The history of the horse is covered in a well written, whirlwind tour of facts, fictions, events and legends. The title makes it sound something like a encyclopedic dictionary, but in reality it's really more of a sweeping survey with plenty of name dropping (Alexander the Great, Queen Elizabeth, George Washington, Attila the Hun, etc.), and spans of years covered in the space of mere pages. It may be intended for young adult readers, but there's plenty here for an inquisitive adult to discover as well. I learned a few things, and will be looking up a few more for more details. Although some of the facts are a bit sketchy (Calamity Jane is hardly a cowgirl) most of the information is solid, and the bibliography is hefty for a juvenile book. The index is a nice touch. ( )