Last Chance Mustang is the story of Samson, a formerly free-roaming, still wild-at-heart American mustang that was plucked from his mountainous Nevada home and thrown into the domestic horse world where he was brutalized and victimized. After years of abuse, Samson had evolved into a hateful and hated, maladjusted beast until the day he found his way to a rural Illinois farm, an ill-equipped owner, and one last chance. Mitch Bornstein's task was to tame the violent beast whose best defense had become offense. He had twenty years of experience fixing unfixable horses, but Samson would be his greatest challenge. Through the pair's many struggles and countless battles, Samson would teach Mitch about the true power of hope, friendship, redemption and the inspiring mettle of the forever wild and free American mustang.
Last Chance Mustang explains Samson's violent and antisocial behavior while addressing the remedial techniques employed to remedy these issues. The art of working with damaged horses is demystified. Though his story is sad, the reader is asked to respect Samson-not pity him. He has good and bad days, and he has a dark side. Like all of us, Samson is far from perfect. And, his saga will move the reader to both tears and laughter. Part history lesson, part training manual, and part animal narrative, Samson's is a story that all readers will be able to relate to: a story of survival, of trust, and ultimately, finding love.
"Through Bornstein's masterful storytelling, we understand, sympathize and fall in love with his equine pupil, Samson, who is the very embodiment of the systematic abuses inflicted on our nation's wild Mustangs, our natural wonders. Last Chance Mustang should be required reading in every high school and by every adult American until our wild Mustangs and burros are as revered as the American eagle. Bornstein brilliantly shows us how they deserve no less."
