WHEN HIS SON, Rowan, was diagnosed with autism, Rupert Isaacson, a lifelong horse lover, felt devastated. Would he ever be able to communicate with his son, and even more so, share the wonder of horses with him?

Then something amazing happened. One day, during a walk near their home, Rowan darted through a fence and ran under the hooves of a horse living on a neighboring farm, a cranky mare named Betsy. Instead of trampling him, the mare lowered her head and remained completely still—a moment of deep beauty and revelation.

Rupert realized that his distant, unreachable son had true communication with the horse. He began taking Rowan with him to ride Betsy. Soon Rowan started speaking and improving remarkably.

Then, Rupert had a crazy, incredible idea: What if there was a place in the world where horses and healing could meet? What if Rowan's autism could be transformed into a gateway for adventure? The adventure of a lifetime?

The Child and the Horse is the poignant true story of the remarkable journey that Rupert, his wife Christine, and Rowan took through the untamed land of Outer Mongolia. They traveled halfway around the world to cross—on horseback—this country, to meet there traditional healers, inheritors of centuries of discipline and inspiration.

It is a remarkable journey, overflowing with challenges, unexpected, beautiful, and unusual occurrences. It is an unforgettable story that shows how even in our darkest moments we can discover joy, how healing can be achieved in the most unexpected ways, and how the magical and the earthly can coexist to transform our lives.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]