This is a complete guide to horse breeds around the world, and how to ride horses for sport, show or pleasure. It features expert advice on saddles, bridles and bits, training aids, equestrian clothing and protective equipment. It shows you how to look after your horse on a day-to-day basis, including exercise routines and grooming techniques, and information about basic health care and first aid. The noble horse combines speed, strength and beauty with intelligence and a willing nature, and this beautiful box set contains four books for every horse enthusiast. An Illustrated Guide to Horse Breeds of the World is a round-up of the world's breeds, such as Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. The Practical Rider's Handbook covers the basics of riding, from mounting to dressage. Saddlery & Horse Equipment is an illustrated guide to tack and clothing. A Practical Guide to Caring For Your Horse explores the practicalities of equestrian care, such as feeding, watering, plaiting and shoeing. Together, these books form an essential collection for all horse riders.

Master horseman Buck Brannaman, the real-life Horse Whisperer, continues the chronicle of his life as trainer and mentor in Believe, where we meet thirteen remarkable people whose lives he has affected. Through their accounts of help and healing and through Brannaman's own introductions, the reader is inspired by the hope and confidence that he instilled in these individuals. This updated edition includes a new foreword, introduction, and account by one of Brannaman's longtime observers.

Authored by an experienced ethologist, Horse Behaviour draws on recent research in the field of equine ethology and applies it to practical knowledge that can be used to improve the relationship between horse and owner. The focus of the book is on interpreting horse body language and signals to enhance understanding and the bond between human and horse. The book maintains a scientific approach throughout and discusses in detail the science behind horse behaviour - including the evolutionary basis of behaviour, the nervous system and behavioural development. The author addresses behaviour in different situations and body states, including how horses see, hear and smell and how these functions relate to behaviour, also covered are mating and reproductive behaviour and behaviour when feeding, playing and resting. The author adopts a problem solving approach throughout and includes a section on undesirable behaviours and how to manage them. This practical and systematic book is an ideal guide for horse owners, breeders, riders and trainers, and also for equine science students, behaviourists and other equine para-professionals.

The book tells the story of the Secret Society of Horsemen who were the Original Horse Whisperers. The Societies were formed originally in Scotland about two hundred years ago but spread throughout Britain and then across to Canada, United States and Australia. The roots of the Society are obscure but many of the customs and oaths go back to pagan times. The horsemen who formed these groups exploited their membership much like a primitive trade union and tried to use their membership to improve conditions on the farm for themselves and their horses.

Ask someone who works with horses how best to communicate with a balky colt and she will tell you that horses do not respond to human cajoling. To be successful the human must understand and work with, not against, the horse's instincts, needs, and fears. When a trainer resorts to human teaching methods -- reasoning, begging, bribing, even hugging and kissing -- the horse will become confused and unable to respond appropriately. But if horses are treated respectfully with methods they understand, everyone involved -- animal and human -- will be happier, safer, and more productive.
Horse trainer and instructor Cherry Hill believes that every human/horse relationship benefits from a greater human understanding of what motivates horses, how they experience the world, what makes them happy, and what worries them. Journey through the equine mind with Hill as she explores all that makes a horse tick. How do his basic needs dictate his behavior and mood? What touches and tastes appeal to his senses? How does his "flight or fight" instinct dictate his response to sudden movements?
Hill offers interactive experiments -- fun for both horse and human -- that bear out her findings on horse behavior. And her final chapter presents simple training methods that draw from the insights and information presented throughout the book.

This is an invaluable guide to every aspect of horsemanship, from the diverse and specialist equipment for both horse and rider to learning to ride and competing in riding competitions. The first section of the book is a directory-style approach to the full range of horse equipment. Saddles, bridles and bits; training aids and gadgets; clothing and protective equipment are all discussed in detail. The second section is a step-by-step presentation of riding techniques, and the final section covers the world of horse riding competitions. This section examines the wellknown sports of show-jumping, polo and dressage, as well as the more obscure competitions, such as endurance riding, vaulting and driving.

