Sandra Felice-Pace:‘...and close encounters of a horsey kind in Malta and Gozo’ 
(Self-published; Gozo, 2019), 312 pages 

...and close encounters of a horsey kind in Malta and Gozo is the name of a recently-published book which is both peculiar and interesting.  The name itself, the title’s wording and the contents of the book itself testify to the fact that we have here a publication which is like no other. 

It might even present to the average librarian a difficulty as to under which category he or she would put the book. However, having said this, the book makes for an interesting read and, with its autobiographical feel, is a book not to be missed.

Sandra Felice-Pace, a native of Salford in Lancashire, England, married David (Salvu) Felice Pace back in 1970. After having visited the Maltese islands many times, the couple decided they would settle in Gozo.

The year was 1989. Gozo must have looked primitive and attractive at the same time; the rough claws of modernism had not yet tainted the virgin island of Calypso. Sandra must have fallen in love with the islands, especially with Gozo.

The island presented what she calls “a horsey paradise”. Later on, she gradually discovered the special love that some Gozitans had and still have for animals, horses in particular. It was in Gozo that she and her husband befriended the family of Vestru, a gentleman from Gozo whose family also loved and reared horses. 

From reading Black Beauty and calling horses “the ointment that healed me”, Sandra passed on to become an expert in the field of horse rearing and horses in general.  It was this love that encouraged her husband David to publish the book even if meant going out of his way to see it published even after the death of his dear wife. This was a promise that he eventually kept. 

The various sketches that the author narrates with such vivacity and care in this book of hers is an aspect that features throughout the entire book. It is a book that every lover of Gozo should have. Sandra has a unique ability of describing her experiences. She brings to life pictures of Gozo that one can now only see in old photos of the island. 

The special love that some Gozitans had and still have for animals, horses in particular

Nostalgia is a feeling that kept creeping in as I read the book since the references to places around the island are many and the narrative is rich and vivid. From her narration of visiting the Santa Marija races in Victoria for the first time to the rearing of her favourite mare Sugar, the book is full of colourful episodes that show how a human being can fall in love with a horse to the point that the animal becomes one’s companion. 

Sandra writes about her horses as if she is writing about human beings; such was her love for these beloved creatures that have served mankind well for century after century. Early on in the book she writes about the importance of protection for animals to the point of condemning the use of the whip and making us reflect on the need of looking better after our pets.

Her reference to the Gozitan ġbejniet and similar Gozitan traditions will also attract the attention of the observant reader.

Sandra Felice-Pace’s book about horses made me aware of the rich world that exists in the area of horse rearing and horse racing. By the time she came to her middle-age, she must have obtained a mastery of the subject.

The uses of equine terms and equestrian terminology such as paddock, sire, dam, gelding, whinnies, stall and corrals made me aware of how foreign language can become when it focuses on a particular subject such as this. ...and close encounters of a horsey kind in Malta and Gozo is indeed a unique piece of literature. 

Being written by an English national who has resided in our islands for such a long period, this book must be the first of its kind. However, I doubt if it will be the last.

Besides being a legacy in itself, Sandra Felice-Pace’s book shows us that even in a world that is dominated by information technology and scientific research, man’s love for animals goes beyond all the great inventions and developments that mankind may be capable of.