What does a horse think, what does it see, hear, smell and feel, and how do emotions affect the horse s existence? This book helps the reader take the first step on a journey of discovery. If we can understand the way horses see the world in every sense of the word we can unlock the key to their emotions and understand what prompts them to do certain things. By highlighting many characteristics of the horse that are often overlooked by owners and riders for instance, that horses first see negativity using their left eye; or that they first smell objects using their right nostril the book thus reveals many aspects of the horse that will be unknown to many and explains why and how this can help us with our training. It also explores how our own emotions and actions can affect the horse. The information is based on scientific research but presented in an easy-to-read format, and throughout the text there are practical tips for the rider and anecdotes of the author s experiences of working with both riders and horses.

* A unique and groundbreaking analysis of how to succeed in equestrian sport. * This book unpacks the winning habits of successful equestrians to form a toolkit for readers to develop their own winning habits. * Applying psychological understanding in peak performance, this book is bolstered by interviews with top contemporary professional showjumping athletes to explore and show how leading equestrians have interpreted various methods and built them into approaches for their own training. * Theoretical concepts such as mindset, deliberate practice, focus and flow are broken down and translated into practical steps for a more powerful and effective way of thinking, training and performing. * Renowned equestrian mental coach Annette Paterakis reveals factors of success, as well as answers common questions, from building lasting confidence to responding to failure. * Smashing the myths of talent and hard work, Paterakis offers a refreshing take on mindset, focus and approach to success both in and out of the show ring. * An essential read for anyone who would like to learn or improve their mental game, this book is uniquely suited for equestrian riders, coaches, and other athletes, as well as supplementary reading for applied sport psychology courses.

Opens up a hidden aspect of women's history, imperial history and social history Includes contemporary illustrations, vividly bringing the subject to life Based on important new archival research

The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering is the granddaddy of all cowboy poetry events, proclaimed by the US Senate in 2000 in recognition of its pioneering role in the preservation and revitalization of this important American tradition. In conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the event, this commemorative volume collects 100 poems by various cowboy poets who have appeared at the gathering over the last three decades, from Baxter Black and Wallace McRae to Georgie Sicking and Paul Zarzyski. Representing the best contemporary cowboy poetry from the first gathering to the present, the poets and poems are culled for their importance and quality with consideration for a wide range of topics that represent the richness and depth of this broad genre. In addition to poems that will make you smile, sigh, or sit up straight in your saddle, the anthology features expressive photos of the contributors, biographical and explanatory headnotes, relevant artwork from the Western Folklife Center's extensive archives, and illuminating sidebars on various topics such as working cattle; life on the land; the relationship between cowboy poetry and song; gear, horses, or cattle mentioned in poems; and profiles and photos of important cowboy poets from earlier times. Cowboy poet extraordinare Baxter Black will provide a foreword, and Charlie Seemann, executive director of the Western Folklife Center, will write an introduction that gives context both to the event itself and to cowboy poetry in general, from the days of the trail drives in the nineteenth century to the lives of the hardworking men and women who still ranch and live on the land in the West today.

Before trucks and tractors, draft horses performed the heavy work of pulling wagons, plowing fields, and hauling logs. But the internal combustion engine did not entirely replace these animals; they are still used in many parts of the country for agricultural and other jobs. The Book of Draft Horses is a celebration of these "gentle giants," as well as a practical handbook on breeding, care, training, competition, and working horses.

The gear illustrated and described in this book is made of rawhide. However, leather thongs and plastic string can be worked in the same manner. The illustrations are clear, and detailed drawings show from beginning to end how to make the articles of gear the horseman uses to "work or show" his horse to best advantage. Bridles, hackamores, hobbles, reins, reatas, quirts, and riding crops are just a few of the articles that can be made by following the illustrations and instructions.

Included in the volume is a section titled "How to Make a Western Saddle, " by Lee M. Rice. He explains each step in making a western saddle, with text and drawings.

This is the fourth and final volume in this excellent series of textbooks prepared for college students on equine degree courses. Dealing with the business management side of working in the horse industry, readers will find advice on subjects such as: marketing and market research, preparing a business plan, raising finance, meeting investors, taxation and insurance, employing staff, finance management, VAT accounting, health and safety, and how to expand their business.

