This heartfelt and often personal work continues the story of the Big Island's Parker Ranch, one of the largest and most beautiful cattle ranches in the United States. It begins with the dynastic transition in ranch management from the formidable A. W. Carter to his son, Hartwell, who would be responsible for bringing the ranch effectively into the twentieth century. Although supervision of the ranch officially changed hands in 1937, A. W.'s wide-ranging influence continued to be felt for at least another decade. Later Hartwell Carter would also have to contend with the whims of ranch...

By exploring all things equine, from prehistoric origins to the present, The Hawaiian Horse illuminates the contributions of the horse to transportation, freight service, and agronomy in industries of ranching, sugar, pineapple, taro, rice, and coffee production in Hawai'i. Comprehensive and deliberate, the book shows the evolution of the equine species--horse, mule, and donkey--as beasts of burden, for recreational pleasure, or as highly regarded competitive mounts. Beginning with the colorful introduction of the species, with its conquistador roots, and a history of the vaquero in...