Courtesy of Caballo Press of Ann Arbor

Horsenameographies, the latest title from award-winning author Rudolph Valier Alvarado and Caballo Press of Ann Arbor, should be filed under the category of “Why didn’t somebody think of this before?”

Perhaps it takes the insight and imagination of a relative newcomer to the horse-racing publishing world to see the possibilities. So many of us think about what it would be like to have a horse named after us (mine, Pretty Audrey, is a pony rescued by a friend), but Alvarado has taken the opposite view: If we could name a horse in a way that reflected our lives, what would it be called?

Alvarado may not have been sure he’d touch a nerve with this question, but the 800 submissions from all over the world should reassure him. From pony enthusiasts to small-time trainers to writers to gamblers, horse lovers have shared not only their names but also their lives. Some described who they are (“True Survivor”) or wish to become (“Airplane Goddess”), while others described everyday life (“Organized Chaos”), what it’s like to be a tough old plotter (“Reliable Me”) or a bit high-strung and bold (“Runs With Scissors”).

But the constant theme that runs throughout is the way horses have stolen the hearts and impacted the lives of so many people (“Soul Saver”); reading through the submissions becomes an exercise in life affirmation. It is quite remarkable that so many people were willing to share the intimate details of horrendous childhoods, life-threatening illnesses, and devastating  personal losses to describe the seemingly miraculous ways in which horses have healed them in body and spirit.

The life experiences, and the names that flow from them, are proof not only of the powerful bond between human and horse, but also the way in which we channel the power, beauty and determination of a horse to give our lives new direction and purpose.

Pre-orders of Horsenameograpies: Life Stories in a Race Horse Name can be made at www.caballopress.com.

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