In "Sixty Years of Welsh Champions," breed expert Dr Wynne Davies presents a complete record of equine champions from the Royal Welsh Show, 1947-2007. Arranged chronologically, each year lists the female and male champions from each of the four Sections, displaying their pedigree charts (going back to the great-great-grandparents), and records details of the breeder and exhibitor. Each entry is accompanied by a photograph, some of which have never before appeared in print. In addition, the introduction to the book offers a brief history of the show, detailing the changes in the Section classes and the story behind the fluctuation in the number of entries. Both a beautifully presented book with numerous stunning photos, and an exhaustive record of the event at the heart of the Welsh breeders calendar, this is a must have for every Welsh Pony and Cob enthusiast.

Schooling the horse is not just about riding - many problems or misunderstandings between horse and rider can, and should be, sorted out on the ground before attempting to ride at all. This book explains how to school your horse from the ground, starting with fundamental techniques, and gives progressive exercises to work through. It explains the importance of stretching work, how to establish a correct outline, and how to build strength and suppleness. Remedial work is also included to improve crookedness, unbalance, and stiffness, for example. Also covered is the use of training aids where necessary, and schooling over ground poles and cavaletti, as well as jumping the horse on the lunge. Observing your horse working without a rider gives you valuable insight as to the correctness of his paces, how his muscle development can be improved, and his general attitude and willingness. When your horse is moving beautifully on his own, there is no reason why he cannot do the same with you in the saddle.

When barefoot running guru Christopher McDougall takes in a neglected donkey, his aim is to get Sherman back to reasonable health. But Sherman is ill-tempered, obstinate and uncooperative - and it's clear his poor treatment has made him deeply fearful of humans. Christopher knows that donkeys need a purpose - they are working, pack animals - and so when he learns of the sport of Burro Racing or running with donkeys, he sets out to give Sherman something worth living for. With the aid of Christopher's menagerie on his farm in rural Pennsylvania, his wife Mika and their friends and neighbours including the local Amish population, Sherman begins to build trust in Christopher. To give him a purpose, they start to run together. But what Sherman gains in confidence and meaning is something we all need: a connection with nature, the outdoors, with movement. And as Christopher learns, the side benefits of exercise and animal contact are surprising, helping with mental and physical health in unexpected ways.

No wild animal captures the spirit of North America quite so powerfully as the wild horse-nor has any faced such diverse and potent enemies. In this provocative account, Hope Ryden-who helped to ensure the passage of the Wild and Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, which grants mustangs special protection-combs the history of these proud and noble horses. Descended from the Spanish horses ridden by the conquistadors, they evolved into the tough and intelligent ponies that Native Americans-and later, explorers and cowboys-learned to rely on. From the period when wholesale extermination of the buffalo was underway until recent times, commercial and political interests have sought to eliminate the wild horses as varmints.
Unfortunately, these magnificent creatures are in trouble again. In November 2004, an amendment to the 2005 Appropriations Bill opened the way for America's wild horses to be sent to slaughterhouses-thus rendering the no-kill 1971 Wild and Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act obsolete. A few senators have been trying to pass bills to stop the killings, but so far no action has taken place. Meanwhile, horses are being slaughtered by the truckload.
In her new introduction, Ryden addresses these latest developments and tells of the successes and failures of regulation over the years. The subject of a front-page article in The New York Times when it was first published, America's Last Wild Horses continues to be a compelling testament to the life of a uniquely American symbol of grace and wildness, and is a must-read for horse lovers and Western history enthusiasts everywhere.

"His lordship's Arabian," a phrase often heard in eighteenth-century England, described a new kind of horse imported into the British Isles from the Ottoman Empire and the Barbary States of North Africa. "Noble Brutes" traces how the introduction of these Eastern blood horses transformed early modern culture and revolutionized England's racing and equestrian tradition.

More than two hundred Oriental horses were imported into the British Isles between 1650 and 1750. With the horses came Eastern ideas about horsemanship and the relationship between horses and humans. Landry's groundbreaking archival research reveals how these Eastern imports profoundly influenced riding and racing styles, as well as literature and sporting art.

