Synopses & Reviews
He already owned and managed two ranches and needed a third about as much as he needed a permanent migraine: thatand#8217;s what Alan Day said every time his friend pestered him about an old ranch in South Dakota. But in short order, he proudly owned 35,000 pristine grassy acres. The opportunity then dropped into his lap to establish a sanctuary for unadoptable wild horses previously warehoused by the Bureau of Land Management. After Day successfully lobbied Congress, those acres became Mustang Meadows Ranch, the first government-sponsored wild horse sanctuary established in the United States.
The Horse Lover is Dayand#8217;s personal history of the sanctuaryand#8217;s vast enterprise, with its surprises and pleasures and its plentiful dangers, frustrations, and heartbreak. Dayand#8217;s deep connection with the animals in his care is clear from the outset, as is his maverick philosophy of horse-whispering, with which he trained fifteen hundred wild horses. The Horse Lover weaves together Dayand#8217;s recollections of his cowboying adventures astride some of his best horses, all of which taught him indispensable lessons about loyalty, perseverance, and hope. This heartfelt memoir reveals the Herculean task of balancing the requirements of the government with the needs of wild horses.
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Review
"The admiration for Roosevelt, Montana hunting and all things outdoors is evident in Dan Aadland's well-written In Trace of TR: A Montana Hunter's Journey. . . . The book is interlaced with stories of Roosevelt's hunts, and it offers a keen perception for the Montana landscape and the man who loved the adventure as much as the sport."and#8212;Linda Wommack, True West Magazine
Review
"In a book that is part history lesson and part memoir, mixed with a healthy dose of hunting lore and a sprinkling of political comment, Aadland offers a unique and local perspective of the man he refers to as 'TR.'" and#8212;Linda Halstead-Acharya, Billings Gazette
Review
"Readers who hunt big game will enjoy the many interesting stories and will quickly recognize that Dan knows firsthand 'whereof he speaks,' whether it is in the terminology associated with packing, or as his wife suspects, in the 'mysterious code' that we cartridge reloaders converse in."and#8212;Montana Sporting Journal
Review
"Aadland's unique experiences allow the reader to understand TR in an intimate way and appreciate how the Western landscape helped shape his character."and#8212;Lauren Halley, American Cowboy
Review
"Seemingly as accomplished as his subject, author Dan Aadland, while not (yet) president of the United States, is an astute student of American history, a hunter, horseman, horse breeder, retired teacher, former Marineand#8212;and he's also a heck of a writer. . . . [In Trace of TR is] a powerful book that I think Theodore Roosevelt would have understood and enjoyed."and#8212;Matthew P. Mayo, Roundup Magazine
Review
“Aadlands writing is much like the prose of Roosevelt himselfhonest, authentic, and enjoyable to read.”Jack Ballard, author of Creating a Traditional Elk Camp -- Matthew P. Mayo - Roundup Magazine
Review
"[Aadlands] pen brings the animals, the seasons, and the land itself to life. I could smell the woodsmoke, touch the earth, taste the fresh roasted game."—Ann Ronald, Western American Literature --Matthew P. Mayo - Roundup Magazine
Review
"Aadland is a good writer who has pursued an unusual set of interests into some of the best country left in the United States. He's worth a read."and#8212;Chris Madson, Wyoming Wildlife
Review
"Day's poignant personal journey is one of both heartache and hope, a mirror of not just one man's desire to save a great American icon of freedom, the wild mustang, but a nation's."and#8212;Stuart Rosebrook, True West
Review
"An instant classic."and#8212;Nancy Bent, Booklist Starred Review
Review
andldquo;It is impossible to see a herd of wild horses running free without feeling a surge of excitement and enthusiasm for their vigor, power, and beauty. To watch them run with their manes and tails flying in the wind is to experience a sense of the ultimate freedom of motion.andrdquo;andmdash;From the foreword by Sandra Day Oandrsquo;Connor, former U.S. Supreme Court justice
Review
andldquo;A great American story, and an inspiring tale of vision, courage, and hard-won wisdom. Itandrsquo;s told with humor and grace and without pretension. And every reader is sure to find a horse to fall in love with in these pages.andrdquo;andmdash;Larry Watson, author of Montana 1948
Review
andldquo;A definite read for all those who love horses. Day and Sneydandrsquo;s book is sure to become an instant wild-horse classic in the spirit of J. Frank Dobie.andrdquo;andmdash;J. Edward de Steiguer, author of Wild Horses of the West
Review
andldquo;The Horse Lover is a very good illustration of the real western part of our nation. Day, a successful rancher and businessman, is honest and forthright in dealings with neighbors, employees, business associates, and especially the federal government. I recommend this reading.andrdquo;andmdash;Dennis DeConcini, former U.S. senator from Arizona
Synopsis
As a student of American history, as a hunter, horseman, and former Marine, and as someone passionate about the West, Dan Aadland had long felt a kinship with Theodore Roosevelt. One day, on a single-footing horse, lever-action rifle under his knee, Aadland set out to become acquainted with TR as only those who shared his experiences could.
In Trace of TR documents that quest, inviting readers to ride along and get to know Theodore Roosevelt through the western environment that so profoundly influenced him.
Accompany Aadland as he rides the broad prairies in search of TRand#8217;s and#8220;prongbuck,and#8221; tracks elk through the rugged Big Horn Mountains, and pursues a glimpse of a grizzly in the Absaroka Wilderness. Along the way the authorand#8217;s campfire musings and reflections on Rooseveltand#8217;s writings further deepen and enrich this unique examination of our twenty-sixth president. Aadlandand#8217;s journey takes readers into TRand#8217;s beloved Dakota Territory then and now, offering a kindred spiritand#8217;s moving, deftly drawn portrait of both the land and the man across the space of a century.
About the Author
Alan Day was the owner of Mustang Meadows Ranch near St. Francis, South Dakota; Rex Ranch near Whitman, Nebraska; and Lazy B Ranch in southern Arizona. With his sister, Sandra Day Oandrsquo;Connor, he coauthored Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest. Lynn Wiese Sneyd is a published author and owner of LWS Literary Services. Sandra Day Oandrsquo;Connor served on the U. S.and#160;Supreme Court from 1981 to 2005.