The Cambridge Companion to the Circus provides a complete guide for students, scholars, teachers, researchers, and practitioners who are seeking perspectives on the foundations and evolution of the modern circus, the contemporary extent of circus studies, and the specialised literature available to support further enquiries. The volume brings together an international group of established and emerging scholars working across the multi-disciplinary domain of circus studies to present a clear overview of the specialised histories, aesthetics and distinctive performances of the modern circus. In sixteen commissioned essays, it covers the origins in commercial equestrian performance during the late-eighteenth century to contemporary inflections of circus arts in major international festivals, educational environments, and social justice settings.

The Cambridge Companion to the Circus provides a complete guide for students, scholars, teachers, researchers, and practitioners who are seeking perspectives on the foundations and evolution of the modern circus, the contemporary extent of circus studies, and the specialised literature available to support further enquiries. The volume brings together an international group of established and emerging scholars working across the multi-disciplinary domain of circus studies to present a clear overview of the specialised histories, aesthetics and distinctive performances of the modern circus. In sixteen commissioned essays, it covers the origins in commercial equestrian performance during the late-eighteenth century to contemporary inflections of circus arts in major international festivals, educational environments, and social justice settings.

An entertaining and inspiring autobiography. In 2008, 26-year old Tik Maynard faced a crossroads not unlike that of other young adults. A university graduate and modern pentathlete, he suffered both a career-ending injury and a painful breakup, leaving him suddenly adrift. The son of prominent Canadian equestrians, Maynard decided to spend the next year as a 'working student'. In the horse industry, working students aspire to become professional riders or trainers, and willingly trade labour for hands-on education. Here Maynard chronicles his experiences – good and bad – and we follow along as one year becomes three. What began as a casual adventure gradually transforms, and a life's purpose comes sharply into focus.

This book is dedicated to the protection of horses, ponies and donkeys and is based on first-hand international experience from a lifetime spent with horses - hunting, racing and welfare - whether with The Pony Club, The Jockey Club or international horse charity. It covers all equines to the highest levels of performance - racing, show jumping, eventing and endurance riding and encourages all owners to care for their animals. Horses are beautiful animals that can work with their owners to the best effect; it is only right that they should all be cared for with respect so that the partnership is equal, one of working together and free from abuse. Christopher also looks at the world of working horses, donkeys and mules in the developing world, where they are often the only means of transporting people and goods, provide the only power to work the land and are essential for their owners' survival. He calls for them to be given closer attention and care and that training is given to the owners who may not be aware of how to care properly for their animals. He also writes about people in equestrian sports both nationally and internationally and the work of the major charity World Horse Welfare of which he was chairman, calling on his role as a leading regulator and lifelong horseman. He held one of the highest profile jobs in the Jockey Club, steward in charge of enforcing the rules of horse racing - and provides an insight into the high stakes world of racing where winning is everything. But whatever the activity or level, readers will be aware that horses are the real stars.

For those who have denied their inner cowgirl for far too long, it is time to level up, jump back in the saddle, and return to life's passion with Promote Your Inner Cowgirl. Lifelong cowgirl, entrepreneur, and nurse practitioner, Dr. Lynda Flowers has the answer. Throughout her life she's had to balance the rigors of work and family with time to enjoy her love of horses. Now, after founding several startups, including her cowgirl coaching business, Dr. Flowers guides fellow horse lovers away from their frustration and toward the lifestyle they've always wanted. In Promote Your Inner Cowgirl, Dr. Flowers sets forth a framework to launch a business, generate income, and free up time to do what horse lovers love, along with how to: Set boundaries while aligning their goals and passions Stand out as a leader and team player Find and launch a business that works Turn past failures into future successes Identify a team that is supportive

This one-of-a-kind resource covers the saddleries of Montana Territory and State over the period from approximately the 1860s through 1940. Learn about the fascinating societal impact of nearly 200 prominent and lesser-known saddleries, brought to life with 545 photos and 9 useful charts. These "horse hardware stores" designed, manufactured, and sold a myriad of practical and artistic equipment for cowboys, ranchers, farmers, miners, loggers, and every settler that ventured west of the Mississippi River. Saddleries' hard-working-and today, collector-quality-products ranged from saddles and chaps to cuffs and boots, from hats to horse grooming tools to trunks. Organized by date and eight different geographical areas of Montana, here are details, vintage documents, receipts, and photos of some of the most exciting and desirable Western collectibles known today (chaps, saddles, bridles, etc.), with emphasis on their maker's marks for valid reference.

