<DIV>There are approximately seven million horses in the United States. Hundreds of thousands are abused, neglected, or abandoned by callous and irresponsible owners. Author Melanie Bowles takes some of these horses into her sanctuary called Proud Spirit. Here, horses that arrive listless and broken find a home where they finally know safety.<BR><BR>The bond between horse and caretaker doesn’t happen overnight. It hangs by a fine thread of trust, which the author earns with endless patience and selfless care. The horses, some of which have suffered severe abuse, astound her time and again with their ability to trust and return the love they are given.</div>