Mercury's Flight: The Story of a Lipizzaner Stallion

Our "American Girl" of horses, each novel in the Breyer Horse Collection--based on Breyer Animal Creations' top-selling horse breeds--tells a compelling story that captures the true essence and personality of each horse. And now, for the first time, we have a historical novel. Annie Wedekind takes us back to Europe in World War II--a time and place that tested the courage of the noble Lipizzaner horses.

In 1930's Austria, life for Favory Mercurio, a Lipizzaner stallion bearing the crest of the renowned Piber stud, begins with his mother's abandonment. From that moment on, the young horse feels different, as if he has a missing piece-- even though, despite his doubters, he has talent enough to be accepted into the famed Spanish Riding School.

Slowly, but doggedly, Mercury perseveres through the rigors of his years of training. But then, as the war bears down on Vienna and the school is forced to flee two advancing armies, his beloved trainer and rider, Max, with whom he has formed a true bond, is suddenly gone, and Mercury is abandoned once more. Will he have the chance to become one of the great Lipizzaner stallions, or will he lose the people, horses, and home that he loves?


About the Author

Annie Wedekind grew up riding horses in Louisville, Kentucky. Since then, she's been in the saddle in every place she's lived, from Rhode Island to New Orleans, South Africa to New York. Her first novel, A Horse of Her Own, was praised by Kirkus as possibly the most honest horse book since National Velvet . . . A champion. She is also the author of The Breyer Horse Collection books, including Wild Blue, Little Prince, and Samirah's Ride. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.