A Review of The Perfect Horse
World War II is a literary topic that has practically dominated the bookshelf for the past 5 years. It found in modern audiences people who were far enough removed from its reality by the passage of time to see each tale as bright and new. It also found in modern audiences a hunger for tales of bravery, for perseverance, and for tales of good triumphing over evil that were not merely tales but actually happened. Having grown up inundated with films from that era, that time period seems more familiar to me than my own, so I never bothered with the popular books calling out to me from the shelves until recently.
I am a lover of horses, but if I am honest, I am a bit picky. I grew up with four great horses, but two left their permanent mark: our pure-blooded Arabians. In a special turn of events, my dad, who had long dreamed of owning his own horse, acquired a grandson of the Arabian stallion Serafix and later, a son of the Egyptian Arabian stallion Egyptian Prince. These horses were a part of our lives before we were born with my parents riding together while my mom was expecting. After we were born, my dad was eager to share his love for horses with us, so while we were still in diapers, he would place each of us in the saddle in front of him, and thus all of us began our lives with these four-legged companions. For us four kids, these two Arabian horses were the very image of equine perfection even if we did not fully realize it at the time. Even now, long after our childhood and faithful steeds are gone, each one of us still subconsciously compares any horse we see to those beautiful, athletic Arabians we grew up with who were so full of personality and capability.
Every booklover understands the time when you find yourself needing something to read but unable to find a book that satisfies. Well, I found myself once again at such a time, so off to the library I went. A book called The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis by Elizabeth Letts caught my eye. (I had noticed this book multiple times before, but as I mentioned, I passed it up for other, less familiar reading topics.) I was already somewhat familiar with this story of various pure-blooded horses being confiscated by the Nazi German military during WWII, but this time I decided to read about the subject further. I decided to take the book home. I was then tossed into the pages of a true tale from the all-too-familiar war but this time, it included horses like the ones I loved most.
Elizabeth Letts begins her book by introducing vital characters that played pivotal roles in her tale of the pure-bred horses and their destinies. At first these characters' storylines are separate and seem to have no connection other than the fact that each person's life is inextricably intertwined with horses. They live on different continents and in different regions. They speak different languages and have various jobs and responsibilities, but we the readers have the advantage of hindsight and history books. We know some of these characters and their important roles, yet some of these characters we have never heard of. However, we also know that Letts will reveal their connection to each other and to the horses in good time if we keep reading. She writes about the director of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Alois Podhajsky, American cavalryman Col. Hank Reed, cavalryman and horse enthusiast Gen. George S. Patton, and the man responsible for the Germans' acquisition of the world's finest horses, Gustav Rau, among others in great detail. Letts fills the readers in on their unique perspectives and personalities yet similar love, skill, and life with horses. She gives the readers a look into why these men were so determined to possess or save something that was fast becoming outdated in the art of warfare at that time.
She tells the stories of the horses in great detail as well. The famous Polish Arabian stud farm Janów Podlaski and the Spanish Riding School in Vienna play vital roles in Letts' book as she lays out the plans of the Nazis to create "the perfect horse". She explains Gustav Rau's vision for breeding and creating the perfect warhorse and how he tried to make that vision a reality. She points out that while he recognized quality and sought the best horses from around the world, his knowledge of horse breeding and his obsession blinded him to the effects that his vision would have on these magnificent breeds and the people who considered them a national treasure. She makes it easy for the reader to understand the political agendas and military strategies that affected these horses’ lives and the lives of the people who were entrusted with their care.
Lets takes the readers on a journey that makes us feel as if we are holding the lead lines ourselves as the historical figures care for the horses in war-torn areas and try to get the horses to safety. We get to “watch” history unfold as Letts tells about the war’s effects from the Nazis takeover at the Hostau stud farm for the Lipizzaner to the Russian invasion and their blatant disregard for horses in general from the east. The readers meet and follow the fate of Witez II specifically, the Polish Arabian who would eventually be considered a foundation sire along with Neapolitano Africa, the Lipizzaner stallion who was the unofficial lead for the Spanish Riding School as they weather humanity's worst. The horselover in Letts makes the story come alive as she describes the deep bonds between these historical breeds and the men who rode and cared for them. She tells of the horses' pre-war performances, their calmness under pressure, their loyalty, and their endurance. Relying on the diaries and first-hand accounts of those involved along with historical records, Letts is able to give the modern reader play-by-play as bombs fall, guns go off, trains depart, and invading armies take over cities and stables. Through the descriptions and documentation from those who knew the horses best, Letts is able to accurately herald what made these horses so special. Pictures further aid Letts’ tale. The modern audience is captivated and rooting for them throughout the entire book even if the reader is not a lover of horses.
She goes on to tell of the efforts and frustrations of returning the horses after the war. While many were returned successfully, circumstances of their acquisition and the post-war disruption of Rau made it impossible to return all of the horses to where they truly belonged. She clearly describes the political and practical struggle in prioritizing these horses and their preservation in the wake of so much loss and destruction on a global scale.
Letts also follows the Polish Arabian Witez's journey across the sea to America. This particular part of the novel grabbed me as I read this story that distantly touched upon my own childhood. One of the Arabians that I grew up riding was a descendant of a Polish-bred stallion called Skowronek. Our Arabian's grandsire arrived on a boat much like Witez did and had his own difficulties with his journey. This made the details of Witez's arrival in America all the more thrilling. The stories from my childhood and my own experiences with Arabians allowed me to envision perfectly the horses in the cargo-hold of the ship and their reactions to the terrible storm that occurred along the way. I knew from experience how a well-bred, hot-blooded Arabian behaved who could still keep his composure and senses when it mattered. I could also easily envision Witez running proudly in a pasture in America with his head and tail held high in the typical Arabian manner like my family's Arabians did, and I loved it.
Elizabeth Letts starts out telling the intriguing true story of some of the world's most precious horses and how they were almost eradicated, but her story finishes by making a horselover of anyone who picks up her book. She includes not only my favorite breed, the Arabian, but also the Lipizzaner, the Thoroughbred, and the Russian Kabardin and tells how they too were taken by the discriminant Gustav Rau for his breeding plan.
If you are tired of reading the same-old-same-old WWII tales (like I was) but still love history, this book is a great find. If you love horses but tire of the popular a-girl-and-her-horse tales (again, like I was), then this book is definitely for you! If you do not love horses but enjoy learning something new, then this little-known story is for you too. This book has the added poignancy of non-fiction yet has all the heartbreak, frustration, inspiration, and gratification that will satisfy any reader. I highly recommend it (in case you could not tell)!