After only a generation of crossbreeding on British soil, the English Thoroughbred was born, and with it the gentlemanly ideal of free forward movement over a country as an enactment of English liberties.

This radical reinterpretation of Ottoman and Arab influences on horsemanship and breeding sheds new light on English national identity, as illustrated in such classic works as Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" and George Stubbs's portrait of "Whistlejacket."

This book advances current literature on the role and place of animals in sport and society. It explores different forms of sporting spaces, examines how figures of animals have been used to racialize the human athlete, and encourages the reader to think critically about animal ethics, animals in space, time and place, and the human-animal relationship. The chapters highlight persistent dichotomies in the use of and collaboration with animals for sport, and present strategies for moving forward in the study of interspecies relations.

The Science of Equestrian Sports is a comprehensive study of the theory and practice of the rider in equine sport. While most scholarship to date has focused on the horse in competition, this is the first book to collate current data relating specifically to riders. It provides valuable insight into improving sporting performance and maintaining the safety of both the horse and the rider. Drawing on the latest scientific research, and covering a wide range of equestrian disciplines from horseracing to eventing, the book systematically explores core subjects such as: physiology of the rider sport psychology in equestrian sport preventing injury biomechanics and kinematics coaching equestrian sport the nature of horse-rider relationships This holistic and scientific examination of the role of the horse rider is essential reading for sport science students with an interest in equestrian sport and equitation. Furthermore, it will be an invaluable resource for instructors, coaches, sport psychologists, or physiologists working with equestrian athletes.

Ground training is the key to safe, successful riding and a strong bond between horse and rider. In "101 Ground Training Exercises for Every Horse & Handler, "best-selling equestrian author Cherry Hill offers a comprehensive series of exercises that cover every aspect of ground training, from haltering to driving, from turning to transitions, from backing to body languages. The book is appropriate for work with horses of every age and breed, and it features a pre-cut hole placed so that the book can be hung in the barn or on a fence post, allowing for easy reference during training. With this book in hand, riders of all disciplines and levels can help their horses become responsive companions that are a pleasure to ride.

There are many factors in day-to-day living that might cause your horse stress, many of which could be eliminated with just a little attention to detail. First, though, we need to understand what stress consists of, the mechanics of it, and what actually happens when we and our horses are subjected to it, both in the short and the long term. Investigations into primary and secondary causes of stress, strategies for coping with stresses when they occur, and practical advice on developing plans for preventing the occurrence of stress in the first place are all covered. There is advice on stress-free care and management as well as riding technique and training. Conditions and diseases related to stress are discussed, along with stress-busting treatments and techniques.

* A unique and groundbreaking analysis of how to succeed in equestrian sport. * This book unpacks the winning habits of successful equestrians to form a toolkit for readers to develop their own winning habits. * Applying psychological understanding in peak performance, this book is bolstered by interviews with top contemporary professional showjumping athletes to explore and show how leading equestrians have interpreted various methods and built them into approaches for their own training. * Theoretical concepts such as mindset, deliberate practice, focus and flow are broken down and translated into practical steps for a more powerful and effective way of thinking, training and performing. * Renowned equestrian mental coach Annette Paterakis reveals factors of success, as well as answers common questions, from building lasting confidence to responding to failure. * Smashing the myths of talent and hard work, Paterakis offers a refreshing take on mindset, focus and approach to success both in and out of the show ring. * An essential read for anyone who would like to learn or improve their mental game, this book is uniquely suited for equestrian riders, coaches, and other athletes, as well as supplementary reading for applied sport psychology courses.

Louise Larocque Serpa often said she was born "in the wrong place, to the wrong woman, at the wrong time." Born in 1925 and growing up in New York society with a mother who was never satisfied with her rather lanky, unpolished daughter, teenager Louise eventually found happiness when she spent a summer on a Wyoming dude ranch scrubbing toilets, waiting tables and wrangling cattle. Later in life, she settled in Tucson, Arizona, where her introduction to photographing rodeos came about after a friend invited her to watch his children participate in a junior rodeo competition. Using a cheap drug-store camera, Louise began photographing youngsters as they bounced and bucked on small sheep and calves, then sold the pictures to proud parents, beginning a career that would span fifty years and take her to the highest pinnacles of rodeo photography. This biography of the legendary rodeo photographer Louise Sherpa, reveals the story of a woman who made her own way in a man's world and who helped shaped the character of rodeo. Interviews with her contemporaries and family and photographs from her family archives add flavor to this lively portrait of a remarkable Western woman.

