Touch Not the Horse

About the Book

Ambition is something most people have buried deep inside them. The problem is, most people are programmed to fail. Charlene, driven by a passion for supremacy, is unlike most people in that she will do whatever is necessary to make her desires real. What Charlene does not realise is that running deep within her bloodline is a connection to a game-changing predestined event. She will have to delve into black magic in order to rise to the position she so desperately craves. Touch Not the Horse is a supernatural thriller by Anthony Gavali. The setting is the city of London’s financial heart and a horse sanctuary in East Sussex. In this complexly woven modern-day tale of success at all costs, readers are transported back through a dark history, where the fight for control of the world’s resources has been burning for centuries. Two bloodlines seek to hold the balance of power, with only one outcome. These bloodlines have travelled down through the gauntlet of time to manifest in the twenty-first century with one aim: to fight the ultimate battle of control. Charlene holds the torch ready for the darkness. It will take the power of one man and one horse to stand in her way. They are armed with only the belief that humanity must be freed from the hands of evil. It once again falls to the few to save humanity from the bonds of eternal slavery. The question, however, is this: Will this belief be strong enough to withstand the cyclone that is about to hit them? Follow the story of Dean and his horse, Girlie, as they find themselves caught in this unavoidable dilemma against Charlene and the Devil’s servant, the evil Spirit which dwells inside her. Set around the Sussex Horse Rescue Trust in Uckfield, Tatsfield and other locations.

About the Author

This story is based on some truth. One day, as I was walking into Purley, I noticed a field about two hundred yards from my road. I saw a lonely black Welsh cob mare standing in a cold field. I made a point of giving her a couple of carrots on the way back. A few days later, as I was feeding the horse, I met another man there. His name was Philip Barnes, and he had also come there to feed the mare. We became great friends and met every evening to feed Girlie.

We chatted about a lot of things and met a few other people, as well. We all had one goal in common. Since we all found it sad to see this horse alone in a barren field – one that didn’t get much direct sunlight – we thought it would be uplifting to find a home for her.

I was inspired by Philip’s character, Girlie’s personality and intelligence, Pauline Grant, and the Sussex Horse Rescue Trust to write this story. Pauline Grant, the founder of the trust who has dedicated her life to the welfare of animals, agreed to take Girlie in. This book wouldn’t have been possible without Philip, Pauline, Girlie, and the Sussex Horse Rescue Trust.

Sadly, Philip Barnes passed away on 16 August 2007, nearly twenty-one months after Girlie was moved to the sanctuary. In October 2012, Twistie died at the sanctuary. On 5 February 2013, Girlie passed away, (as with Twistie) in peace and among friends, at the Sussex Horse Rescue Trust.

I come from a small town called Sanderstead, which is Anglo-Saxon for "Sandy Place." Croydon is the nearest town to Sanderstead and Sanderstead is not far from the village of Tatsfield.

This book is dedicated to the Sussex Horse Rescue Trust in Uckfield, in the glorious county of East Sussex – and other animal charities that are similar to it.