure. There's heartbreak -- deaths of both humans and horses, as well as disappointments along the way during the mission and its aftermath -- but also triumph, and a sense of fellowship between men who understand the bond between a rider and a horse. The author also takes time to explore the Germans' ill-fated mission to breed the perfect horse, as well as the state of a military trying to make the transition between horse and machine, and what is gained and what is lost in the process.

While not as good as "The Eighty-Dollar Champion," "The Perfect Horse" is still a fascinating read about finding hope and saving a living piece of history during a terrible time. It makes me curious about these magnificent creatures, and I want to learn more about them.

One of the untold stories of WWII is how a group of soldiers, horsemen, and compassionate Nazis saved the Lipizzan breed from the Nazi war machine. Amid the decimation of Europe, they worked together, putting their lives at risk, to try to maintain something beautiful and precious. Elizabeth Letts captures their story in this book.

Humans were not the only victims of the Nazis' ideas of racial perfection. The book details how, as they conquered countries, they would take the best horses in order to create a master war horse. As the horse lovers in the occupied countries fought to protect their horses from the invaders, many died--the Polish Arabian breed was nearly destroyed, with many of the precious mares and foals disappearing into the East. Even the famed Lipizzan stallions, famous in Austria for their dressage performances in which they appeared to dance, were put at risk; the Nazis intermingled blood lines without regard for the traditional breeding practices, even crossing them with pilfered Arabians to create the perfect horse. Those who took care of them realized that they needed protection from slaughter, got in touch with General Patton's troops, and set out to evacuate them to safety.

The book reads like a novel, but it is a true story. I found myself alternately crying, furious that the Nazis (and the Russians, to a lesser extent) attempted to destroy anything beautiful they came across, and yet, full of hope because good triumphs in this case. It's the perfect book for a horse lover or WWII history buff; it has something to be savored, even if it's just the idea of a too incredible to be true story. I loved it so much I have already bought the book to give as a holiday gift.

This history is quite chilling as we follow the horse breeding schemes of the evil Third Reich. Germany is today one of Europe's biggest producers of horses. In 1936, when the tale starts, the Great War had killed millions of horses; exports of horses were demanded under reparations; the Olympic team did everything it had to do to win all the gold medals for Germany. The Second World War despite employing tanks, trains and trucks, used 2,750,000 horses from Germany alone, sixty percent of which were killed according to this book. Poland was invaded and stud Arabians stolen by Russians, then the rest were sequestered by Nazis for breeding in their cause. While breeding was an inexact science, the principle of breeding the best horses for a particular purpose was well understood and the Nazis wanted to breed a purebred race of war horse.

The Lipizzaners of Austria, trained in the Spanish Riding School in Vienna under Alois Podhajsky, were a natural target. Vienna was occupied and the men summoned for military service, but Podhajsky had secured funding and riders for the prestigious, three hundred year old school. The Piber stud had been taken over for war horses and no new stallions were being sent to train; by 1942 rumour said the stallions would be moved.

I love the photos of the Lipizzaners training. The work is briefly explained, from basic riding to haute ecole, airs above the ground being the pinnacle. We see the horses showing off in the hall in Vienna, all the more striking because they are seen in black and white, dark-clad horsemen and white horses. Later photos show war evacuations, then military men and performances again.

Gustav Rau, the Nazi in charge of horse provisions, had systematically collected all the Lipizzaners from Austria, Yugoslavia and Italy, and now set to crossbreeding them in Bohemia. We learn that ambulance driving during WW1 led to the development of the first four in hand Achenbach system of driving a carriage of four horses by one person.

From 1943 the Allied bombing raids drew nearer to Vienna, and the horses were in danger. The riders were also called up to serve, and some horses were too. Podhajsky, his wife Verena and his grooms had to decide upon extreme measures to save any of his stallions. We also follow the evacuations of the Polish Arabians as the populace fled the advancing Russians. With good reason. The grooms did not know they were heading into the destruction of Dresden.

As a horse lover all my life, I did find some of this book difficult reading. Horses suffered horribly in war. We are reminded that men were being sent to protect cultural icons and art, but not horses. We are introduced to some outstanding horses, Witez, Neapolitano Africa, Indigo, Madera and more. Many horses have their pedigrees written on them in the form of brands.

The second half of the book introduces the Americans, including cavalry trained at West Point, heading for Europe. Here the feeling of urgency leaves us for a while amid a discussion of equestrian competition, spit and polish, black regiments. Colonel Rudofsky, seeing that his Arabians were as good as lost to Russians, was given a hint to head for oncoming Americans by another horseman officer, Holters, and sent a man called Rudolf Lessing. By good luck, Colonel Hank Reed was in charge of these forces. His polo buddy was General George Patton.