Now you can help your horse with simple acupressure techniques! Learn to identify your horse's individual body constitution type, which determines your choice of acupressure treatment; understand the 12 main channels of energy in your horse's body, and gain the ability to choose the correct points to treat specific issues. Relieve mild sources of pain and discomfort in your horse's body, influence his mental health and stability, and select appropriate treatment from a comprehensive list of common problems and their solutions, with step-by-step instructions and full-colour photographs to help you help your horse.

Rodeo is a dangerous and painful performance in which only the strongest and most skilled riders succeed. In the popular imagination, the western rodeo hero is often a stoic white man who embodies the toughness and independence of America's frontier past. However, marginalized people have starred in rodeos since the very beginning. Cast out of popular western mythology and pushed to the fringes in everyday life, these cowboys and cowgirls found belonging and meaning at the rodeo, staking a claim to national inclusion. Outriders explores the histories of rodeoers at the margins of society, from female bronc-riders in the 1910s and 1920s and convict cowboys in Texas in the mid-twentieth century to all-black rodeos in the 1960s and 1970s and gay rodeoers in the late twentieth century. These rodeo riders not only widened the definition of the real American cowboy but also, at times, reinforced the persistent and exclusionary myth of an idealized western identity. In this nuanced study, Rebecca Scofield shares how these outsider communities courted authenticity as they put their lives on the line to connect with an imagined American West.

A no-holds-barred story of what it takes to reach the top, and stay there, in the world's most dangerous sport - three day eventing. At the age of forty-seven Mary King won a Team Bronze at the Beijing Olympics. In the two 'Cavaliers' - 'Call Again Cavalier' and 'Imperial Cavalier' - she has two of the very best event horses in the world. Mary King's success in the world of eventing (now officially classed as the most dangerous sport in the world) has been hard won. She does not come from a privileged background - her father a verger and a long-term invalid so money was very tight. Her first pony was the ancient 'cast off' from the local vicar's children - and success with this pony gave her an iron will to succeed. And succeeded she has. To support herself in the early days she had a variety of unglamorous jobs (this included butcher delivery rounds and cleaning out toilets in the local campsite). Her talent was apparent from very early on and she first competed at Badminton in 1985, had her first win there on King William in 1992 and her second on Star Appeal in 2000. Just when everything seemed to be going well she suffered a terrible fall in 2001 and broke her neck but she was back competing at the very top level the following year. Fully updated for the paperback with the 2010 season, including Team GB's gold medal-winning performance at the World Equestrian Games, this is a fascinating account from inside the world's most dangerous sport.

After a fifteen-year career as a sled dog racer, musher Dave Olesen turned his focus away from competition and set out to fulfill a lifelong dream. Over the course of four successive winters he steered his dogs and sled on long trips away from his remote Northwest Territories homestead, setting out in turn to the four cardinal compass points - south, east, north, and west - and home again to Hoarfrost River. His narrative ranges from the personal and poignant musings of a dogsled driver to loftier planes of introspection and contemplation. Olesen describes his journeys day by day, but this book is not merely an account of his travels. Neither is it yet another offering in the genre of ""wide-eyed southerner meets the Arctic,"" because Olesen is a firmly rooted northerner, having lived and travelled in the boreal outback for over thirty years. Olesen's life story colours his writing: educated immigrant, husband and father, professional dog musher, working bush pilot, and denizen of log cabins far off the grid. He and his dogs feel at home in country lying miles back of beyond. This book demolishes many of the cliches that imbue writings about bush life, the Far North, and dogsledding. It is a unique blend of armchair adventure, personal memoir, and thoughtful, down-to-earth reflection.

Fired by a passion for running dogs, award-winning author Gary Paulsen entered the Iditarod, a gruelling 1180-mile race across Alaska, in dangerous ignorance and with fierce determination. After a spectacularly inept period of training and an even more spectacularly inept start to the race, Paulsen and his team of 15 dogs ran for 17 days through the beautiful, treacherous arctic terrain. They crossed the barren moon-like landscape of the Alaskan interior and witnessed sunrises that cast a golden blaze over the vast waters of the Bering Sea. Enduring blinding wind, snowstorms, dogfights, frostbite, moose attacks, sleep deprivation and hallucinations, he pushed on. This book recounts his adventure.

