Icelandic mare shares her tale in new e-book

PALMER — If you read her book before meeting Raudi, you might be surprised that she’s not a gifted orator in the tradition of TV’s “Mister Ed.”

After all, her story is told in her voice and from her point of view in the new e-book “Raudi’s Story An Alaskan-Born Icelandic Mare’s First Five Years of Life,” by Alys Culhane and illustrated by Christina Romano.

“People might be surprised she can’t speak,” said Pete Praetorius, who is married to Culhane and helped edit the new book.

It’s the first book the two have published under their new imprint, Red Horse Press. But it won’t be the last, Culhane said. She’s editing her version of Raudi’s story now, which will be published in traditional book form, called “Raising Raudi.”

Culhane said at first she wasn’t sold on the idea of e-books. She said she thought they lacked the legitimacy of print books. But after this publishing experience, Culhane said she’s changed her mind.

Red Horse will publish a mix of print and traditional books, she said. Maybe even release a bound version of “Raudi’s Story,” Culhane said.

Culhane was a horse-crazy kid, and when the couple moved to Alaska from Butte, Mont., she decided to take a horsemanship course from Katie Long at Mat-Su College as a way to test the waters to see if she wanted to get back into the sport.

Now, several years and five horses later, horses rule at their farm, which they lovingly call “Squalor Holler.”

With no electricity or running water, caring for five horses — especially in the winter — is a labor of love, the two said. They warm water on the wood stove and carry it in buckets down the hill from their cabin to the barn. And each horse is brushed, saddled and taken for an excursion daily, Culhane said.

She said it’s tough to find a balance between spending time with her five Icelandic horses and writing about them.

“These are creatures that have minds of their own,” Culhane said.

As much as anything, Raudi’s story is about how she and her “two-legged” — as the young horse refers to humans — learned to communicate and work together. It wasn’t easy, Culhane and Raudi say.

Neither is patient by nature and both were strong-willed. Raudi’s story traces their journey from its beginnings when they met when Raudi was a 10-month old foal through their time at an Icelandic horse training facility in British Colombia and a two-month pack trip the two made with a few of their human and horse friends.

It was during that camp experience that Culhane was convinced to get another Icelandic that she could learn to ride and could help show Raudi the ropes.

Culhane said she rode Tinni for about two years before she could eventually ride Raudi.

Because Icelandic horses mature slowly, Culhane said Raudi could not be ridden until she was 4 years old, but the pair has been together for nine years. Their companion books are based on a journal Culhane began keeping after their first meeting Feb. 11, 2004.

Culhane said the genesis of their collaboration grew from Anna Sewell’s novel “Black Beauty,” which she read to her as a yearling. The two say they were inspired by Sewell’s novel to share Raudi’s story from her unique point of view.

Culhane is a woman familiar with obsessions. She was once an avid sea kayaker. She’s cycled solo across the U.S., north to south and east to west — more than once.

But those are solitary pursuits that pit humans against challenges like weather and grueling uphill climbs. Working with horses is to engage in an ongoing conversation, Culhane said.

Raudi and friends are portrayed in the book through the illustrative magic of Christina Romano.

The two met while they were working on projects for the U.S. Icelandic Horse Quarterly, Culhane writing stories and Romano drawing illustrations. The illustrations in the book are created using a computer and are based on photos Culhane emailed her of Raudi and their four other Icelandic horses.

Romano understands firsthand what it is to love one of these complicated animals; she lives with an Icelandic horse named Fudgy.

Raudi’s book is dedicated to Katie Long, a woman who taught many people here better ways to care for and communicate with horses. Long was ill with Alzheimer’s the day she came to the barn to go riding with Raudi, Culhane said.

“I knew then she was on her way to being a good riding horse,” she said of seeing Long and Raudi working together.

Culhane said the book is for adults, but kids who love horses also would enjoy it.

It is available for download online from Smashbooks and Amazon for $4.99.

Contact managing editor Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.