By the end of the war, many European horses were unaccountably, to me, in America, where they were wrangled over, some the property of US Army, which was no longer in the horse business. They were further whittled down and only some were saved. The author tells us of the men who fought for them and loved them. She provides her sources at the end, and has undoubtedly pulled together a fine account of the movements of these horses and horsemen during turbulent times.

I recommend this history, but not for children.
I downloaded an ARC from Net Galley.

Warning: If you are considering this book for a horse-loving young person you may want to reconsider it if they are especially sensitive or very young. There is an historical event told in unnecessarily horrific detail that involves the killing of horses in an early chapter. In chapter 7 or 8 there is another, equally gruesome incident. As horrific as they are it is important to remember what was happening at this time at Auschwitz, Dachau, Bergen-Belsen and other concentration camps of the Third Reich. While the plight of these beautiful horses is awful, millions of people were killed purely for their religion. Millions more died fighting in the war. But I'm posting this warning to avoid traumatizing a child who has not yet learned of the Holocaust in an appropriate way.

Now the book. It takes at least the first five chapters to get thru long and very dull discussions of the evils of social class and of eugenics, as well as of the horrific incident mentioned above, to actually get to the story. This is a shame for it will lose a lot of impatient readers--it nearly lost me. Don't give up! It's going to be well worth the wait!

Once we finally get to the story of the horses during the war it the book gets its head and runs! But then, just as we are getting into the rhythm of the horse story, we are jerked across the ocean to a replay of several Life Magazine stories on the U.S. Army and its recruits at the start of the war or of the famous Louisiana War Games from the 1930s. I was easily able to figure out that we now needed to learn about the Americans who stepped in to save the day. Happily, the book returns to a full gallop--and what a ride it becomes! This is as compelling a war or horse story as I've ever read!

Most of us are aware of the breadth and depth of Adolf Hitler's compulsion to create a "master race" of human beings, and the heartache and death so many suffered as a result of his single-mindedness.

In "The Perfect Horse," author Elizabeth Letts draws upon details she has gathered from archives, published works, and interviews to share the story of Hitler's dream of creating a similar pool of horses.

Although the subtitle of the book addresses the American mission to rescue a collection of these horses, that strand of the story appears only after Letts provides a wealth of information on these special horses and the men whose lives have been intertwined with them.

Without spoiling the events of the book for you, one of the most compelling aspects of it is how people of different temperaments, philosophies, and backgrounds -- and yes, of varying political leanings -- were able to identify with one another and sometimes build bonds based on their shared love of these special horses and a desire to save the horses and preserve their historical heritage.

As you read, you're likely to find some details intriguing and even bordering on incredible. Anticipating this, Letts has provided a healthy notes section that provides added context and reference citations for deeper exploration. This book is well-suited for high-schoolers on up, thanks to the clarity and specificity of her writing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical account of a little-known episode of WWII. I thank the Ms. Letts for bringing it to light for modern readers. I was happy that for the most part, there was a happy ending. The story was intense, especially when covering the attempts to save the horses from the Russians. I applaud the author for doing so much research, into the people, places, and horses and what eventually became of some of them. There were a lot of details, but not so much that the story got bogged down (which often happens with historical nonfiction books). I was surprised that the former Aleshire Army Remount Depot in Front Royal is close to my house (maybe an hour's drive). I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Letts.

I want to discuss this fantastic book "The Perfect Horse" by Elizabeth Letts. This book is a non-fiction account of how several warring groups came together to save a collection of purebred horses right in the midst of WWII. This is a real-life story of heroes and villains on both sides of the battlefield.

Letts does a great job giving the back story of the main characters of the plot (man and horse alike). She provides enough information about their histories to show how they got caught up in the war, their struggles and triumphs trying to survive, and their roles in the daring plans to move these horses over dangerous miles, sometimes right war-strewn lands. The main breeds in the book are the beautiful Lippanzzer, Arabians and sturdy Russian breeds. These horses not only were important to their handlers and keepers, but also provided strong national pride.

I do enjoy a good WWII novel, there are countless stories in that war of the strength of humanity. This is just not a book about horses, but about their place in the human heart. I grew to admire these people, their strength and their love for their companions. Horses played vital roles throughout much of human history, we built many of our great civilizations with their labor. This book just touches upon the importance of our connection with our animal companions. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in WWII history, someone who loves horses, or if you just enjoy a good human story.

I received a copy of this from Netgalley for my honest review.

When the Nazis took over Europe, they were not just interested in breeding perfect Aryan people, they also wanted to breed prefect horses. To this end the priceless horses throughout Europe were transferred to the Nazi breeding farms.

For much of the war the Lipizzaner Stallions escaped the breeding program because of their value in performing. However, as the Allies reconquered the territory captured by the German Armies, the stallions were no longer safe in Vienna. They were moved several times and finally, in a daring rescue, the American forces moved the stallions into their sector to prevent the Russians from killing them.

