In the presence of horses

the long version

Over the course of her adolescence, Natalie Baxter lost everyone that had ever mattered to her - a beloved maiden aunt, her father, her troubled but brilliant sister. Wary of the complexities of relationships and terrified of being hurt again, she turned to the horse world, immersing herself in the customs and routines of the barn and moving on to another farm and another set of horses whenever she began to lose her grip on her essential mantra: Nothing really matters. As In the Presence of Horses opens, Natalie takes a new position, this time on a farm near her childhood home of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. While the rolling hills of this familiar landscape begin to evoke long-buried memories, Natalie meets a horse that will change her life forever. Riding Twister, a big, true black with awkward hocks and a disquieting presence, Natalie finally realizes that she needs to find a way to come to terms with life in all its color, pain, and splendor.