Rescuing Priceless Stallions from the Nazis: The Incredible U.S. Mission to Save the Perfect Horse

By: Elizabeth Letts (Author)

The Perfect Horse: Elizabeth Letts' riveting account of the daring US mission to rescue priceless stallions kidnapped by the Nazis. This book is one of the best Books on the biology of horses, with overall satisfaction, binding and pages quality, genre, and easy to understand content. Get a comprehensive understanding of the history of horses and their biology with this captivating book.
83
B2B Rating
33 reviews

Review rating details

Value for money
87
Overall satisfaction
84
Genre
86
Easy to understand
91
Easy to read
91
Binding and pages quality
79

Details of Rescuing Priceless Stallions from the Nazis: The Incredible U.S. Mission to Save the Perfect Horse

  • Best Sellers Rank: #16 in Biology of Horses#144 in World War II History #820 in Memoirs
  • Paperback ‏ ‎: 400 pages
  • World War II History (Books): World War II History
  • Language ‏ ‎: English
  • Dimensions ‏ ‎: 5.1 x 1.1 x 8 inches
  • Biology of Horses: Biology of Horses
  • ISBN-10 ‏ ‎: 034554482X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ ‎: 978-0345544827
  • Customer Reviews: 4.5/5 stars of 3,268 ratings
  • Publisher ‏ ‎: Ballantine Books; NO-VALUE edition
  • Memoirs (Books): Memoirs
  • Item Weight ‏ ‎: 11.2 ounces
  • Lexile measure ‏ ‎: 1080L

Comments

Pat Martin: I first learned of “Operation Cowboy” from the Disney movie, “The Miracle of the White Stallions”. Like every young girl of my time, I loved horses. Unlike most girls my age, I really loved history. As a history teacher, I did my research to share this extraordinary story with my high school students. These are the tales that interest kids & make them think. What if Patton hadn’t loved horses?

United States on Sep 26, 2023

lois g: This was not only enjoyable but informative as well

United States on Aug 22, 2023

VFG: Hard to put down once you get into the story. Keeps you at the edge of you seat. A must read if you like history, to find new details of WWII like the early US transition from a horse cavalry to a mechanized Calvary and much much more. Enjoy!

United States on Jun 01, 2023

Michelle Boytim: Although the use of horses in the military was waning in the U.S. prior to WWII, the horse remained a key asset to the military in Europe. In Germany, Gustav Rau, mastermind behind the winning German Olympics team, planned to use eugenics to breed the perfect horse and he had his eyes on the Lippizaners of Austria and Arabians of Poland as part of the program. As he collected assets from Austria and Poland, he began an ambitious breeding program. This history also focuses on the men dedicated to protecting their horses: Alois Podhajsky of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, a former military officer and Olympic equestrian and Stanislaw Pohoski and Rudolph Lessing (veterinarian) of the Polish Arabian stud farm.. The book details the privations that they went through to try keep the horses safe and alive and as the war came to a close, with the U.S. and Russia closing in, these men made an extraordinary deal to put these horses in the hands of the Americans with Colonel Hank Reed, a member of the cavalry and avid equestrian. Colonel Reed reached out to General Patton to make the difficult rescue of the horses. Sadly, the book tells of the wasted potential of the horses once they...

United States on Jan 29, 2022

Pamela C: A good story for sure and as an avid equestrian it definitely caught my interest. However, written with that classic, tiresome hyperbole Americans just can't seem to keep in check. As well, one questions the veracity when the back jacket claims "... a small troop of American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find -- his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses ..." However, (p. 158 if you're looking) in fact the German officer drives to the American Calvary headquarters (hardly a capture) and two photos are in his wallet. So, if you can put up with American over-writing, the history is interesting.

Canada on Jan 17, 2021

Mona Vine: It says in the blurb that it would make a good film. well I know that is true because it did.disney did it in 1963, wonderful film but done for all ages,Miracle of the White Stallions. Miracle of the White Stallions is a 1963 film released by Walt Disney starring Robert Taylor (playing Alois Podhajsky), Lilli Palmer, and Eddie Albert. It is the story of the evacuation of the Lipizzaner horses from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna during World War II.

United Kingdom on Oct 22, 2018

lyntrom: This book was very well researched with wonderful pictures and quotations telling the amazing rescue of the prized European horses from many countries that were taken by the Germans during the second world war for their equine breeding programs. For someone who has been fortunate not to live through such a horrible period of history, the heartbreak and misery of those caught up in it was captured in the story telling. The love of the horses and the courage of those who cared for them and attempted to keep them safe was compelling. it provided a glimmer of light and hope in a very dark time. I also appreciated that the author followed through at the end telling us the fate after the war of both the horses and the brave people who saved them.

