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Book Details:
Book Title:
Gallant: The Call of the Trail by Claire Eckard
Category: Young Adult Fiction (Ages 13-17), 300 pages
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Mill City Press
Release Date: September 2021
Content Rating: PG-13 : It’s a saga about love, relationships, personal growth and adventure, set
against a backdrop of endurance racing. A strong middle grader/pre-teen
could read it.
Book Description:
A gripping journey of a young girl and a foal who are raised together in
The Valley of Hearts Delight. Gallant and Gracie have a special bond, rarely
seen between a human and a horse. Separated by a bad accident when Gallant
is five, each gets a second chance of happiness pursuing the long-distance
sport of endurance riding, neither knowing they are leading parallel lives.
Will Fate bring them together again? Gallant’s arch nemesis, The Almighty
Flash, threatens to destroy all that Gallant has worked for. His misguided
ambition and greed, developed at the hands of an abusive owner, has created
a darkness in his soul that turns to blind fury when his endurance career is
threatened.
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Guest Post
Endurance 101
Endurance riding is a sport unlike any other. I suppose the closest sport would be Ultra-running where you then add a horse and, hopefully, become a perfect partnership going down the trail for fifty to a hundred miles in one day. Endurance horses are trained very similarly to human long-distance runners. They need to start with some natural ability and a desire to explore new trails. Then you add in the perfect amount of conditioning and the right nutrition to match their athletic needs, and you hopefully have a horse that you can begin entering in some rides. There’s a big debate in the endurance world about whether to call these competitions endurance rides, or endurance races. I have concluded that they are both, depending on what your goals are for the day and whether your horse is a seasoned veteran or a newbie. If either you or your horse are new the sport you should never, ever be racing. There’s so much to learn and the first year, at least, should be just getting the know the sport and appreciating the AERC motto “To finish is to win”. Technically, though, it is a race, because there are placings and there is a national organization called the American Endurance Ride Conference that keeps your record on file, with an earned point system which can win you and your horse end of season titles in your region, or nationally. These are generally awarded at the AERC annual convention. However, the vast majority of endurance riders are there to test themselves and their horse against the trail, and to attempt to finish within the allotted time frame given for the ride; twelve hours for a fifty-mile ride, and twenty-four hours for a one-hundred-mile ride. Most endurance riders do this sport to see new trails, hang out with friends both old and new, and spend countless hours in the company of their favorite horse. There’s a place for almost anyone in this sport, where lifelong friendships are forged, and where you find yourself camping in some of the most beautiful places in the country. If you are interested in finding out more or if you have a horse you would like to train for this sport, check out the AERC.org website where you will find information on mentors, training tips, clinics, and rides in your area.
Meet the Author:
Award winning Author Claire Eckard combines her love of writing with
her passion for animals to create memorable children's books that are
fun to read, but also include valuable life's lessons. Claire grew up in
England and moved to Hawaii in her early twenties where she married her
husband of thirty-four years. Together they raised two sons, Mitchell
and Matthew. Claire is inspired by her two Granddaughters Mila and Ella,
as well as the beautiful backdrop of the Arizona mountains where she
lives. Claire has a farm full of animals, and has spent many years as a
board member and volunteer of her local animal shelter.
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