Most of us know the legend of Secretariat, the tall, handsome chestnut racehorsewhose string of honours runs long and rich: the only two-year-old ever towin Horse of the Year, in 1972; winner in 1973 of the Triple Crown, his times inall three races still untouched; featured on the cover of Time, Newsweek andSports Illustrated; the only horse listed on ESPN’s top 50 athletes of the 20th century.His final race at Toronto’s Woodbine Racetrack is a touchstone memory forhorse lovers everywhere. Yet while Secretariat will forever be remembered, oneman who was pivotal to the great horse’s success has been all but forgotten—untilnow. In The Horse God Built, bestselling equestrian writer Lawrence Scanlan haswritten a tribute to an exceptional man that is also a backroads journey through acorner of the racing world seldom visited.
As Secretariat’s groom, Edward“Shorty” Sweat had far more contact with the horse than anyone, and no one understoodhim better. Travelling through the American South, hanging about the tracksand the barns of thoroughbred racing, Scanlan reveals a skilled and much lovedblack man of the old South, who had a consuming fatherly passion and dedicationto “his” horse. We see the racing world through the eyes of a man who died in poverty,his standing-room-only funeral packed with friends and family—yet unattendedby the other principals in Secretariat’s life. We hear colourful backstretch anecdotesabout Eddie and Secretariat from coworkers, jockeys, trainers and owners, allcontributing not just to one man’s story, but to a portrait of a powerful bond betweenhuman and horse.

Horse God Built

Scanlan, Lawrence

Biographies & Memoirs

HarperCollins, Publishers

The world of horse racing is brought to life by Larry Scanlan, following the career of Secretariat and looking at the relationship between the horse and his beloved groom. Scanlan introduces young readers to the hierarchy of the track, from the hot walker to the owner to Secretariat, the fastest horse of the twentieth century.
Secretariat was good - and he knew it. He didn't tolerate fools, and his groom knew just how to handle him, with lots of love and a firm hand. Eddie Sweat loved that horse, knew every muscle in his body, knew how to calm him down, and knew when to hold firm. He drove him to races and flew with him to his ultimate home, the stud farm. Following Secretariat from the time he was born to the time he died, Scanlan presents a fascinating and engaging look at the partnership of Secretariat and Eddie Sweat - and at the racing world in general, complete with fun trivia facts about Secretariat.

The Big Red Horse: The Story of Secretariat and the Loyal Groom Who Loved Him

Children's Books

Animals

Harpercollins

Most of us know the legend of Secretariat, the tall, handsome chestnut racehorse whose string of honours runs long and rich. Yet while Secretariat will forever be remembered, one man who was pivotal to the great horse’s success has been all but forgotten. Eddie “Shorty” Sweat, Secretariat’s groom, had far more contact with him than anyone, and no one understood the horse better. In The Horse God Built, Lawrence Scanlan has written a tribute to an exceptional man as well as a backroads journey into a corner of the racing world seldom visited. Scanlan contributes not only to one man’s story but also to a portrait of a powerful bond between human and horse.

Harper-perennial

Why do humans love horses, and why has this ancient love affair endured for so long? 
 Horses, more than any other animal, have shaped the course of human history. The horse closed the gap between distant lands, changed the nature of the hunt, and altered the conduct of war. The bond that formed between humans and horses extends back more than six thousand years and continues today, stronger than ever. In this age of technology, it is a curious truth that many of us cannot get enough of horses: we watch them, ride them, read about them. Is this nostalgia for a simpler time, a time when at least you could count on your horse? Or is it something else, something much deeper? 
 Wild About Horses considers the question from many angles. Moving effortlessly from history to literature, from science to sport, from anecdote to personal experience, Lawrence Scanlan sets out to discover the essence of our powerful, almost mystical attraction to this noble creature. Scanlan covers a wide territory: from the mythic horses of cultures long past to the real-life whisperers of today, to the timeless wild mustangs still roaming the great plains. He tells stirring tales of famous horses, and of horses who should be famous. He chronicles some extraordinary journeys on horseback, and he examines the roles that horses have played both in battle and in Hollywood. 
 As he touches on each aspect of the equine-human bond, Scanlan makes perfect sense of "horse fever"--that curious affliction that has been known to strike both the seasoned professional and the rider who has galloped only in his or her dreams. 
 Written in lyrical prose with wit, humor, and an eye for drama, meticulously researched, and complemented by fifty compelling black-and-white photographs, Wild About Horses addresses our need to know everything we can about the horse.