Canada on Oct 02, 2018

Kindle Customer: This true story makes interesting reading whether you are a horse lover or not. lots of information about the Spanish riding school and WW2.
Some might find parts upsetting to read. Horses caught up in war didn't have a good time to say the least and didn't deserve what happened to them. It is a good insight into a little known story.
Well written and a fitting tribute to brave men and horses during the conflict.

United Kingdom on Feb 22, 2018

Gail Anderson: Just finished reading this riveting story. Due to the movie I was aware of the plight of the Lipizzaner Stallions but I was not aware of the other horse breeds in Europe that were seriously affected by Hitler's program to create 'the perfect horse'. It was very well documented and extremely well written! You are praying for all of the horses throughout the book and the follow up as to what happened to them after WWII was most interesting. It is unfortunate that not all breeds were allowed to recognize their full potential as breeding animals in the U.S. It was sad to realize that several countries and studs across Europe lost hundreds of years of genetic potential BUT also heartwarming to know that there were military men on opposing sides working together to save the horses! Elizabeth Letts is an exceptional author and I do hope that she continues to research amazing and unique events in the horse world in order to educate all of us!

Canada on Mar 04, 2017

gilly8: An excellent story, well written.....it sounds like an action movie plot, but it was real....With the beginning of WWII many old and famous horse stables and horse breeding facilities in Europe came under the control of the Nazis. The man over the entire horse breeding program for the Nazi state was Gustav Rau, a horseman who believed firmly in the 19th century eugenics beliefs which summarized are that there are "perfect" species of animals, and of humans....of course, the Nazis believed the Aryan race (Northern europeans, especially Germans and Scandinavians) were the peak of human perfection, and for animals, it was believed that certain breeding methods COULD improve the any breed. Rau wanted to produce perfect "super horses" for the use of the Nazi military machine.

IN Austria, one of the first nations to fall to the Nazis, there is an ancient school where the Lippizaner stallions can be found, and where they are trained, each horse with one man for his entire life, to do the most incredible
"acrobatic" like moves, in a kind of dance. Originally, when the school was begun (nearly 400 years ago now) these movements were valid for horses on the battlefield. In the...

United States on Dec 10, 2016



Rescuing Priceless Stallions from the Nazis: The Incredible U.S. Mission to Save the Perfect Horse A Journey of Hope: The Inspiring True Story of a Woman and Her Horse's Epic Cross-Country Adventure Unbridled Faith: 100 Devotional Reflections from a Horse Farm
Rescuing Priceless Stallions from the Nazis: The Incredible U.S. Mission to Save the Perfect Horse A Journey of Hope: The Inspiring True Story of a Woman and Her Horse's Epic Cross-Country Adventure Unbridled Faith: 100 Devotional Reflections from a Horse Farm
B2B Rating
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Total Reviews 33 reviews 223 reviews 55 reviews
Best Sellers Rank #16 in Biology of Horses#144 in World War II History #820 in Memoirs #1 in Biology of Horses#26 in Women's Biographies#114 in Memoirs #14 in Biology of Horses#321 in Christian Devotionals #826 in Christian Spiritual Growth
Paperback ‏ ‎ 400 pages 336 pages
World War II History (Books) World War II History
Language ‏ ‎ English English English
Dimensions ‏ ‎ 5.1 x 1.1 x 8 inches 5.16 x 0.73 x 7.96 inches 6.38 x 0.88 x 8.3 inches
Biology of Horses Biology of Horses Biology of Horses Biology of Horses
ISBN-10 ‏ ‎ 034554482X 0525619348 1400303311
ISBN-13 ‏ ‎ 978-0345544827 978-0525619345 978-1400303311
Customer Reviews 4.5/5 stars of 3,268 ratings 4.6/5 stars of 4,564 ratings 4.9/5 stars of 1,720 ratings
Publisher ‏ ‎ Ballantine Books; NO-VALUE edition Random House Publishing Group; Reprint edition Thomas Nelson; Standard Edition
Memoirs (Books) Memoirs Memoirs
Item Weight ‏ ‎ 11.2 ounces 8 ounces 1.49 pounds
Lexile measure ‏ ‎ 1080L
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