4 comments about The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd.

1. Loving horses my entire life, I read from this book another soul who felt the same. Horses are different. It's not like getting a dog to lie down or roll over, horses have a different idea about how things should be. And THIS is how it should be. I rode my first horse just the way he talks about it. I see a little of him in each of Joe's horses and I know I did the right things for him. Having been a true believer in patience, kindness and caring for a horse who had been beaten up more than once, this book expressed in words what I could only do from the ground. The writing is caring and at times deep. It is funny and thought provoking.
   
   It is unfortunate that most of the readers of this book will be those who love horses. Because there are SO many who should read it and understand their way is totally wrong. Submission is not the same as loving and showing love and Joe knew just what to say to show us how.
   
   God bless you and all those who love their horse(s)and want to see them grow in more ways that "up".



2. I love this book. I couldn't stop reading it, so I stayed up way too late, but I finished the book--every word of it. It made me feel like a kid again, when I hid under the covers past my bedtime to read horse books--all the Walter Farley Black Stallion books, horse bios like Exterminator...this is a great book, written with compassion, and allowing the reader to live Joe's experiences. I am in awe of how Joe Camp has managed to compile the Natural Horse wisdom into such a nurturing and personal format. I'm sure that every reader will project him/herself into the situations that Joe describes with his horses. Anyone who has ever been with horses or who loves horses needs to read this book.



3. Lately I have read a number of books that seek to explain and satisfy the human yen to connect physically, emotionally and even spiritually with the horse. And yet The Soul of a Horse is the only one I've come across that speaks with a totally resounding note of truth. Coincidentally (or not?) it's also the only one I've read that is written with the unflinching insight that a deep and satisfying connection with another individual - human or otherwise - requires us to set aside our own aspirations, expectations and needs in order to clearly understand those of the other.
   
   The horse has largely lost its traditional place in human affairs as the ubiquitous beast of burden. But we still tend to value these generous and beautiful animals mainly for what they can do for us, whether it's feeding our egos through winning ribbons or races or providing therapeutic release from the stresses and strains of life.
   
   The Soul of a Horse examines the biological, physiological and emotional needs of the modern domestic horse and how successfully these are met by widely used and accepted methods of husbandry, handling and training. A delightful blend of autobiography, critical analysis and storytelling, this book engages the reader intellectually and emotionally from start to finish. Joe Camp presents his `life lessons from the herd' with the same humble, gentle yet persuasive persistence we admire in the very best horse trainers.
   
   A heartwarmingly affirmative read for the barefoot horse owner, this book is also a `must read' for any person who has ever owned and loved a horse.



4. This is a wonderful glimpse into The Soul of a Horse, and it has changed how I think about horses, their care, and relationships between man and animal. The book reads like an affable but intense conversation with someone whose experience and research has in no way dulled his infectious enthusiasm. It is easy to read and hard to forget.
   
   Three separate perspectives braid themselves throughout the book: a wild herd of horses, a neophyte horse owner, and experienced voices of experts in their field. The three views create an ever evolving, ever building comprehension. The choices made in the book are not always the easy ones, but prove to be the right ones.
   
   As I was reading, I came upon a part and thought, "Ah, here's the crux of what he's getting at." That happened on page 40, and then again on page 79, and then on page 92, and then 109, and 116, 119... on and on. There is a lot to think about, whether is applies to horses, animals, friends, family, or oneself. The lessons and perspectives offered in The Soul of a Horse are an inspirational and thought provoking gift to the world of horses, the world of mankind, and ourselves. I feel as though I have peeked into a mystery and found some comprehension.
   
   If you love horses, it is an absolute must read. But if you have an on-going relationship with any animal, you will gain a lot from this book.

5 comments about Chosen by a Horse.

1. This is a beautiful horse story. It should be paired with Joe Camp's "The Soul of Horse", another beautiful horse story.The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd



2. Chosen by a Horse
   
   This book is absolutely the most delightful reading I have done in quite some time. Ms. Richards story telling abilities were as refreshing as a cool glass of water on a hot and humid day. Ms. Richards story was expressed in the most honest, touching, and gentle way, it enabled me to connect to her experience almost as if I had experienced it myself. Her story telling style is clean, direct and unadorned, hence that lovely feeling I had of having read something almost pristine in the context of the written word. The story was so well told the only disappointment I might express, was that it ended much too quickly. I truly felt saddened when I came to the end, and only wished that it could have gone on longer. Happily for myself I just found out that she came out with a follow up book, which I am purchasing today, the title is "Chosen Forever". I cannot wait to get my new book and continue along this journey that Ms. Richards began to pen so beautifully in "Chosen by a Horse. I purchased numerous copies of this book and shared it with all of my friends, I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.



