"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.

Might it be that learning to communicate with the horse helps us to reframe the way we perceive each other and how we see ourselves? In this sequel to her book The Spell of the Horse, Pam Billinge's exploration of the spiritual connection between horse and human unfolds in a timeless, profound way. When she follows her dream to a farmhouse in France, she is able to live alongside her herd for the first time. Here, in the heart of nature, deeper insights are revealed into the true nature of the horse and the incredible power of presence to transform. A pioneer in embodied horse-led therapy and leadership development, Pam's story is interwoven with those of inspiring individuals and groups she has supported: from people experiencing relationship breakdown to large organisations looking for culture change; from the bereaved or lonely to the confused wishing to explore what next. Steeped in simple wisdom, the stories offer the reader a pragmatic, mindful template for personal transformation. Through the wisdom of the horse, learn how to live authentically and to engage open-heartedly with all that is.

Horses and Donkeys continue to be important to most societies as either recreational or working animals. Presenting a broad coverage of topics relating to horse and donkey ownership, The Handbook of Horses and Donkeys is an introductory guide providing expert advice on current ethical management practices. The history, evolution and domestication of equids is covered, along with equine anatomy and physiology, nutrition, behaviour, learning and cognition, communication, equine health and disease, hoof care, first aid, parasitic infections, preventive measures, pregnancy and foal management. The book is practical, guiding the reader towards good management and best practice. Functional topics are also covered, including body condition scoring, estimating body weight, calculating dietary rations, stabling, pasture advice and management of abnormal behaviours and stereotypies. The approach is holistic, with a global perspective of the care and different uses of equines worldwide and of equine health in relation to the global spread of infection and diseases. The information presented is expert-led but written in an informative and accessible way, designed to be applicable to the novice or experienced owner.