2 comments about The American Quarter Horse.

1. The American Quarter Horse is a beautiful book. The photographer, David Stoecklein captures my imagination with his stunning photography. This book covers all aspects of the daily life of the Quarter Horse in the most gorgeous and interesting way. Becky Prunty, an experienced rancher, excellently describes the life of the Quarter Horse. Recently a friend came to visit me and picked up this book off my table and was so impressed by it, asked me to order her one.



2. This is a fantastic view of the working Quarter horse in the American west. Lots of working horses, broodmare bands, ranches , stallions, and all of the American Quarter Horse, which has grown to be as big an icon of the American west as the mustang. And yes, the Quarter horse is the single most popular breed in the USA and probably the world. A great addition to any coffee table and library.

No comments about 100 Ways To Improve Your Horses Health.

2 comments about The Ideal Horse: How to Train Him and Yourself.

1. If you need a glitzy presentation to get you interested in spending time with your horse, DON'T get this book. If you are looking for a big, beautiful, and colorful book about horses to display on your coffee table, DON'T get this book. But if you are seriously ready to spend time with your horse(s) and are ready to tackle the subject of training far beyond any superficial level, THIS BOOK WILL NOT DISAPPOINT YOU! Though the print is small,the book is a jewel in which you will find the procedures (HOW to do everything) carefully explained and systematically laid out for you "simply for the taking!" The basic black and white photos are just that, very basic photos inserted into the text to clearly make a point. Phillips presents all the components of elementary dressage training. I have found most of the other books on horse training which have flooded the marketplace recently,to rely heavily on gorgeous photos, presumably to boost sales. Many of them seem to have holes and gaps in the information presented. Armed with Phillips' book, which is a 1982 reprint, you will need NO additional training books in your personal library...Yes, he says it ALL!



2. i need more information and methods how to tain your horse race
   and what is a new idea for tain your horse racining.

No comments about Horses and Horsemanship (Ensminger, M. Eugene. Animal Agriculture Series.).

4 comments about The Bit and the Reins Developing Good Contact and Sensitive Hands.

1. I did read this book cover to cover. I do agree with the philosophy of humane treatment but I did wish that it was more specific on the processing of developing "good contact and sensitive hands".
   
   Except for the description of a limited number of bits, the information was very abstract. Too much time was spent on discussion various cavessons, as an advanced intermediate rider, I would have liked to have been able to read more discussion on what good hands are/do (we know what they shouldn't do), how one would evaluate one's own hands and how one would improve.



2. A good and informative book, but mostly it just talks about classical dressage/schooling training in relation to the bit and reins/contact with not a lot of detail about different bits and their effects. It is a good book if that is what you are looking for but it is nothing new and the subject is covered well in many other books that are more expansive.



3. This is a really great book in some ways--it discusses all kinds of bits, bridles, and reins, and it has top notch pictures of not only the tack, but drawings of how they affect the horse's tounge and mouth. I learned a tremendous amount from this book. But the book proceeds from discussing training with a snaffle to riding with a pelham for dressage. The chapter on reins near the end applies only to pelhams and dressage. I didn't catch on until nearly then that this is really a book about riding dressage. If you trail ride for pleasure as I do, you can learn from this book, but it offered me nothing about the reins and using my hands as a pleasure rider.
   
   Check this book out of the library and read it--I can't praise it enough for what it taught me about bits. But I'm sorry that I spent money on it because I can't imagine that it's a book that I'll want to visit again and again as the years go by and I encounter other horses in my life.



4. Should be a must for every rider that ever uses a bit. Much more comprehensive understanding of how it effects the horse. The diffrent types and what they are trying to achieve. But it's all in the riders' hands. It's made me come to the conclusion of what NOT to use. Great book!!!

3 comments about The Spirit of the Horse: Photographs and Written Reflections of the American Horse.

1. I personally have both books by editor Tammy LeRoy and photographer ROBERT Dawson. They do, indeed, have absolutely beautiful photographs and Tammy is a gifted writer/editor that helps those photographs be appreciated even more by her words.
   
   If you have an opportunity to pick up these books, they are well worth the investment and make wonderful gifts to everyone -- horse lover or not.