Although this is a historical book, it reads like a novel. The characters from Alois Podhajsky, the senior trainer of the stallions, to Gustav Rau, the head of the German breeding program, and Hank Reed, the American Colonel who saved the horses, the men are presented as complex characters. The horses, too, are beautifully described especially Podhajsky's mounts. The story is exciting with midnight rides through the woods and plots to get the horses out of danger, but none of the historical detail is sacrificed.

For me the most impressive part of the book was the way the people sacrificed for the horses. It was a truly moving part of the story.

I highly recommend this book. It is an unforgettable adventure.

This is a LONG book. But the length is appreciated because Letts knows how to make historical events fascinating, and how to reveal enough context so that we can see their significance at the time.

Even more valuable is her multiple-viewpoint technique of following half a dozen or so of the major actors in this drama. When we're "with" each one we are shown only what that person knows at the time, even when that means a bit of brief backwards and forwards in time. In fiction that would establish dramatic irony, and it's even more effective in real history: our "knowing how it turns out" only adds to the poignancy of the characters' not knowing.

For a non-horse-person, all the "horse talk" could get a bit tedious in spots, but it's necessary to establish the value and importance of the horses, and the main characters' connections to them.

The final bittersweet section is beautifully done, telling the lives and careers after the war of the horses and the people who orchestrated their rescue.

**This review is for a digital pre-release version through NetGalley

With prose that fairly puts you right in the action, Elizabeth Letts introduces the reader to the plight of some of the most magnificent casualties of World War II - the special, glorious horses of Old Europe. From the rare and beautiful Arabians of Poland to the spectacular and precise white Lippizzaner stallions of Austria, she puts you on the edge of your seat as you worry about what will become of them as the opposing forces march toward them. There is a danger that their importance and place in history will be lost on the Germans and the common people who are fleeing the fighting; and from the advancing Russians, there is a real danger that the starving army will see them as a food source. Inject into the mix the fact that experiments with breeding on the part of the German scientists (engaged in the heinous 'pure German' gene-selection programs) have put the Lippizzaner in the crosshairs and it seems a wonder that any of these magnificent creatures survived the war at all. There is an almost constant shuffling of their shelters, and dangerous cat-and-mouse games between men on either side, with people on both sides of the fight anxious to save them. Ms. Letts was previously known for "The Eighty-Dollar Champion", another good horse story, but that story didn't have the bite and immediacy of this one. The reader can see the scenes unfolding in the mind, almost cinematographically. There are heroes on both sides of the struggle, and Ms. Letts does her best to represent everyone fairly - while bringing the reader a breath of a time of glory that will probably never come again.

The Perfect Horse is a book I enjoyed from start to finish. It's a fascinating real life story yet reads as though it was historical fiction. Despite having extensively studied World War II these were not events I had been aware of. Although the wartime significance of the Lipizzaner stallions was not a great one in the course of the war it was life altering to those involved, their story making for an engaging history lesson.

The book begins with a reference list of persons from the book. The number of individuals involved in these events was high and, often, difficult to keep track of with their sometimes long European last names. This list came in incredibly handy as I found myself flipping back and fourth to remind myself who a person was when the chapters switched to a different location. There would be no way to fully tell this story without including all these people so I'm glad for the upfront listing of everyone.

The writing is neither flowery nor concise. There is a comfortable beauty to it between the horses and myriad settings. Scenes are described with the detail that follows a passion for a subject. The depth of knowledge and topical interest Letts brings to her writing is palpable. At times the chapters read as a documentary only to come back to the human story by the end. There were times I found myself wondering "where is she going with this?" only to see it call come together perfectly by the end of the chapter.

Throughout the book I was repeatedly drawn into the the personal drama of the lives of the men and their internal struggle they experienced as a result of the war and the effect it had on the horses they had devoted their lives to. More than anything this is what will stay with me from The Perfect Horse. It allowed me to understand their passion for their work and their earnest dedication to the horses.

The Perfect Horse is a book with wide appeal. It would interest history buffs, animal and horse lovers, and those with an interest in biographies. The story is one that I'm glad has been told. Despite being an obscure piece of the history of World War II the plight of the Lipizzaner stallions and their devoted caretakers coupled with the strategic and dogmatic significance to the third reich the horses had has added so much to my personal study of the time period.

This book tells the fascinating story of how many priceless purebred horses that had been stolen by the Nazis were rescued by US military forces in a covert operation. The background and detail of this story is amazing--I am sure many others like me had been totally unaware of this facet of military history. The Perfect Horse is a well-written, dramatic account of the rescue operation. I can envision this being made into a terrific movie; a "Monuments Men" of horse history as it were. This is a touching and passionate story of true heroism--a splendid account of the rescue of these spectacular horses.