This book has been written to appeal to all relevant audiences, i.e. in the tack-room, the forge and the surgery. It is easy to read and understand and above all, the book is informative and thought provoking. The gulf of understanding between owner, farrier and veterinary surgeon is bridged, by bringing together all interested parties to share a common pool of knowledge and understanding of natural biomechanics, technique and systems practiced. A different perception of Farriery has long been overdue. Foot balance is the main quintessential aspect of farriery and the questions of what is normal and what is undesirable have teased farriers and veterinarians for generations. A number of authors have set down their opinions but none have explored hoof balance in such detail. This book looks at anterioposterior and mediolateral hoof balance, not only defining what is normal and ideal but explaining how, through the forces imposed by the weight of the animal and the levers which make up the limb, the hoof can change shape. Lameness and shoe loss are often considered a reflection of the competence of an individual farrier. This book will help provide the confidence and the evidence to help all parties involved in farriery to understand how form and function are inextricably linked. This book is essential reading for those who are looking to expand their knowledge and for those who seek a more philosophical approach to this ancient craft. It starts as a journey of inquiry, reviewing the past and examining the present, objectively introducing to the reader the wider perspective of farriery; not just about 'shoes on horses' but as a benign manipulative therapy, which forms an integral part of the whole horse concept.

An inspiring and heart-warming short story of devotion and bravery. A thoroughbred horse, Warrior, is passed through various owners before he is shipped to the thick of the action on the Western Front to serve as his current master's mount for all four years of the First World War. Warrior and General 'Galloping Jack Seeley' were involved from the first engagements through to one of the last, the Battle of Moreuil Wood. Together they fought in terrifying battles and witnessed the death of many horses and masters who served alongside them, terrible deaths, but through it all Warrior seemed to pass like a spirit. This is the tale of his heroic wartime exploits and eventual return to the green fields of England. An evocative and powerful story of a real and great war horse. Warrior's story was the basis for the fictional Joey in Michael Morpurgo's War Horse.

Throughout the course of the Second World War, many millions of animals were enlisted to serve. Though they had no choice, yet they demonstrated loyalty, determination and bravery as they shared the burden of war with their human companions both on active service and on the Home Front. From the dogs trained to locate air-raid victims buried under rubble, to the mules that carried ammunition and supplies through the jungles of the Far East, each animal played a crucial role in the war effort. In fact, such was their contribution that those animals that showed exceptional gallantry or devotion to duty were recognised officially with the introduction of the Dickin Medal in 1943. This fascinating book draws from first-hand accounts and contemporary sources to reveal the wide-ranging contributions that animals made both on and off the battlefield.

Societal views on animals are rapidly changing and have become more diversified: can we use them for our own pleasure, and how should we understand animal agency? These questions, asked both in theoretical discourses and different practices, are also relevant for our understanding of horses and the human-horse relation. Equine Cultures in Transition stands as the first volume to bring together ethical questions of the new field of human-horse studies. For instance: what sort of ethics should be developed in relation to the horse today: an egalitarian ethics or an ethics that builds upon asymmetrical relations? How can we understand the horse as a social actor and as someone who, just like the human being, becomes through interspecies relations? Through which methods can we give the horse a stronger voice and better understand its becoming? These questions are not addressed from a medical or ethological perspective focused on natural behaviour, but rather from human acknowledgement of the horse as a sensing, feeling, acting, and relational being; and as a part of interspecies societies and relations. Providing an introductory yet theoretically advanced and broad view of the field of post humanism and human animal studies, Equine Cultures in Transition will appeal to students and researchers interested in fields such as human-animal studies, political sociology, animals and ethics, animal behaviour, anthropology, and sociology of culture. It may also appeal to riders and other practitioners within different horse traditions.

This book describes 150 breeds of horses common in North America and Europe. From work horse to pony, and from lineage to key identifying features, this book is perfect for horse lovers or for the family road trip through the countryside.

Covering everything they need to know about facilities, breeding, and health care, this new edition features a photographic gallery of many types of horses; expanded material on recognizing, preventing, and treating a wide range of health issues, including insulin resistance, skin conditions, and digestive disorders; new vaccination protocols, including vaccinating for West Nile Virus; and updated information on breeding methods, foaling problems, and the care of broodmares and new foals.

Equine Color Genetics, Fourth Edition presents a detailed examination of the color variation in horses and donkeys and the genetic mechanisms that produce color variations. * Thoroughly covers the basic colors in horses, including bay, chestnut, black, and brown * Details the genetic basis of the colors built from the basic coat color, including dilutions and white patterning * Provides an explanation of genetic mechanisms that determine coat color * Presents a thorough revision and update, including new advances in molecular genetics, biochemistry, molecular mechanisms, genetic loci, coat colors before domestication, and more * Offers a new introduction describing the principles of genetics and genomics research to help outline how knowledge is discovered and to assist the reader in understanding concepts covered in the book

Written by experts and founders in the world of equine assisted services (EAS), Integrating Horses into Healing: A Comprehensive Guide to Equine Assisted Services is an all-inclusive, hands-on guide for any practitioner, researcher, or student interested in EAS. The book provides a wealth of knowledge, including perspectives from therapy and coaching practitioners, equine professionals, veterinarians, researchers, clients, board members, and founders of the EAS industry. These diverse perspectives offer a depth and insight that make this a go-to guide for EAS practitioners and researchers. The focus of the book is on the ethical incorporation of equines into different therapy modalities. The well-being of the equine as well as the practitioner team is addressed, as well as sustainability and health within a for-profit and non-profit structure.

