|
Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Domestic animals & pets > Horses & ponies
Here for experts, beginners, and do-it-yourself horse owners is
all the information necessary to the modern farrier's art of
horseshoeing. In this second edition Robert Wiseman describes and
illustrates not only basic shoeing techniques but also special
shoeing procedures for the American Saddlebred, Quarter Horse,
draft horse, parade horse, and race horse, among others. Hoof
diseases and defects that cause lameness and sometimes complete
disability are clearly defined, with instructions for the
corrective shoeing methods necessary to each ailment. A specialized
section on metalwork and handmade shoes will appeal to the
devotee.
An eastern European father, a Yorkshire childhood, 6th form at a
boy's school, events officer for Young Farmers, student
physiotherapist at Manchester Royal Infirmary during the Yorkshire
Ripper years, intrepid pioneer of sidesaddle hunting,
commander-in-chief to a notorious political husband - these are
just some of the themes that make this new book so compelling. But
what really makes this story so remarkable is the author herself,
and the focus and determination with which she drew on her
experiences to influence her unique and transformative career as
one of the county's leading equine physiotherapy specialists.
Mirroring the way Katie and her husband tackle life, this book
challenges the `rules' to create something refreshingly new.
Instead of taking the easy option of writing a book about the
evolution of modern equine physiotherapy, Katie has found a
bewitching way to envelop it within her own story - her
autobiography - as an irresistible means for growing wider interest
in this fascinating topic. So, Katie's readers will typically come
from two camps - lovers of biography who will relish the
page-turning way that she relates her escapades and life-forming
experiences; and equestrians (professional and amateur alike) who
will eagerly absorb every detail and colour as she describes her
experience of breeding, showing, training, hunting and, of course,
healing horses. Thus, whilst this is a `horsey' book, the ultimate
test will be the number of readers from the biography camp who
thoroughly enjoy their dip into the equine world with Katie as
guide. And in this book that is a given. The book is so well
thought out that by the time the horse novice reaches the treatment
descriptions, they will feel that they have known horses all their
life. There is a serious vein in the book too. As an expert in her
field, Katie has seen the very best and the very worst of equine
care. And being a true Yorkshire lass, she calls a spade a spade
and may shock some people with some of her astute observations. The
hope is that this will also inspire a more responsible and
realistic approach to horse ownership and particularly to equine
health and injuries. With some beautiful real-life equine
photography and a never-before shared insight to a rare but
invaluable mode of treatment, all explained in professional but
accessible language, this book is a fantastic read for horse lovers
and newbies alike. And as with all of the best biographies, by the
end you will feel you have known Katie all of your life - and will
celebrate that too!
|
|