3. I loved this book! I became attached to Lay Me Down. This book is perfect in demonstating horse-owner relationships. Animals in general have a way of tuning us more into ourselves by just spending time with them. A perfect book for any horse and/or animal lover!



4. I really enjoyed this book. What a remarkable horse Lay Me Down was, and you really got a sense of that through Susan Richards writing. I enjoyed her writing style and wit. If you like this book, you'll also love books by Melanie Sue Bowles (my other favorite real-life horse author) like The Horses of Proud Spirit.



5. What a beautiful story! A friend sent me this book and I finished reading it within a day. The author really knows how to write in a flowing, easy-going manner with plenty of wit and intelligence, making it easy to do so.
   
   "Chosen By A Horse" refers to one pre-named Lay Me Down whom the author, Susan Richards rescues through the SPCA and brings back to health and a better life.
   
   Ms. Richards had already been through a hauntingly rough childhood. In her later years, she indulged in her love of horses and had three to take care of before bringing Lay Me Down to the herd. She knows and writes about her horses as another might describe the personalities, antics and endearments of human children. One can easily picture and imagine each horse - especially Lay Me Down - the sweetest and most trusting of horses in spite of what the brood mare had suffered in her past life.
   
   When a tumor develops near Lay Me Down's eye, Ms. Richards writes about Lay Me Down's reaction to the vet's visit and tests, "She sighed over the bucket and licked the lid of the sonogram machine. Everything she did seemed precious to me, precious and tender. For me, her terrible past was always a presence, a reminder of what it was that had survived: this sweet, kind nature, qualities so lacking in my human family they seemed like miracles to me now."
   
   When death seemed imminent, this is written: "It was as though Lay Me Down and my childhood had merged into the same thing: losing what mattered, losing love. In a crazy way, it felt like Lay Me Down had been taking care of me ever since I got her, bringing to life parts of me that had died with my mother. By her gentle affection I felt restored to the status of someone who mattered, someone who was needed. She gave me that, a sense of family. We both had belonged to nobody, nobody who cared, and now so late in our lives, this miracle had occurred. We had come together on my farm, and for the first time, we had both been free from our fears."
   
   The ending is especially poignant and touching.

5 comments about Clinton Anderson's Downunder Horsemanship: Establishing Respect and Control for English and Western Riders.

1. I had been watching Clinton Anderson on RFD TV and decided to read his book. The book was an easy read. I have been able to take the information and use it with my horse. I have read several books including Parelli's Horse-Man-Ship; Leslie Desmond, and Tom Dorrance. Anderson's book is by far the best if you want something that will give you a step by step program for working with your horse. He also includes the reasons for the steps that make the process logical. This is a really great book and addition to your library!



2. I have have been having ground manner problems with my four year old horse. I bought books upon books to help me find ways to gain respect from my horse. I came upon this book and it works wonders! My horse caught on very well with the exercises and they were easy to do. I highly reccomend this book for any horse owner. Not only does it teach your horse to respet you but also teaches him every day task that make handling and riding easier and more enjoyable. I am not complety through the book with my horse but there is already a day and night differance.



3. I have been riding and training horses for over 40 years. I have read books by all the top modern trainers and many from the past. Clinton Anderson is the best of all the trainers and the best teacher of trainers. Anderson's explanations of training and horsemanship are clear and without the pyscho-babble or mystical feel non-sense that so many trainers pass off as horsemanship. If you're looking to study horsemanship at it's best you cannot do better than Clinton Anderson.



4. I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it very helpful. I especially liked reading what the two women thought of the exercises and how it worked for them and their horses. My horse has been "experimented" on with some of these exercises and I found it has improved her. She also seemed to enjoy the change of training direction.



5. i have two horses, and they both have their moments. but after reading this book, and applying what clinton talks about, i have seen a noticable improvement in both of my horses. and the two ladies used in this book were very helpful with the input they had at the end of every excercise. it seems that each of thier horses have some of the same issues that i have with mine. i would definatley reccomend this book to anyone who has horses whether you are experienced or not, i believe everyone could bebefit from clinton's expertise.

5 comments about Tug of War: Classical Versus "Modern" Dressage: Why Classical Training Works and How Incorrect Riding Negatively Affects Horses' Health.

1. I would that every rider, regardless of discipline, would read this book. It relates excellent information that goes against the grain of much commonly held training. Our horses would move with more freedom and pleasure and have long careers instead of early retirements. Well illustrated and explained. It's actually a quick read. The principles are simple and consistent. Very accessible.



