Little Horse of Iron

by Lawrence Scanlan

Part history, part memoir, this tale of Canada’s heritage horse is a moving odyssey into the past — and one man’s heart.

Saving what’s left of our history often falls to a passionate few. This is the case with a group of horse breeders who have pledged to re-establish Canada’s heritage horse, aptly called the Canadian — a breed descended from the Norman horses that took European knights into battle. Habitants of old Quebec called this uncommonly strong breed le petit cheval de fer — the little horse of iron — and in many ways the tumultuous story of this horse mirrors the history of Canada.

Little Horse of Iron tells the story of one man and his horse. At the age of 50, Lawrence Scanlan bought his first horse — a Canadian called Saroma Dark Fox Dali. A spirited and untrained young Canadian gelding, Dali taught Scanlan a great deal about patience, fear and courage. Always candid and often amusing, the year-long diary of their relationship deftly explores the joys and sorrows as both horse and human struggle to trust and understand each other.

Along the way, we meet the people who prize the Canadian horse’s unparalleled contributions over three centuries — on the family farm, on the battlefield, on the race track and in the show ring. Marvellously detailed and rich in character, Little Horse of Iron is a heart-warming celebration of one horse, and of his breed — Canada’s own.

Genres: Horses

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

From Macmillan Books:

Lawrence Scanlan is the author of six bestselling books, including Wild About Horses and Little Horse of Iron. He is the coauthor, with Ian Millar, of Riding High, and has written three books for younger readers: Big Ben, Horses Forever, and The Horse’s Shadow. Scanlan worked closely with Monty Roberts on his acclaimed book The Man Who Listens to Horses. Winner of three Canadian National Magazine Awards for his journalism, Scanlan lives in Kingston, Ontario.

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a very good book for anyone who likes to read about horses. The book details not only the author's training of his own Canadian Horse, but the Canadian Horse's impact on North America. If you like Morgans, you should read this book, for Scanlan shows the connections between the two breeds. The book is part history of the horse and part personal journey of the author.

Update - Haven't re-read the book, but I did go to the AGO, and Scanlan was right. Two rooms, and almost every picture had a Canadian Horse. It was awesome seeing that.

[Sarah Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the history this book had to offer on the Canadian horse. Even though I did extensive research on the history of the Standardbred and racing in Canada, I learned a lot and want to go through the bibliography!
However, the personal memoir was quite boring, as it told his day to day troubles with his own horse, which was nothing special.
Still recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about Canada's iconic horse!

[Jo-Ann Rosenkranz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it makes us remember everything takes time

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's very rare that I enjoy a non-fiction novel enough to actually finish it, but I was really pleased with this book! I had heard of the Canadian horse before reading this novel, but had no idea the impact and importance they had in our Canadian history. For you equestrians out there, "Little Horse of Iron" also has a lot of great tips and techniques for riding, and it certainly helped to teach me how to improve my own riding.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. Not what I was hoping for. Wasn't interested much in the author's personal horse journey as I was in a social history of the Canadian horse.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting, informative and entertaining if you are interested in Canadians - which I am!

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a whole new appreciation for the Canadian horse. And this is great story-telling/memoir!