BOND is a charming, if somewhat self-obsessed, horse who describes his and HIS HUMAN'S journey, charting the highs and lows of equine and human life with humour throughout. His story begins when he is whisked away from his idyllic life at the stud where he was bred, to be marketed from a dressage horse dealer's yard. After demonstrating his naughty side there, his price is slashed enough for his bargain-hunting human to take a chance on him. He describes her back-story including those angels and demons, legends and idiots, both horse and human, that shaped her to be the sort of person he could train to be his perfect owner. Despite a talent for dressage, Bond is quirky and fails to fit into several stable yards, being asked to leave more than once. Meanwhile, his human struggles through illness and divorce. They travel together both through life and literally when they make the epic voyage in his trusty trailer from Surrey's smart livery yards to their new Scottish Highland home. Here his human seals her future happiness by marrying, in Bond's field by the beach. Finally, delighted to discover that they have indeed heard of dressage in the Highlands, Bond returns to the competition arena to win his coveted rosettes.

The equine hoof is a complex marvel of natural engineering, built to withstand tremendous forces and able to adapt to an astonishing range of environmental conditions. It also changes daily-for better or for worse-in response to external and internal factors. Few horse owners have the opportunity to acquire a deep understanding of the hoof, which limits their ability to advocate on their horses' behalf and make informed decisions about hoof care and management. This book is the first resource of its kind to combine the most current and useful information available, gleaned from the research and wisdom of top hoof experts around the world, with a unique 'hands-on' approach. The authors provide basic terms and anatomy, clearly illustrate the differences between healthy and unhealthy feet, discuss biomechanics and management concerns, and cover the causes, treatments, and prevention of commonly encountered problems, including laminitis, white line disease, and thrush. Along the way, readers are given activities to help them better analyse and understand the most important aspects of equine hoof health, such as hoof balance, depth of sole, and point of breakover. Easy-to-follow language, over 400 full-colour photographs, and do-it-yourself exercises promise to empower horse owners and caretakers of all experience levels with the tools they need to accurately assess hoof health and keep their horses as sound and happy as possible.

This is the true story of the most remarkable horse in history. Foaled in the lavish Ottoman stables of the Topkapl Palace in the late 1870s, this dark bay stallion was hard schooled in the disciplines of war. Until now, his remarkable story has never been told.

Originally published in 1905, this book presents a history of horses and equidae, especially with regard to their relationship with humans. Ridgeway includes photographs of modern-day horses, which he describes as 'the most important ... of all the animals domesticated by man', as well as photographs and drawings of ancient artefacts featuring images of horses or relating to them. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in horses and the history of the immensely profitable human-horse relationship.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN ORDINARY ANIMAL. EVERY ONE HAS A HEROIC STORY TO TELL. Discover how . . . Able Seacat Simon rescued the crew of HMS Amethyst Bobby the Wonder Dog crossed a continent to find his family Galipolli Murphy carried 250 wounded soldiers to safety Pickles tracked down the stolen World Cup And the Tamworth Two managed to save their bacon Clare Balding's stories of daring, courageous, remarkable creatures who changed our world for the better: from the dog that inspired Lassie to the bear that fought the Nazis.

As much as dogs, cats, or any domestic animal, horses exemplify the vast range of human-animal interactions. Horses have long been deployed to help with a variety of human activities--from racing and riding to police work, farming, warfare, and therapy--and have figured heavily in the history of natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. Most accounts of the equine-human relationship, however, fail to address the last few centuries of Western history, focusing instead on pre-1700 interactions. Equestrian Cultures fills in the gap, telling the story of how prominently horses continue to figure in our lives, up to the present day. Kristen Guest and Monica Mattfeld place the modern period front and center in this collection, illuminating the largely untold story of how the horse has responded to the accelerated pace of modernity. The book's contributors explore equine cultures across the globe, drawing from numerous interdisciplinary sources to show how horses have unexpectedly influenced such distinctively modern fields as photography, anthropology, and feminist theory. Equestrian Cultures boldly steps forward to redefine our view of the most recent developments in our long history of equine partnership and sets the course for future examinations of this still-strong bond.

