title: Why We Ride: Women Writers on the Horses in Their Lives
author:  Verna Dreisbach 
description: Dreisbach writes that we choose a horse for many reasons, such as beauty, ability, what we see of ourselves reflected in the horse (or what we wish we were like). All 20-plus contributors to this collection--for example, Jane Ayres, Kara Gall, Michele Scott, and Jacqueline Winspear--believe that their horses taught them something about themselves and made them stronger, better people. If you're looking for a rational, objective reason as to why women ride, it will not be found in this book--all the contributors write of a passionate love and connection with the horse (sometimes in spite of being physically injured while riding), and most are impressed at being in control and/or partnering with such a beautiful, graceful, and powerful animal. VERDICT Animal lovers and readers of horse memoirs such as Susan Richards's Chosen by a Horse and Jane Smiley's A Year at the Races (Smiley here contributes a foreword) will enjoy this compilation. --Library Journal, May 1, 2010<br /><br />Verna Dreisbach, the editor of this book, did an excellent job of selecting the essays that comprise it. No two stories are the similar....This book will make a great read for every woman who has dreamed of riding, has owned a horse, or is awestruck watching a horse run free. --Sacramento Book Review, November 11, 2010
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  # _BETROTHED_  
  
  
    
  
  
  ALYSSIA KIRKHART
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  BETROTHED
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright © 2012 by Alyssia Kirkhart
  
  
  
  
  
  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters,
  
  
  places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been
  
  
  used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to
  
  
  persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely
  
  
  coincidental.
  
  
  
  
  
  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced,
  
  
  scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission
  
  
  from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical
  
  
  articles and reviews.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  For those who raised
  
  
  me, educated me, and believed when I didn’t. This one’s for you.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  #
  
  
  ONE
  
  
  
  
  
  _Dublin_
  
  
  
  
  
  “Who do you suppose that is?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Who?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This rider,” Sara said, “charging up Father’s driveway. One would imagine a
  
  
  raging herd of jungle p