Review: "Authentic Account of the Rescue of the Miracle Horses"
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 4, 2014
I was really pleased to read this well written, and well researched, short story of the rescue of hundreds of Lipizzaner horses near the end of World War II.  I've previously read the account, also saw the movie Disney made in 1963, "Miracle of the White Stallions" with Robert Taylor.  This author really is very thorough in taking us back to 1945 in Hostau, Czechoslovakia, 10 miles from Germany's eastern border where the horses were maintained on a huge horse farm.  Back in 1938 parts of western Czechoslovakian lands were handed over to Germany, thus the town of Hostau was spared acts of war and enjoyed a peaceful life compared to the rest of Europe as the war raged.  The horses most valued, the most beautiful and graceful on the farm, were the white Lipizzaners their ancestry going back to times of Genghis Khan. They were the emblems of royalty and monarchs and more valuable than some lesser known monarchs.  The horses were never used in times of war, only perhaps used to pull regal carriages and to become the most classic dressage mounts.  The horses themselves were trained for 10 or more years before they were allowed to appear at the Spanish Riding School in Austria.  It was Hitler's goal to acquire every "dancing white horse" he could find.  As Russian troops started to invade this area, the salvation of these horses became a joint effort between German and American military leaders.  The Russian troops were known for their cruelty toward citizens, and the horses' only value would be to slaughter them and feed the troops.  They couldn't care less for the beauty and value of these horses, and they would butcher them all. After word spread to American officials, a plan was devised to save the horses, the plan was called Operation Cowboy.  The author has provided stunning historical facts and his story is well worth the read.  I certainly learned a lot more than what I remember from my previous readings.  Highly recommend.