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.

In this book, Jim Masterson, Equine Massage Therapist for the 2006 and 2008 and 2010 USET Endurance Teams, and for equine clientele competing in FEI World Cup, Pan American and World Games competitions, teaches a unique method of equine bodywork, in which the practitioner recognizes and follows the responses of the horse to touch to release tension in key junctions of the body that most affect performance. This practical book: contains step-by-step instructions, photographs and illustrations; is ideally suited to accompany you to the barn, where you will practice the Masterson Method techniques on horses; includes chapters with tips & techniques, anatomical explanations and examples from Jim's practice help deepen your understanding; has a quick reference section that will point you to exercises that are specifically suited to your particular discipline--dressage, endurance, eventing, show jumping, barrel racing, or others in the vast realm of horse sports. By using these techniques, and knowing the responses to look for, you are able to: achieve a release of accumulated stress in deep-seated key junctions of the horse's body that affects mobility, comfort, attitude, training and performance; restore muscular and structural balance, and natural alignment; enable your horse to perform optimally and respond to your training without stiffness and pain and, finally, achieve new levels of communication and trust with your horse that spill over into other areas of interaction.

From the recent spate of equine deaths on racetracks to protests demanding the removal of mounted Confederate soldier statues to the success and appeal of War Horse, there is no question that horses still play a role in our lives--though fewer and fewer of us actually interact with them. In Precarious Partners, Kari Weil takes readers back to a time in France when horses were an inescapable part of daily life. This was a time when horse ownership became an attainable dream not just for soldiers, but also for middle class children; when natural historians argued about animal intelligence; when the prevalence of horse beatings inspired the first animal protection laws; and when the combined magnificence and abuse of these animals inspired artists, writers, and riders alike. Weil traces the evolving partnerships established between French citizens and their horses through this era. She considers the newly designed "races" of workhorses who carried men from the battlefield to the hippodrome, lugged heavy loads through the boulevards, or who paraded women riders, "amazones," in the parks or circus halls--as well as with those unfortunate horses who found their fate on a dinner plate. Moving between literature, painting, natural philosophy, popular cartoons, sport manuals, and tracts of public hygiene, Precarious Partners traces the changing social, political, and emotional relations with these charismatic creatures who straddled conceptions of pet and livestock in nineteenth-century France.

'[Park Lane Stables] is such a force for good' - Rob Brydon '[An] uplifting story' - Horse and Rider This is the story of Park Lane Stables. It is about hope, about horses and about lots and lots of heroes. Natalie O'Rourke was an ordinary little girl from Birmingham in all respects save one: she was lonely. When she discovered how much she loved horses, she decided she wanted to grow up and run a riding stables. She wanted her stables to cater for children and adults with disabilities, additional needs and anyone who needed a friend - people who you might not expect to find riding, but who she knew could find happiness through horses, because she had. Full of guts and optimism, Natalie fought tooth and nail to achieve that dream in the face of some hefty tragedy, heartbreak and hardship. Even the Covid-19 crisis couldn't slow her or her league of fearless Park Lane colleagues down - despite barely surviving financially in lockdown, the stables' 'Pavement Ponies' paid visits to the community on a mission to cheer their neighbours up, and tirelessly supported the NHS. But when the news came that the landlord was selling the stables, and that the Park Lane horses and their humans would be evicted unless they found a whopping GBP1,000,000 to buy the plot, it seemed a mountain too high even for this plucky team to climb. Could they win the support of the nation and with it their fight to save the stables?

This is a detailed guide to medicinal herbs for horses and how they can help in the treatment of a wide range of common ailments. The guide provides an A to Z of common ailments - from allergies to wounds - which can be effectively and safely treated using herbal medicine. It draws on research in herbal medicine as well as in traditional plant-based remedies. Throughout, the author underlines the importance of veterinary consultation, explaining how herbs can be used to complement conventional methods. To provide background information, a materia medica lists the properties of 50 readily obtainable herbs, giving details on habitat, collection, actions and uses, along with folklore and case histories. The author also discusses several non-herbal products, such as vinegar and yoghurt. There are guidelines on how to make herbal preparations, and how to use herbs in compresses and poultices. Advice is given on how remedies are selected and dosages determined, bearing in mind that most herbs take time to bring about a healing reaction. In the final part of the handbook the author describes a range of alternative therapies which can be used alongside conventional or herbal medicine.