I started reading this book but stopped after the first few chapters. There were too many terms about horses that I didn't understand and couldn't find in a dictionary, so I didn't really know what the author was talking about. Someone who is a horse afficiado or doesn't care about the definitions of words would probably enjoy this book.

This is a charming and well-written story. It's predictable, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The book follows a woman, her parents, her daughter and her parents' riding center. It tells a complex and heart-warming story.

An earlier book by the author of Water for Elephants. This is a much more simple book, but I enjoyed it as I love horses, and show jumping in particular. So any horse lovers out there will particlarly enjoy this.

If you liked any part of the book The Horse Whisperer, then you will definitely like this book. It is based on a similar scenario but the building of suspense, combined with the internal twists and turns within the book, keep you turning each page and you don't want to put the book down. Definitely a weekend read when you have time to read the whole book! I was quite impressed and will be looking for other Sara Gruen books now!

Very good book. Very touching and heartbreaking at the same time. Read this book in one day because I had to find out how it ended.

Great read. A story about a women who has to come back to the home she ran away from. Where her father is sick, her daughter is upset and her horse farm is about to go under. But then she sees another red and white horse and she can't believe it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am NOT a horse lover. There were horse terms that I was not familiar with but this did not take away from the story, which had to do with parental and love relationships. Love of horses was the factor that tied all the characters together.

After reading and loving Water for Elephants, I wanted to pick up more of Sara Gruen's novels. I was sorely disappointed. Riding Lessons was terrible. So terrible, in fact, that I only read about half of it. Part of the problem was that the topic just did not interest me. But, it didn't have the great writing and descriptions that Water for Elephants had. It was simplistic and totally predictable. I felt that the characters where shallow and cliche. This is one of her earlier novels, and Water for Elephants shows that she's grown as a writer. So, I haven't given up hope yet.

I really ejoyed this book. I have always liked books that have horses as part of the plot, and this one is no exception. Annemarie and Eva go back to New Hampshire to live at Annemarie's parent's horse farm. They move back because her father is dying and her husband moved out of the house to live with his 23 year old girlfriend. Her father has ALS, which is an unpredictable disease. Annemarie meets an old boyfriend, and a tenative relationship builds. Her daughter Eva is very high spirited and difficult to control. However, after meeting the three main women in the book, you find that they all act alike so the daughter isn't so bad. There are various horses that you meet throughout the book, and a little mystery is involved. I recommend this book for people who like Rita Mae Brown's horse books. This book makes me want to read the second in the set.

This is the first book I've read by this author, and it was really good. Well written, and an enjoyable story.

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could not put it down

This was an absolute wonderful book. I could not put it down until I finished it. I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

While it is obvious that Ms. Gruen has done some research on horses and equestrian activities, unfortunately the book reads somewhat like a checklist of her research findings. Because of this, I probably would have enjoyed the book much more if I were not an equestrian myself, since for me, the holes in the equine aspects of the story made the book as a whole less enjoyable.

The book opens with the terrible jumping accident that killed her beloved horse and nearly left her paralyzed, and the accident would be believable if it weren't for the list of the horse's fatal injuries: "...Harry's long pastern--the largest of the three bones between his hoof and foreleg--shattered into nine pieces." (This is believable, what follows is not): "His scapula, sternum, and pelvis were broken as well, but it was the pastern that clinched it." It appears that Ms. Gruen flipped through a horse anatomy book and picked out names of bones--it is simply not likely or reasonable that a seasoned jumper would sustain all of those injuries. The broken pastern would have been enough to require the horse to be put down.

Something else that is highly improbable is when the trainer, Jean-Claude, mounts a lesson horse at the family's stable, and proceeds to perform a series of dressage moves, which include a piaffe, which is believable, and then a capriole. A capriole is a very advanced dressage move performed by Lipizzan stallions in the tradition of warhorses--for a lesson horse at a training stable to perform the move is absurd. It made me think that Gruen attended a performance of the Lipizzan stallions, kept the program, and flipped through it to find elements for her book, no matter how far fetched.

Another disappointment for me as an equestrian came from her lack of knowledge about rodeo events, when her love interest and veterinarian rescues an Arabian from being tripped at Mexican rodeos, and the vet goes on to state how it can't really be banned since "cattle tripping" is held at most rodeos. I live in the West, have been to many rodeos, and have never heard of or seen an event known as "cattle tripping." There are roping events, but the least Gruen could have done is find out the correct names of the events.

Gruen's activism steps in, and a sense of preachiness seeps in when the main character's daughter, Eva, throws a fit about the production of the replacement hormone, Premarin, which is made from pregnant mare urine.

Writers have a certain obligation to make sure, even in fiction, that their subject matter is portrayed realistically, since most people's only exposure to things like FBI intrigue or equestrian events are only through the fiction books they read. Putting incorrect or improbable information out, even in the form of fiction, is irresponsible.

Determined to not let these missteps deter me completely, as I very much enjoyed "Water For Elephants," I kept reading. I may as well have not, since the writing is not spectacular, and the plot and characters are reminiscent of those in a Harlequin romance. The characters are all disappointingly flat, and the plot, while eventful (too eventful), was the stuff of made-for-TV movies, making the entire fiasco seem more of a puppet show for Gruen's pet causes than anything else.

After "Water For Elephants," I would have expected much, much better of Gruen than this.

If any of you have read "Water for Elephants" by this author, you will love this one.

Pure magical reading!

A good read from this author. It is definitely true to life (as demonstrated by the teenage daughter). I am not a "horsey" person, but I do love animals. I think that's all you need to enjoy this book.
Some parts rather frustrated me, in that I wanted to make the main character do something/stop doing something and of course I couldn't!

This was a very heartwarming book.

a novel of family tradgedy rebirth and the breathtaking love of something wild.

Great read, moves along well, enjoyably written, a page turner - I finished it in about 2 days. Not world changing but definitely a fun diversion!

I loved this book! I have no intrest in horses and by looking at the cover, I thought this book would be somewhat dull. I would say that people who do have an intrest in horses would find this book to be very well suited for them. It submits a message that even if you are scared to try something over again after seeing the harsh reality in it, you must to completley overcome your fear and prove to yourself that life is full of challenging obstacles.

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