A new collection of poems from award-winning African American poet Frank X Walker. In this creative foray into persona poems, Walker immerses himself in the life of African-American jockey Isaac Burns Murphy (1861-1896). Murphy's legendary career riveted the attention of the nation and established him as one of the greatest jockeys of all time. Walker gives us the voices of Murphy and his wife Lucy, his mentor Eli Jordan, and his parents James and America Burns. A great teaching book on the neglected history of African-Americans in the history of thoroughbred racing, the racial tension of the post-Civil War South and other important themes. The book is a compelling journey into the heart and mind, family and community of America's most celebrated black jockey.

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.

With scientific research to prove their point, trainers Andrea and Markus Eschbach show readers how they can train and ride horses in a way that is safe, even when they are using very little equipment/minimal tack. This book is your first step toward your dream of riding your horse bareback, without a bit, and even without a bridle, while still feeling secure and in control.

A guide to stable design - practical and full of inspiration and advice. Among the detailed topics discussed are: * Basic requirements of a good stable * Planning a yard - optimum layout and planning permission * Constructing and kitting out stables - flooring, drainage, roofing, walls, doors, windows, stable fittings * Key yard constructions - e.g. feed rooms, tack rooms, rug storage areas, washing-down rooms * Turnout, schooling and training facilities - e. g. lungeing arenas, outdoor and indoor schools * Services, fire precautions and waste disposal - drainage, electricity and water supply, muck disposal, safety * Converting existing buildings, and maintenance and repair The basic principles of good stable design are relevant for all horses and ponies - so whether accommodating an Olympic equine athlete or a family pony, any horse or pony in your care should be housed in a safe environment which caters adequately for his needs - and this book shows you how

This book advances current literature on the role and place of animals in sport and society. It explores different forms of sporting spaces, examines how figures of animals have been used to racialize the human athlete, and encourages the reader to think critically about animal ethics, animals in space, time and place, and the human-animal relationship. The chapters highlight persistent dichotomies in the use of and collaboration with animals for sport, and present strategies for moving forward in the study of interspecies relations.

Riding, training and caring for horses are visceral experiences that require the immersion of both body and mind. This book provides an in-depth understanding of human-horse relationships and interactions as embodied in equestrian sport and leisure. As a closely focused ethnographic study of the horse world, it explores the key themes of partnership and collaboration in human-horse communication, the formation of individual and collective identities performed through involvement in the horse world, and human-horse interaction as an embodied way of being. This book argues that encounters between humans and horses can reveal the ways that human society has been and continues to be structured through intersection with nonhuman others. Equestrian sport and leisure provides an apt context for considering how such concepts of interspecies communication and collaboration are negotiated, managed, (mis)understood and performed, resulting in a uniquely embodied way of knowing and being in the world. Human-Animal Relationships in Equestrian Sport and Leisure is fascinating reading for anyone interested in equestrianism, human-animal studies, theories of embodiment, the sociology of sport, or sport and social theory.

However competent or experienced you are, you will always want to improve - to jump better. From being a complete beginner to competing at the highest level, there is always more to be done, and gridwork is the key, the building blocks of a winning partnership. Jumping trainer Carol Mailer, believes that these and many more problems can be overcome with the help of the grid: * My horse is nappy and bad tempered; is there any chance of him ever competing? * How can I help my horse jump straight? * My new horse was perfect when I bought him. Now he's stopping, running out or charging off with me. Why is he doing it? * I'm an inexperienced rider with a new horse. How can I form a good partnership when we start jumping? * Why does my horse keep putting extra strides in? * Is there a way to calm my horse down and make him listen to me? * I'm having a job stopping my horse cutting corners. Any ideas? Packed with exercises for finessing your technique and insightful solutions to classic jumping difficulties, Better Jumping is a wonderfully practical and inspiring book that will set you on the path to success, whatever your level.