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Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
The Heart of a Champion by Alexis Minnich follows Lou, an equestrian, as she manages her riding career at Schuster Stables. She works closely with her primary horse, Jack, building skills over several years and competing in local shows while balancing personal life, family, and barn responsibilities. When Jack develops a serious neurological condition, Lou shifts focus from jumping to dressage, overseeing his care, health setbacks, and eventual end-of-life decision. After his loss, she grieves while maintaining routines and supporting her niece Zoey’s riding. Lou then searches for a new horse, Riley, carefully evaluating trials, veterinary exams, and compatibility. Once Riley arrives at the barn, Lou trains him in jumping and dressage, gradually regaining confidence and preparing for competitions while applying lessons from her past partnership with Jack.
Alexis Minnich’s The Heart of a Champion is the second book in the Amateur Dreams series, but it reads perfectly well as a standalone. I love horses but have very little experience with them, and Minnich enables readers to be armchair equestrians alongside the wonderfully likeable protagonist. From Lou’s blue-ribbon performance with Whiskey Lullaby to Jack's careful training and eventual promotion, Minnich beautifully depicts the joys of horsemanship, teamwork, and determination. The details are spectacular, with barn life, competitions, training sessions, and the dogged attention required in horse selection all presented. There is a devastating loss here, but Minnich is respectful and sympathetic in the approach to it, and it is by no stretch of the imagination used sensationally as a plot device. Overall, this is a quietly inspiring, uplifting, and loving look at the equestrian world, and a true delight for animal lovers.