What would rodeo look like if we took it as a record, not of human triumph and resilience, but of human imperfection and stubbornness?"" asks animal historian Susan Nance. Against the backdrop of the larger histories of ranching, cattle, horses, and the environment in the West, this book explores how the evolution of rodeo has reflected rural western beliefs and assumptions about the natural world that have led to environmental crises and served the beef empire. By unearthing behind-the-scenes stories of rodeo animals as diverse individuals, this book lays bare contradictions within rodeo and the rural West. For almost 150 years, westerners have used rodeo to symbolically reenact their struggles with animals and the land as uniformly progressive and triumphant. Nance upends that view with accounts of individual animals that reveal how diligently rodeo people have worked to make livestock into surrogates for the trials of rural life in the West and the violence in its history. Western horses and cattle were more than just props. Rodeo reclaims their lived history through compelling stories of anonymous roping steers and calves who inspired reform of the sport, such as the famed but abused bucker Steamboat, and the many broncs and bulls, famous or not, who unknowingly built an industry. Rodeo is a dangerous sport that reveals many westerners as people proudly tolerant of risk and violence, and ready to impose these values on livestock. In Rodeo: An Animal History, Nance pushes past standard histories and the sport's publicity to show how rodeo was shot through with stubbornness and human failing as much as fortitude and community spirit.

Whoa! Don't get on a horse until you read this book.

Boost your self-confidence and get the most for your money with this one-of-a-kind companion guide to riding lessons.

Getting the Most from Riding Lessons gives you all the information you need to communicate effectively with your instructor and advance your riding skills outside of lesson time. Following the easy, step-by-step instructions, you'll learn how to:

-- Warm up and condition key riding muscles

-- Brush up the basics

-- Perfect the use of the aids

-- Improve control and coordination

-- Master diagonals, evasions, and collection

-- Advance to jumping and showing

Give your horse a gorgeous look! Charni Lewis provides step-by-step instructions for 30 mane and tail braids for both casual outings and specialized events of all riding styles. Full-color photographs and detailed illustrations bring every twist and turn to life, while also clearly demonstrating proper hand positioning. Get inspired and experiment with a Scalloped mane braid or a Four-Strand Weave for the tail. Not only will your horse look great, the time you spend braiding will help develop that special bond between you and your horse.

Chris LeDoux was a rodeo icon, known for his ability to ride bareback horses and a world championship. But Chris also had a talent with a guitar and an ability to put the life and thoughts of a rodeo cowboy into song. With the help of his family Chris started selling audio-cassettes out of his rigging bag at rodeos, just as a way to help pay his way down the road. Little did he or anyone else know that after he hung up his bareback rigging and stowed the rigging bag, that he would become a country music sensation, "Gold Buckle Dreams: The Life and Times of Chris LeDoux" tells not only of Chris's life growing up and on into rodeo, but is has been expanded to include his life after rodeo. Although Chris LeDoux and his music had a big following in rodeo, it was not until Garth Brooks mentioned LeDoux in a song, that the rest of the world discovered the man. When his career ended in rodeo, LeDoux found a second round of fame in the music world, where he gained an international following. Unfortunately his life ended prematurely, the legend and music of Chris LeDoux live on.

Final Calls to Absent Friends is a collection of newspaper columns and personal reminiscences in tribute to numerous jockeys, horses, and people related to horse racing.

At last the dressage world has a sensible means of reconciling classical idealism with show-ring aspirations! Uta Graf has made a name for herself as a trailblazer in the international dressage scene, advocating for a method of combining the highest levels of performance with natural horse care and conscientious training. The system she uses has proven to turn talented prospects into happy athletes, while transforming not-so-perfect dressage horses into willing and able partners. In these pages, Graf shares her schooling exercises, as well as the techniques she uses to incorporate groundwork, long-lining, trail riding, creative play, bombproofing, and turnout in her training program. The result is dressage that makes reaching your riding goals look and seem easyeven effortlesswhile ensuring a healthy, contented horse.