Review: more information on this operation than I've ever seen before
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 28, 2014
I really enjoyed this short nonfiction book, with a couple of exceptions.  Mr. Talty is not a horseman.  He does not understand the difference between Thoroughbred and purebred.  The two terms are not interchangeable.  Purebred is purebred, plain and simple, and Thoroughbred is a breed.  He also does not understand their gaits, using one sentence to announce that the horses galloped and trotted simultaneously as they departed on the road for Germany.  (The horses were in Hostau, Czechoslovakia, and needed to make the transit into German territory in order to clarify any possible claims of ownership in the future, as the Russians would have gladly taken them, for dinner as well as for use.).  He was not describing a mixed group of horses doing different gaits, but wrote the sentence as though it were possible for a horse to both gallop and trot simultaneously, and while some wretchedly-gaited horses can do a variation of this,  it does not occur in classically schooled horses, or unbroken horses.Other than the occasional equestrian clanger, the story is very well researched and written.  Two American GIs lost their lives in the military action that retrieved the horses, and are recognized for their heroism.Alois Podhajsky, director of the Spanish Riding School, told the story a little differently in his book, "My Dancing White Horses," and Walt Disney scrambled it almost beyond belief in the movie, "Miracle of the White Stallions."  Both of them ignored the Czech refugees and the British POWs that were freed during this operation and escorted back to American lines.  The Brits went back to their army, and the Czechs began rebuilding their lives.  General Patton did not see an exhibition ride of the School horses before he gave ambiguous orders that made this adventure possible - essentially, go ahead, but if it all goes bad, we'll say a dumb Cavalry officer got lost in the woods.  He DID see an exhibition upon the return of the horses, and while he didn't really get dressage, he appreciated the amount of work it took to create well-trained horses like these.Talty did get one idea right - that the rescue of the Lipizzaners was comparable to the work of the Monuments Men.  The only difference was that this cultural wealth was alive and performing, yet just their history went back just as far as the Renaissance artworks that the Monuments teams sought to preserve.  There are links in the story that enable further research, which I did not do at this time, but appreciate the chance.  They may also be links to pictures.  I just wanted to read this and enjoy the result.The participants who led this adventure, including Colonel Reed, were never really recognized for what they accomplished in achieving the freedom of the POWs, various refugees, and negotiating the release of the horses without a shot being fired.  Except for the action that resulted in the death of the two GIs, the most dramatic military show of force occurred at the German border, where Czech partisans didn't want to let the group of horses and trucks through.  (By the way, there's no such thing as horse trains, but Talty was fishing for wagon trains, when horse drive would have worked nicely).  The partisans wouldn't open the border barrier and were beating one of the front riders severely when an American tank pulled up to the front.  It was made abundantly clear that either the gate would open, or there would be a very large boom.  Fortunately the partisans decided that opening the gate was the best choice.  Had it been necessary to fire, there would have been horses and riders scattered all over Eastern Europe!The operation transported some mares and foals by truck, many in small herds guarded by outriders and jeeps, and though Talty does not discuss this, some were lost.  Fortunately enough were saved to preserve the breed and the fine bloodlines.