Review "Horse Miracles" by Brad Steiger & Sherry Hansen Steiger This review appeared in the BookWorm column by Terri Schlichenmeyer   When I was 8 years old, I - like most 8 year old girls - wanted a horse more than anything in the world. I drew horses, I read about them, I pretended that I was riding the range in my back yard. I even named my horse that I didn't have. Like many 8 year old girls, I grew up and never got the horse - yet. I suspect, however, that, like me, there are many big girls (and not a few big boys) who are 8-years-old-at-heart, still longing for that horse. "Horse Miracles" by Brad Steiger and Sherry Hansen Steiger (c.2004, Adams Media) is a book that will let you keep your dream a little longer.   Many pet owners say that their animals are the smartest critters alive, and the people whose stories are in "Horse Miracles" are no exception. There's a story of a horse who found his injured human friend in a canyon several miles away, even though the horse hadn't been the one who left his rider there. You'll read several stories about horses that have done incredible work with disabled children through therapeutic riding, and a tale of an owner who was blind but, through the intelligence of his horse, was still able to work on his ranch.   Dog owners aren't the only ones with brave animals at their sides. Many horses intuitively know when danger is afoot, and some of them will put themselves in peril to help their human charges. In "Horse Miracles", you'll read a story of a horse that saved a little girl from drowning by plucking her out of a fountain with its teeth. One horse "dumped" a girl into the mud and began to run away, only to wheel around, come back, and kill a snake that was heading toward his young mistress. Mixed in with the stories of steeds that have done good deeds, you'll read about horses in history and in historic battles, horses in the entertainment industry, and many racehorses that have become beloved to race fans.   There is also a little bit of mysticism in this book, a few tips on how you can learn to communicate better with your horse, and a few Native American beliefs that are fascinating to know. Authors Brad Steiger and Sherry Hansen Steiger have, between them, written over 100 books, many of them just like this. Most of the stories in "Horse Miracles" are just a few pages long, so it's easy to browse.   There is nothing remotely R-rated, so it's a book that can be given to anyone of any age, and the book itself is small enough to tuck in a saddle bag. Although grizzled cowpokes and hard-hearted people might find this book too sentimental, "Horse Miracles" is not a book that was written for them. It was written for all those 8-year-olds and 8-year-olds-at-heart for which a horse is more than just an animal, but a life necessity.