Wild About Horses: Our Timeless Passion for the Horse

Science & Math

Biological Sciences

Harper

The human love affair with horses is an ancient and far-reaching one. Moving effortlessly from history to literature, from science to sport, from anecdote to personal experience, Lawrence Scanlan sets out to discover the essence of our powerful, almost mystical attraction to this noble creature. Scanlan covers a wide territory: from the mythic horses of cultures long past to the real-life whisperers of today, to the timeless wild mustangs still roaming the Great Plains.
As he touches on each aspect of the equine-human bond, Scanlan makes perfect sense of "horse fever" -- that curious affliction that has been known to strike both the seasoned professional and the rider who has galloped only in his or her dreams. Written in lyrical prose with wit, humor, and an eye for drama, meticulously researched and complemented by fifty compelling black-and-white photographs, Wild About Horses addresses our need to know everything we can about the horse.

History

Historical Study & Educational Resources

Harper Paperbacks

Everyone in the village knew how much Claire Vigere loved her horses—but no one could have imagined that she’d run away and follow them into war… When thirteen-year-old Claire is near a horse, she becomes “the horse’s shadow.” She instinctively knows when to be still on a horse’s back, when to prod, and just how much to ask of a horse on any given day. Her grandfather, Ambrose, is keenly aware of her gift and has taught Claire all he knows about these magnificent creatures. But in the winter of 1863, Claire must learn the hardest lesson of all. Life is not just about the apple smell of a horse’s breath or the thrill of sending him into a gallop with a simple whisper in his ear. Claire’s family, who have seen many neighbours lose their homes and all their possessions, must do what they can to survive these hard times. That means selling their two best and most beloved Canadian horses, Beau Albert and Tibeau. But plucky Claire cannot bear to lose them. Disguised as a deaf boy (lest her accented English reveals her origins), Claire stows away in a wagon heading south—and straight into the chaos of the American Civil War.

The Horses Shadow

Literature & Fiction

Penguin Canada

In December 2008, snowmobilers spot two abandoned horses high in the Canadian Rockies. Starving and frostbitten, the horses have trampled the ten-foot-deep snow into a narrow white prison. Those who reach them bring hay but also a gun, in case the horses are too far gone. A glint of life in the horses’ eyes earns them the hay.
The harrowing yet inspiring story of their near impossible rescue--involving the volunteer efforts of an entire village, first the excavation of a trench six feet deep and over 3280 feet long, and then a nearly 20 mile descent at negative 40 degrees--is sure to be read in one breathless sitting.

The Rescue of Belle and Sundance: One Town's Incredible Race to Save Two Abandoned Horses (A Merloyd Lawrence Book)

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Stutz, Birgit

Pets & Animal Care

Da Capo Press

The Horse God Built: The Untold Story of Secretariat, the World's Greatest Racehorse

