Bobbie the Wonder dog crossed more than 2,500 miles of plains, desert and mountains to find his way home - and became the inspiration for Lassie. Cher Ami the pigeon, despite being shot twice, delivered a message that saved the lives of 194 soldiers in 1918. Trakr the police dog spent two days exhaustively searching Ground Zero and found the last survivor of the 9/11 attacks.Ever since Alexander the Great named a city after the horse who saved his life in battle (and another after his dog), human history wouldn't be the same without the awe-inspiring tales of amazing animals. Now BAFTA-winning presenter, no. 1 bestselling author and all-round national treasure Clare Balding picks out the most heroic and heartwarming (and sometimes hilarious) animals from history and tells their stories.From Simon the sea cat to Greyfriars Bobby's 14-year vigil over his master's grave, to the elephant that saved a small girl and Paul the World-Cup-predicting octopus, Heroic Animals brings to life incredible feats and moving moments which highlight the timeless special bond between human and animal.

A freak accident took talented horsewoman Kathryn Bull from her husband Steve when she was thirty-nine years old. In a single moment, Steve was no longer part of the team they had created but alone, grieving the woman who had been his one constant. In the foggy aftermath of the accident, Steve was clear on one thing, a promise to Kathryn he made as she lay in the field; to look after her yard and animals.A last expedition dedicated to the woman who loved horses - and him - so very much. An experienced expedition leader, Steve was no stranger to challenges but this was without equal. He lost their expedition business, faced doubts from all quarters, and gained a renewed appreciation of Kathryn's talent, commitment and the legacy she left behind her in a field one April day.Tender and poignant, this memoir traces one man's return journey from the terrible tragedy that threatened to break him. It is a testimony to the strength of true love, and the inexplicable bond between man and horse.

Abdul is just 7 years old when his parents are killed before his eyes. As a brutal war sweeps Sudan, Abdul and his 3-year-old brother are forced to flee. Their gruelling journey across the Sahara to a refugee camp in Chad is fraught with danger, and every day is a struggle against hunger and disease. Until one day Abdul is offered a chance to escape. A chance that could save him, but will force him to make the most heartbreaking decision of his life. Abdul's death-defying flight leaves deep scars.But his affinity with animals provides a lifeline, when he is offered the chance to work with elite racehorses. Including one owned by the Queen.

The Mongol Derby is the world's toughest horse race. A feat of endurance across the vast Mongolian plains once traversed by the people of Genghis Khan, competitors ride 25 horses across a distance of 1000km. Many riders don't make it to the finish line.In 2013 Lara Prior-Palmer - nineteen, underprepared but seeking the great unknown - decided to enter the race. Driven by her own restlessness, stubbornness, and a lifelong love of horses, she raced for seven days through extreme heat and terrifying storms, catching a few hours of sleep where she could at the homes of nomadic families. Battling bouts of illness and dehydration, exhaustion and bruising falls, she found she had nothing to lose, and tore through the field with her motley crew of horses. In one of the Derby's most unexpected results, she became the youngest-ever champion and the first woman to win the race.A tale of adventure, fortitude and poetry, Rough Magic is the extraordinary story of one young woman's encounter with oblivion, and herself.

In the bestselling tradition of works by such authors as Susan Orlean and Mary Roach, a New York Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist explores why so many people-including herself-are obsessed with horses. It may surprise you to learn that there are over seven million horses in America-even more than when they were the only means of transportation-and nearly two million horse owners. Acclaimed journalist and avid equestrian Sarah Maslin Nir is one of them; she began riding horses when she was just two years old and hasn't stopped since.Horse Crazy is a fascinating, funny, and moving love letter to these graceful animals and the people who-like her-are obsessed with them. It is also a coming-of-age story of Nir growing up an outsider within the world's most elite inner circles, and finding her true north in horses. Nir takes readers into the lesser-known corners of the riding world and profiles some of its most captivating figures.We meet Monty Roberts, the California trainer whose prowess earned him the nickname "the man who listens to horses," and his pet deer; George and Ann Blair, who at their riding academy on a tiny island in Manhattan's Harlem River seek to resurrect the erased legacy of the African American cowboy; and Francesca Kelly, whose love for an Indian nobleman shaped her life's mission: to protect an endangered Indian breed of horse and bring them to America. Woven into these compelling character studies, Nir shares her own moving personal narrative. She details her father's harrowing tale of surviving the Holocaust, and describes an enchanted but deeply lonely upbringing in Manhattan, where horses became her family.She found them even in the middle of the city, in a stable disguised in an old townhouse and in Central Park, when she chased down truants as an auxiliary mounted patrol officer. And she speaks candidly of how horses have helped her overcome heartbreak and loss. Infused with heart and wit, and with each chapter named after a horse Nir has loved, Horse Crazy is an unforgettable blend of beautifully written memoir and first-rate reporting.

An entertaining and inspiring autobiography. In 2008, 26-year old Tik Maynard faced a crossroads not unlike that of other young adults. A university graduate and modern pentathlete, he suffered both a career-ending injury and a painful breakup, leaving him suddenly adrift. The son of prominent Canadian equestrians, Maynard decided to spend the next year as a 'working student'. In the horse industry, working students aspire to become professional riders or trainers, and willingly trade labour for hands-on education. Here Maynard chronicles his experiences - good and bad - and we follow along as one year becomes three. What began as a casual adventure gradually transforms, and a life's purpose comes sharply into focus.

Black Beauty is a handsome, sweet-tempered colt with a strong spirit. As a young colt he is free to gallop in the fresh green meadows with his beloved mother, Duchess, and their kind master. But when his owners are forced to sell him, Black Beauty goes from a life of comfort and kindness to one of hard labour and cruelty. Bravely he works as hard as he can, suffering at the hands of men who treat animals badly. But Black Beauty has an unbreakable spirit and will, and is determined to survive . . .

Sometimes in life you have to take chances. Growing up on a tough estate has taught fifteen-year-old Amber Evans not to trust anyone or anything. She's learned to put her own hopes aside and, unable to afford riding lessons, Amber knows her love of horses can never be more than a dream. But when her mother's admitted to hospital, Amber's life turns upside down. Placed with a foster family in the countryside, she's determined to be sent home until an unexpected meeting with Drake Owen, the gorgeous eventing star, and the arrival of a spirited Arab horse change everything...