2. This book is great for riders, judges, and anyone interested in the good of their horse. Pictures are very informative to show correct & incorrect riding, training.



3. There aren't enough superlatives to praise this book. It is a must read in my view for anyone who owns, rides, trains, or works with horses.



4. Horses are amazing animals so it is up to us as riders to be educated from all points of view. This book explains in extreme depth and anatomically why rollkur and other harsh methods do nothing for the horse except give them a pain in the neck, poor muscling and other problems. If you are sick of being told that "modern dressage" is the way to go then read and be educated, take a stand for your horse.



5. I refer to this book again and again. I am learning dressage to help my horse be strong and healthy and relaxed, and this book shows me what "right" looks like and what "wrong" looks like and why which is which. Interestingly, most of the "wrongs" show high level dressage horses, which reminded me to remain objective, and to not be impressed by "impressive show dressage horses/riders," but to look carefully at the movements and ask if that training builds up the horse or breaks it down. I learned a lot about conformation, too, in this book, and how much we can help our horses. And the "why" of right vs. wrong isn't explained with "because I said so" or sycophantic genuflection at "The Masters." It's explained clearly and anatomically, so that you can see how incorrect riding breaks down and hurts your horse, leading to lamenesses and injury and stress, and how thoughtful riding helps your horse AND your dressage scores. I am so glad to have this book -- as the one responsible for my horse's health, longevity and happiness, this book helps me take good common-sense care of her, even though I am not a vet and can't afford regular lessons/clinics with top trainers. Truly, finding this book is a relief. Now that I see the big picture, I can just practice and try to improve her body and mind with lots of gentle bending and better riding.

5 comments about How to Think Like A Horse: The Essential Handbook for Understanding Why Horses Do What They Do.

1. Really liked this book, lots of helpful information, some things I already knew and some things didn't know or think of before.



2. The buyer of this book was so disappointed and appalled to see that the book was actually printed in China that he has refused to own it, nor to read it, and has returned the book.



3. Cheryl Hill is a new hero of mine. Her grasp of the equine species is tremendous and she has a beautiful and easy way of communicating her deep knowledge to us in this book. I now require all my children to read it (cover to cover) as it will help them understand why horses do what they do, and how, in our becoming better horsemen, we will bring out the amazing horse inside each one of ours. The layout is excellent, photography spectacular, and the format so easy to follow and read. Five stars for sure.



4. Not everything I have read so far in this book was new to me, but it is an excellent book nonetheless. I'd highly recommend it to new riders. It is also an easy enough read that young people would also enjoy it. I certainly would have loved it as a child (of course I read the dictionary and the encyclopoedia, too. . .:>).
   
   In my long history as an animal philanthropist (much to the dismay of my mother!), one of the most critical components of appropriate care is understanding the physiology, the mental processes and the inherent behavior of an animal, be it a gerbil, dog or hippopotmus--no, I never had one of these. This book presents all of that and more on horses. It is also written in an engaging style, which makes the information more interesting than it could have been.
   
   Highly recommended.



5. Excellant book a must have for any horse owner. Right on the money and greatly priced. Highly recommend this book for any horse person.

5 comments about What Your Horse Wants You to Know: What Horses' "Bad" Behavior Means, and How to Correct It.

1. I really enjoyed the book. I am a new horse owner and found the book to be very helpful.



2. Very good reference book. Author presents from the horse's point of view which is how the title reads. As usual, however, the one problem that my hose developed is missing. But that may be expected since horses don't often read.



3. Whether you're a beginning horse trainer or more advanced, and no matter what kind of training you are into, this important reference guide will teach you to communicate with your horse.



4. Gincy has provided a wonderful resource for all horse owners whether beginners or seasoned experts. No matter what discipline you are involved with, this book will become a favourite. It applies to horses beginning their education as well as seasoned competitors, ridden or driven, and just much loved family pets.
   
   The basis for all relationships with our horses is communication. Gincy explains clearly how to read what your horse is saying to you and how to clearly communicate your instructions to him.
   
   This book, like Gincy's others, is full of Gincy's very perceptive insights into equine behavior and motivation. At the same time, she generously cites highlights from the work of other successful trainers and instructors. She totally understands and loves her subject. She isolates each 'problem' or unwanted behavior, explains what it means and not only tells us how to change it but also what not to do.
   
   For the beginner, this book provides a ready reference to cover hundreds of situations that arise in our day to day association with our horse or pony. For the experienced horse person, it is a compendium of knowledge that is so far unequaled in training literature.
   
