National
Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary
By
May 19, 2008, 10:25

Readers were introduced to the graceful heart of Melanie Sue Bowles in her first book,
The Horses of Proud Spirit.
The moving true story that inspired the Emmy Award-Winning PBS
documentary about Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary.

"Wonderful...a good read for anyone interested in making the world a better place for horses and people too." --- Monty Roberts, New York Times best-selling author of
The Man Who Listens To Horses

"Many people are born with the magic love-of-the-horse gene, but Melanie Bowles is among the few curious and observant enough to understand the object of her love and the responsibilities that go with loving. What she has learned and relates in her book should be required reading for any human being who thinks they want to be around horses." ---
Jim Squires, author of Horse of a Different Color


And now! Melanie's highly anticipated sequel has been released nationwide:
Hoof Prints: More Stories from Proud Spirit


Sometime back in the early 90's, author and founder of Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary, Melanie Sue Bowles stumbled across this quote: "The Purpose of Life is to Live a Life of Purpose". She loved it so much that she stenciled the quote above a window that looks out over the pastures at Proud Spirit. It is the steadfast philosophy by which she has lived her entire adult life. Unwanted, elderly and abused horses became her purpose. It started with one horse in need on five acres of land in rural Florida and evolved into a 320 acre award winning facility where, throughout the years, over 150 downtrodden horses have come to live out their lives in peace and dignity. A life that most of these incredible creatures had never known before.

In Hoof Prints, Melanie takes readers back to Proud Spirit with more inspiring true stories about these deserving horses who have so much to teach us. In this book we say a tearful goodbye to Cody, Melanie's very first horse, just as the sanctuary is about to relocate from southwest Florida to the hills of west Arkansas. The extraordinary move involves forty horses in three 53-foot semitrailers on a journey of over a thousand miles. You'll read the emotional account of the horses leaving the old ranch and their arrival at the new facility where they live life in a natural environment of 320 acres of freedom, safe and secure as a herd. You will meet new horses, and read their remarkable stories, as the Proud Spirit herd grows.

Melanie's writing might be categorized as books about horses, but they are really about finding something to be passionate about, living a life of purpose and selflessly giving back to the world around us without expecting anything in return.

Reviews:


"This book is informative, engaging, inspiring, and charmingly written - an example of one courageous woman's journey to make a difference in the lives of unwanted horses, and in doing so, make our world a better place in which to live" --- Linda Tellington-Jones, creator of the Tellington Method and author of The Ultimate Horse Behavior and
Training Book



"Of all the different things people do with horses, there is one common denominator among the ones who are great at it - a genuine love and respect for animals. Bowles affords these horses the dignity they deserve." ---
Ty Murray, Nine Time World Champion Cowboy

"From tears of joy to tears of sadness, Hoof Prints truly touches my heart and soul. Melanie and Jim's compassion to provide these amazing creatures with the life they deserve is an inspiration for all of us. A must-read for everyone!" --- Lisa Ross-Williams, host of the If Your Horse Could Talk show and associate editor of Natural Horse magazine

"The abandonment and neglect of unwanted horses is a growing problem. This is a descriptive, gripping, and emotion-stirring account of one woman's attempt to help." --- Robert M. Miller, DVM, equine behaviorist

"The horses come to life in the pages of Hoof Prints, and each one is more beautiful than the last. Anyone who has ever been touched by an animal will have their hearts stolen by the stories in this book." --- Roland Mesnier, White House pastry chef for 26 years and author of Dessert University, All the President's Pastries, and Basic to Beautiful

www.bridleandbit.com