book review: tales from the trail

Fellow blogger, GunDiva, over at Tales from the Trail wrote a book by the same name that describes her experiences as a wrangler on the Colorado mountains. As if I didn't want to visit Colorado enough as it is, this book makes me ache to go there. Although, chances of getting me on a trail that drops sharply on both sides even without a horse would be a miracle (I am terrified of heights and incredibly clumsy, not a good combination), I was able to live some of the rides through her stories. 

The mountain scenery, the trees, the water, rock steps, narrow trails that drop off. . .GunDiva was able to capture all that on the rides she has taken. As beautiful as it is in words and in my mind, I am sure it is that much more breathtaking in person. But along with great outdoors comes wildlife, which has its place in the book, too. You will have to get the book to read about the bears and mountain lions. . .

GunDiva was incredibly honest with how she felt about the other wranglers she worked with as well as the guests she took on rides. I could relate to that because in every job there is always that person or two who just makes everything harder than it needs to be for whatever reason. And working with people now as I do, plus my past jobs in customer services, I know it is not easy to work with everyone. There are some people who are really a joy to work with and others who you can't get rid of fast enough. 

One of my favorite parts of the book was the section on the different horses that she worked with. A couple horses had a special story that was shared, even though the horses were at the livery for a job and had to work, it was nice to see that they were special to somebody. And not just the horses that were easy to like and get along with, but the few that stirred up trouble and no one else liked all that much. 

My absolute favorite was the ending that would have brought a tear to my eye if I was a crier. I am not going to spoil it for anyone, but it was very special. 

I recommend this book for anyone who loves horses. The short stories are easy to read and kept my attention and kept me wanting more. I have already asked her when the next book is coming out. So, get the book, enjoy it, and support a fellow blogger and horse enthusiast! It's available on amazon.com in paperback and Kindle version. 

Also, if you purchase the book during September, GunDiva is giving the proceeds to Denkai Animal Sanctuary to help the livestock that have been affected by the Colorado floods.