   Aside from all that, it is an entertaining read.
   
   Jessie and ponies



5. A good read, in dot point form. Good as a quick reference or a long read.

5 comments about Natural Horse-Man-Ship: Six Keys to a Natural Horse-Human Relationship.

1. I thought this book was excellent! I am a new horse owner and found it to be very helpful. Also, I am not into hurting my horse so reading about working with him naturally was right up my alley.



2. I love the parelli level system but this book is poorly organized and not very helpful. It is more about a philosphy and witty remarks than a method of training. Stick to the level DVDs.



3. i enjoyed reading and value the information in this book.even if you don't have a horse just love them you would find this book interesting.



4. Four stars go to the content, because Pat Parelli is a demi-God in the field of horsemanship, and so anything he has to teach us will be amazing, and teach us he does in this book. But, the layout, photography, and even the writing is sub-par. Layout wise I find the book a bit intimidating/confusing and unorganized. Photography is okay, many times blurry, and the photos are mostly in black and white. The writing at times is cool, because it sounds like he is talking to you, but often it is repetitive and too wordy. I give it four stars, though, because there is so much you can learn from the book once you overlook its defects.



5. Very good, clearer and more concise than what I have seen Parelli do on video. Much less rambling and very to the point.

5 comments about How Your Horse Wants You to Ride: Starting Out, Starting Over.

1. Gincy Self Bucklin is the trainer I wish I had had all these years I've spent riding! I have been training with qualified instructors for 18 years, and I have still learned SO much from this book. I cannot say enough about this book and its sequel. This book is wonderful and it FAR exeeded my expectations. I only wish I had these books when I first began riding - I could have saved so much time, trouble and bad habits!



2. I reccommend this book to everyone who rides and loves horses, whatever level, whatever style. I first bought it because, in my youth having ridden wonderfully kind horses that pretended like I knew how to ride, I wanted to get back into riding when I was in my late fifties. After a year of lessons with a well-qualified instructor, the school horse I was riding got fed up with my mistakes and sent me sailing. Two operations and two years of physiotherapy later, I went back, just to make a point. It took me a year to get back to about where I was before the accident. Then I hit a block. I didn't seem to be making any progress, in spite of two or three lessons a week. That is when i read this book and a lot of lights came on. Gincy's "active hand" transformed an irritated,head-tossing horse to a calm, attentive partner. Once I grasped her explanation of lateral centering, the horses I rode stopped cutting corners. My instructor and the people I ride with started paying me compliments on my position and my progress. I continue to read and reread her books, and the lights are still coming on. Some people may complain about the detail, but if that's the particular problem you're working on, you want all that detail. Someone commented that Gincy writes for instructors, to help them be better teachers, but if you don't have an instructor, or if he knows it all and doesn't think he has to read books, students can learn directly from the book. As Gincy mentions, many instructors know what you should be doing, but don't know how to explain to a student how to do what is an automatic reflex for an advanced rider. It's certainly helped me to understand why my instructor was always saying "shoulders back, heels down!" etc. I reccommend it to my friends, but as someone else mentioned, it's not a book you can lend, because it doesn't come back. And perhaps the best thing about the book is Gincy's wonderful attitude towards horses and understanding their behavior. I found that Gincy accomplishes everything she set out to do in her introduction.



3. How Your Horse Wants You to Ride: Starting Out, Starting Over
   
   If our horses could have a verbal conversation with us, it would be about how they want us to ride on their backs. So, if that is the information you are looking for, this book will do that for you. Coming to horses late in life, with only weekend trail riding and no ownership in my background, learning to train my horse and ride her has, at times, been overwhelming. All bad habits that horses have are from bad training, not from stubbornness or naturally occurring mean spiritedness. Every interaction we have with our horses teaches them something, good or bad. Gincy is a patient person, I know from interacting with her on her Riding with Confidence list group on Yahoo. She has great insights into muscle memory, fear, breathing, etc. and the way those things cause horses to react in one way or another. How Your Horse wants you to ride is not a quick fix answer. It is deep and thoughtful requiring work on the part of the owner/rider. The reward is as great and worth striving for. After all, if you have a horse, you want to have fun with it, not be fearful of it.



4. This book has inspired me to work on bareback exercises this summer to retrain my balance. I'm sure my horse will thank me. Having ridden with the author when I was a teenager (40 years ago), I remember the value of the bareback riding after this book reminded me. I have tried to read Sally Swift's "Centered Riding" but just didn't engage me. This book has and I will be applying the lessons to myself.



