World War II will forever be remembered for introducing the world to previously unimaginable levels of bloodshed, terror and state-sponsored inhumanity. While the atrocities caused by Nazi Germany in this time have been well-documented and are commonly known --- 11,000,000 murdered in the Holocaust, barbarous medical experiments conducted on living people --- the war involved so many different nations, leaders, armies and interplaying dynamics that it can be terribly difficult to get a sense of what it was like in Europe at this time from reading any single book. But in Elizabeth Letts’ equine-centric WWII historical work, THE PERFECT HORSE, the author provides readers with a wholly original, illuminating perspective on the war by following Europe’s most valuable, best bred horses as their caretakers keep them on the run from seemingly omnipresent danger for the duration of the war.

Letts begins with a description of Nazi ideology and their obsession with the idea of “purity.” She details how Nazis relied on pseudo-science that was already antiquated by the 1930s to create theories about the superiority of Nordic people with “unmixed blood,” and how this twisted theory (coupled with blind, racist hate) inspired the mass extermination of what they saw as inferior peoples. Hitler appoints a man fully on-board with this Nazi brand of eugenics, Gustav Rau, to perform a similar mission with Europe’s horses: to selectively breed only the very best specimens until Nazi Germany is full of nothing but the finest war horses the world has ever seen. Rau seizes all of Europe’s finest horses, including the internationally famous Lipizzaners of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, and tries to put his plan into action.

"THE PERFECT HORSE tells a fascinating story of bravery and benevolence that has gone far too long without reaching an audience. Full of action, heartbreak and well-developed characters, it has everything needed to be adapted into an outstanding war movie."

Because Rau disregards long-established best practices in horse breeding and instead relies on the Nazis’ own ignorant understanding of genetics, he is terribly unsuccessful in his early attempts. And with Russian and American forces simultaneously closing in on central Europe like a steadily tightening vice, there is no safe place to keep these horses out of the line of fire in the Nazis’ short-lived empire. The program falls apart, and these literally priceless horses are completely at the mercy of a handful of men who appreciate their worth too much to leave them for dead.

The war heroes in THE PERFECT HORSE are much unlike the stereotypical warriors presented in military histories; they are equally brave, but it is their gentleness, not their brutality, that makes them heroes. Unforgettable, extraordinary individuals like Spanish Riding School director Alois Podhajsky, master horseman and fearless American commander Col. Hank Reed and modern-day cowboy Lt. William “Quin” Quinlivan put themselves in extreme danger to save these horses simply because it is the right thing to do --- because they couldn’t stand to see so much beauty senselessly taken from the world by letting these horses get caught in the crossfire. Podhajsky and others dedicate years of their lives sneaking these horses on and off trains, on marathon midnight treks through muddy paths, dodging mortar fire and more to keep their stallions alive while surrounded by so much destruction and death. Once Col. Reed learns that some of the world’s finest horses are trapped behind enemy lines, he immediately seeks and receives the permission of polo player-turned-general Patton to dedicate his 2nd Cavalry unit to go on a daring rescue mission and keep the horses alive.

In addition to telling a thrilling war story by conventional standards, Letts uses the horses’ travails to share a great deal about the nations that fought in the war. For example, the way that Russia, the US and Germany treat the horses they encounter speaks volumes about the countries. When the Russian army comes upon enemy horses, they usually kill them on the spot because horses are a symbol of luxury, and there is no place for luxury in cold Communist Russia. The Americans proceed with reckless abandon once they learn about the spectacular horses and, recognizing their immense value, are perhaps too confident in themselves as they rush through the mission and are constantly averting disaster. The Germans terribly mismanage the horses to begin with because their plans are utterly misguided and based on empty ideology and nationalist talking points instead of practicable principles, and many suffer because of it.

THE PERFECT HORSE tells a fascinating story of bravery and benevolence that has gone far too long without reaching an audience. Full of action, heartbreak and well-developed characters, it has everything needed to be adapted into an outstanding war movie. To anyone with a love of horses or other animals, Letts’ fantastic, almost humanizing characterizations of some of the horses will make this book an instant favorite. And to history buffs, THE PERFECT HORSE provides a totally fresh look at WWII that can’t be found anywhere else.