He was the perfect horse, it was said, "the horse God built." Most of us know the legend of Secretariat, the tall, handsome chestnut racehorse whose string of honors runs long and rich: the only two-year-old ever to win Horse of the Year, in 1972; winner in 1973 of the Triple Crown, his times in all three races still unsurpassed; featured on the cover of Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated; the only horse listed on ESPN's top fifty athletes of the twentieth century (ahead of Mickey Mantle). His final race at Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack is a touchstone memory for horse lovers everywhere. Yet while Secretariat will be remembered forever, one man, Eddie "Shorty" Sweat, who was pivotal to the great horse's success, has been all but forgotten---until now. In The Horse God Built, bestselling equestrian writer Lawrence Scanlan has written a tribute to an exceptional man that is also a backroads journey to a corner of the racing world rarely visited. As a young black man growing up in South Carolina, Eddie Sweat struggled at several occupations before settling on the job he was born for---groom to North America's finest racehorses. As Secretariat's groom, loyal friend, and protector, Eddie understood the horse far better than anyone else. A wildly generous man who could read a horse with his eyes, he shared in little of the financial success or glamour of Secretariat's wins on the track, but won the heart of Big Red with his soft words and relentless devotion. In Scanlan's rich narrative, we get a groom's-eye view of the racing world and the vantage of a man who spent every possible moment with the horse he loved, yet who often basked in the horse's glory from the sidelines. More than anything else, The Horse God Built is a moving portrait of the powerful bond between human and horse.

Sports & Outdoors

Individual Sports

Thomas Dunne Books

"For anybody who loves horses, and for all of those who are thrilled by horse racing and the behind-the-scenes drama of the track, The Horse That God Built is must reading." --Michael Korda, author of Horse People Most of us know the legend of Secretariat, the tall, handsome chestnut racehorse whose string of honors runs long and rich: the only two-year-old ever to win Horse of the Year, in 1972; winner in 1973 of the Triple Crown, his times in all three races still unsurpassed; featured on the cover of Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated; the only horse listed on ESPN's top fifty athletes of the twentieth century (ahead of Mickey Mantle). His final race at Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack is a touchstone memory for horse lovers everywhere. Yet while Secretariat will be remembered forever, one man, Eddie "Shorty" Sweat, who was pivotal to the great horse's success, has been all but forgotten---until now. 
In The Horse God Built, bestselling equestrian writer Lawrence Scanlan has written a tribute to an exceptional man that is also a backroads journey to a corner of the racing world rarely visited. As a young black man growing up in South Carolina, Eddie Sweat struggled at several occupations before settling on the job he was born for---groom to North America's finest racehorses. As Secretariat's groom, loyal friend, and protector, Eddie understood the horse far better than anyone else. A wildly generous man who could read a horse with his eyes, he shared in little of the financial success or glamour of Secretariat's wins on the track, but won the heart of Big Red with his soft words and relentless devotion.
In Scanlan's rich narrative, we get a groom's-eye view of the racing world and the vantage of a man who spent every possible moment with the horse he loved, yet who often basked in the horse's glory from the sidelines. More than anything else, The Horse God Built is a moving portrait of the powerful bond between human and horse.
Praise for The Horse God Built:
"Scanlan's scope is encyclopedic…" 
--Publishers Weekly "The author's tribute is heartfelt..."
--Kirkus "...detailed in all its equine awesomeness."
--Maxim "...will satisfy those who can't get enough of Secretariat." --The New York Times "…an informative read that hardboots and novices alike can enjoy." --The Lexington Herald Leader (Kentucky)
"Eddie Sweat's story represents the last great untold chapter in the Secretariat saga. Larry Scanlan has honoured both groom and horse by giving it to us at last. --John Jeremiah Sullivan, author of Blood Horses: Notes of a Sportswriter's Son "This well-researched book is a must for readers who are fans of the horse, but if you just want a good read, you're going to love this animal/human interest story." --Monty Roberts, author of The Man Who Listens to Horses

St. Martin's: Griffin

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Scanlan, Lawrence. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Scanlan, Lawrence

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Scanlan, Lawrence. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Horse God Built

The Big Red Horse: The Story of Secretariat and the Loyal Groom Who Loved Him

Horse God Built

Wild About Horses: Our Timeless Passion for the Horse

Wild About Horses: Our Timeless Passion for the Horse

The Big Red Horse: The Story of Secretariat and the Loyal Groom Who Loved Him

The Horses Shadow

The Rescue of Belle and Sundance: One Town's Incredible Race to Save Two Abandoned Horses (A Merloyd Lawrence Book)

The Horse God Built: The Untold Story of Secretariat, the World's Greatest Racehorse

The Horse God Built: The Untold Story of Secretariat, the World's Greatest Racehorse