Books & Poetry
Book review: The Horse Boy
By DAVID HOFSTEDE
The Horse Boy
Rupert Isaacson
Hatchett Book Group
Rupert Isaacson was a lifelong horseman who looked forward to sharing his love of horses with his son, Rowan. But when Rowan was diagnosed with a severe form of autism, Rupert wondered if that dream would ever be realized.
What happened next is the subject of The Horse Boy, which chronicles a father's unorthodox quest to heal his son. The positive psychological impact of an association with animals has been well-documented, but Rupert hoped to achieve something more profound.
His method of doing so will certainly strike most readers as extreme and controversial — rather than simply trying to foster a connection between Rowan and Betsy, a mare owned by his neighbor, Rupert arranged for a riding adventure with his wife and son in the untamed landscape of Outer Mongolia. There, he hoped his son would benefit from traditional treatments devised by shaman healers.
"Was I a complete fool for doing this?" Rupert asks on the eve of their adventure. "What if [Rowan] hated it? What if he got sick or had an accident with the horses? What if the shamans didn't turn up? Or turned out to be total charlatans?"
All valid questions, but the answers in The Horse Boy may surprise you. Read the book first before seeing the documentary film about the Isaacson family, scheduled for release this fall.
