Last Chance Mustang is the story of Samson, a formerly free-roaming, still wild-at-heart American mustang that was plucked from his mountainous Nevada home and thrown into the domestic horse world where he was brutalized and victimized. After years of abuse, Samson had evolved into a hateful and hated, maladjusted beast until the day he found his way to a rural Illinois farm, an ill-equipped owner, and one last chance. Mitch Bornstein's task was to tame the violent beast whose best defense had become offense. He had twenty years of experience fixing unfixable horses, but Samson would be his greatest challenge. Through the pair's many struggles and countless battles, Samson would teach Mitch about the true power of hope, friendship, redemption and the inspiring mettle of the forever wild and free American mustang. Last Chance Mustang will move the reader to both tears and laughter. Part history lesson, part training manual, and part animal narrative, Samson's is a story that all readers will be able to relate to: a story of survival, trust, and ultimately, finding love.

Barefoot Horse Keeping provides a practical, accessible and objective guide to barefoot horse keeping. The book draws on empirical research and the authors' twenty-five years experience delivering barefoot hoof care, saddle fitting, behavioural training and rider coaching. Topics covered include: the Barefoot philosphy; the herd and the environment; hoof trimming; diet and nutrition and equine anatomy and biomechanics.

Mindful work with horses, says neurosurgeon Allan J. Hamilton, can enlighten the human handler as much as it benefits the horse. Evolving over 30 million years to become the quintessential prey animal, equines have developed acute right-brain survival skills, such as leadership, awareness, empathy, and cooperation. In particular the horse has finely honed abilities to lead, communicate, and connect not with words, but with the vital emotional energy described in the Buddhist tradition as chi. When we learn the language of chi, we become more effective as leaders, more attuned to others, and more joyful as human beings."Zen Mind, Zen Horse" begins by examining how the equine and human brains function, often related to their respective roles as prey and predator. Going on to draw insights and wisdom from spiritual traditions such as Zen Buddhism, Ayurvedic healing, and Yaqui shamanism and from the great horse cultures of the Mongolians, Bedouins, and Native Americans, Dr. Hamilton shows the importance of developing right-brain awareness and quieting the left-brain dominance of our Western brains.Seamlessly integrating spiritual principles and practical applications, Dr. Hamilton shows how to apply the chi-based approach to every aspect of horse-human communication, including: - The act of grooming as a spiritual practice- Techniques of alpha-horse leadership that make others gladly follow- Gaze, stance, and gesture as training tools- The irresistible power of infinite patienceUltimately, the author shows the depth of insight humans gain into themselves, as well as horses, after working with these amazing animals.

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.

Horse Breeding provides expert advice and practical information on breeding for all mare owners. In this completely revised and updated reference, author Peter Rossdale explains in simple language the biological functions upon which horse reproduction is based, giving enough background to enable those working in stables and stud farms to cope with any problems that may arise. He never overwhelms readers with excessive detail and avoids being doctrinaire, arguing that there are many ways to the same end and that it is the duty of the vet to explain a breeder's options. Rossdale's purpose throughout is to clarify and be a source of reference, advocating that those working in and on stables and farms should be in a position to make decisions based on background knowledge as well as experience--knowledge that breeders will find inside this book.

The story of how the ancient art of horsemanship has been transformed over the past few decades and its effect on training, riding, tack, medicine, and more. Most significant, it presents that the communication skills involved in this remarkable change can be used to facilitate human relationships. Illustrated with 100's of photos

In these nine intensely compelling essays, with a new preface, bestselling author Tom McGuane shares remarkable stories of the exceptional horses and horsemen he has known as he learned roping, cutting, dallying, and ultimately trust. He addresses the special and profound relationship between humans and horses: what horses reveal about us, what we can learn from them, what they learn from us, and the symbiosis that results from a perfect match. The relationship between rider and horse runs deeper than any show or job, and McGuane's work with both animals and humans over the years provides a rich and nuanced depth of understanding about every level of the bond that he explores in his elegant, award-winning prose.

An un-raced young ex-race horse is sold on to a private owner where he faces a life of neglect; where he is found and rescued by someone despite experts advising he may not recover or make it. This book documents his road to recovery; his and his owner's ups and downs, with photographic images, showing the development of a unbreakable trust and bond between horse and owner despite the previous neglect. The remarkable character that shines through as doors are opened and he is chosen to star in a film.

This is the first in a series of books in which the author approaches equine ecology from a biocentric viewpoint - one that recognizes that horses are biological entities having intrinsic value, and applies those values within the domestic horse's environment. This volume approaches equine nutrition from a species appropriate perspective, and examines why a human-centric industry is the underlying cause of many domestic equine pathologies.

Whether you want to build a solid foundation in your young horse or refresh an older horse's manners, this colt-starting program, featuring emotional training, is for you. It's based on techniques Stacy Westfall used to win the prestigious Road to the Horse colt-starting competition in 2006.
Stacy Westfall shows you how to introduce pressure to a horse in a safe environment so he'll be able to control his fear in the real world, thus building his and your confidence, and making him a safer partner.
In "Smart Start," you'll learn how to: Read your horse's body language to establish the communication necessary for safety and basic control Establish respect and build trust Develop responsiveness and self-confidence in your horse Gain independent control of his head, shoulders, and hips, which will increase your safety and ability to direct his movement both on the ground and under saddle Establish forward motion the key to control when you mount up Use verbal cues Despook your horse

Almost every person working with horses will have studied equine behavior to a certain extent. Understanding the flexibility and limits of behaviour is essential to improving both the horse's welfare and its performance. This book will enable students, trainers, riders and horse owners to understand the fundamental principles behind the behavior of horses and how to apply them in different situations in practice.

Part 1 looks at the constraints which apply to the modern horse because of its evolutionary history and the nature of the evolutionary process itself. Part 2 examines the processes and mechanism which control the behaviour and responses of a horse and explores the sources of individual variation, whilst Part 3 looks at the effect of the environment on the horse's behaviour and welfare. This includes a critical look at current and recent training techniques such as 'imprint training and 'join up'.

Here is a readable, scientific text expertly illustrated throughout the clarify the key concepts in equine behaviour.