5. I started riding quite late in my life and this book has been a great help to me. Whenever I encounter a problem I consult it again and it always gives me new ideas which work. I like especially the mixture of at home, on the ground and on the horse exercises. You can try basics safely first before you mount your horse. I am a Western rider and although its focus is English riding I was able to use it.

5 comments about Horses Never Lie: The Heart of Passive Leadership.

1. Mark has written a nice book, not clearly a manual or a How to.. book but a text full of experiences. It's not literature about horses but a book about different horses and experiences, giving clues about horsenalities and personalities. A fun and interesting book.



2. Quite simply, I love horses, and I loved this book.
   
   What Mark writes about horses and humans gets to the heart of what life's all about. If I was the CEO of a big company, I'd bring this cowboy in to talk horse with my upper management, let them figure out why. I relate to his idea of quiet leadership.
   
   I've since read three of Mark's other books. All of them have something unique to say, Mr. Rashid is a man with sharp prespective on life and a way with words.



3. We learn that when we have problems with horses it is because our attitude is not adapted to the horses nature. It shows us that anything a horse does is dictated by his nature, we musn't take it personally, we just have to figure out how to help de horse to understand the situation wihout using any kind of force. Many examples show that the thing to do is very simple...we tend to make things more difficult for the horse.



4. Mark has a way to really draw you into his stories! I always enjoy reading anything this man writes. What a sense of humor!



5. With attitude "Another horsemanship guru...yeah, right" I started to read this book. I had no previous experience on this author nor his works, but have read a lot of horsemanship literature lately.
   
   And I was positively surprised! Even for an old cynical and critical reader like my self,the book was very entertaining and nicely written. The language was very good even for non-native english reader.
   
   And the stories...Well first of all, they were really nice to read. I appreciate Mark Rashid's style telling about the horses,since every horse is different - every horse has an own story to tell. And they sounded like they could be true, and the principles like they could work! They also gave a lot to think about the leadership with horses...It is obvious to me now, that there can be several kinds of leadership styles - so there is where to choose from. It is up to you, what kind of leader you want to be to your horse. And if one approach doesn't work, you can always try another. I think this was the core message of the book.
   
   What I was missing were some stories about Mark Rashid's own unsuccessful or bad experiences with horses...Because sometimes you will learn most from those. I am not convinced that all horses work with the principles presented in this book...but I am certainly eager to give them a try.

5 comments about Centered Riding (A Trafalgar Square Farm Book).

1. This is really the only decent book on how to ride centered. The only problem is that the imagery is more confusing than it is helpful at least for me. But I am the kind of person that needs to be told how to do something(tilt your pelvis, relax your ankles) rather than be told to think like a tree(whatever that means!!!)
   
   I still recommend this book because it does contain excellent detail on the proper way to ride. The anatomy lessons are excellent and explain WHY(based on physics) you have to sit a certain way. I just find myself rereading this book over and over to get a full appreciation of the information.



2. Being a novice rider who has been interested in zen methods and meditations for years, I would have bought this book even if it contained only this one piece of advice that I've seen in no other publication. The advice: Ask someone to check your posture while you're sitting on the horse, looking at you from behind because one side is usually stronger than the other and the stronger side tends to be shorter. This unevenness can be observed from the back because the line of the spine and the pant's seam do not come over the horse's backbone. The author then explains how to correct this problem, even though it feels wrong at first and it takes time to become comfortable with balanced riding.
   
   Sally Swift's use of visualization to practice correct breathing, maintain soft eyes, etc. is also quite useful to me, because it gives me a way to direct my attention to the discipline at hand and less to trying so hard to do it right.
   
   "Centered Riding" is a book that I was thrilled to find and it will be a valuable reference to me as I begin to learn to ride correctly on the sweet and gentle Standardbred gelding that I recently adopted from the Second Wind Adoption Program in West Union, West Virginia.



3. excellent book for any rider.great book to keep for future reference. excellent drawings that help you visualize what the author is referring to for certain lessons.



4. I love this book. I ordered these books for my riding students for Christmas. They were shipped just in time for Christmas.



5. My riding instructrix recommended this book. She initially lent me her copy. I was so impressed by the book that I purchased my own copy.
   
   It has been very helpful but I need to practice more the techniques presented in the book. I was also impressed by the recommendation from Billy Steinkraus whom I was a fan of many years ago when he competed in the Olympics for the USA.
   
   Regarding the criticisms by some riders that there is too much nonsense in their view in the images presented, I think these people are forgetting that the authoress Sally Swift tells the reader that he should only use those images that he finds helpful.
   
   I wish the instructors I had years ago had recommended this book.