2. Richard Dawson's pictures are beautiful, but the whole book is brought down by the hopeless drivel that is written by LeRoy. She is obviously an uneducated writer who would be better suited to producing bad greeting cards rather than ruining the work of this excellent photographer. If you decide to purchase this book, pick up a Sharpie marker too. Black out all of the text and you will have a reasonably enjoyable time paging through the photographs.



3. Robert Dawson's photographs are so moving. He captures moments that are truly beautiful. His books (Along the Cowboy Trail and this one) make wonderful gifts for those horse lovers and cowboys/cowgirls!

5 comments about Conformation and Performance: A Guide to the Performance Consequences of Common Conformation Points.

1. The author, a veterinarian, goes against common teachings of conformation defects. She says a horse with a thick throatlatch can take in more air than a horse with a nice clean throatlatch...huh? She also says that horses with short necks are usually heavy on their forehand, then she says that horses with long necks are heavy on their forehands. The neck by itself does not make them heavy on their forehands, it is much more involved than that, but she fails to point out this fact. She recommends horses with upright, straight shoulders, and short, upright pasterns be used for roping and sprint racing events. What really was interesting was her thought on a straight, low set neck, being ideal for a dressage horse! She also says the dish face of an arabian prevents the intake of large amounts of air, "leading to exercise intolerance or poor staying power." That will certainly bring a chuckle from the competitive/endurance riders. Photos taken from a three quarter frontal position are used to show a horse with a proportionally short neck. A giraffe would appear to have a short neck taken from the same angle. Then using a picture of a dressage horse doing a pirouette, she says the rider's leg has slipped back because the horse is slab sided. The rider's leg is back because he has put it back to give the correct driving aid for a pirouette. On page 17, she uses a picture of a dressage horse doing an extended trot, saying that, "Contrary to popular opinion...the horse is extending its foot way beyond its nose." She fails to catch the important fact that the hoof, when it reaches the ground will NOT be in front of the horse's nose. This book does a poor job and is very misleading. Experienced horsemen will get a chuckle out of all the misinformation.



2. used a bit more information. The photos that she uses really shows you what she is talking about. I didn't agree with everything that she said but I did like the book overall. The main thing I thought that it needed was more information on what each thing causes a horse to be able to do and not be able to do.



3. I odered this book with high hopes. The premise is wonderful. The left page lists a conformational aspect and information about it. The right page is supposed to have photos illustrating that fault. This is where the book falls apart, most of the photos are so small that they don't illustrate anything. Some of them are just pretty pictures that make no attempt to do anything but decorate the page. A single GOOD photo of each fault is expected, but not delivered. To make matters worse, the author doesn't seem to distinguish between highly prized breed characteristics, like jibbahs, and faults! Someone should take this idea and do it right.



4. I agree it needed more detail. BUT, I think it makes a great quick reference. If fact, it would of been better to shrink down the size of the book to make it easier to pack around. It makes a nice gift for the beginner and average horseperson. If you are into breeding and buying, it is helpful - but you might want more detail. I like the suggested exercise to help improve horse performance - but it could of been expanded on. I do NOT regret buying it. Everyone that has borrowed the book - ask where did I get it and they enjoyed it.



5. If you are expecting the full range for each conformational defect, then you need to go elsewhere. The one photograph provided for each flaw was of excellent quality, but the performance photographs were repetitive. Pictures of the ideal conformation, or a range from good to bad, would have been more informative. The sections on performance consequences were good, as well as the descriptions.

No comments about 101 Dressage Tips: Essentials for Training and Competition (101 Tips).

1 comments about Complete Horse: : Complete Guide Of Riding,Horse Care And....

1. I think this book is good for kids and adults that want to learn about horses. I tells alot of good information about horses. I is a great book for kids or adults that a new with horses.

2 comments about The Arabian English Pleasure Horse: A Guide to Selecting, Training and Showing.

1. To get the full benefit from this book, it would be best to read it before buying or even shopping for your dream English horse. The tips and guidelines Ms. Obenland lays out can help make your selection one that you'll be happy with for years to come. For those that have already obtained their show horse, do not dispair! Ms. Obenland gives excellent advice on how to improve the teamwork between you and your mount. To give your performance the ultimate polish, be sure to get her other book "Show Ring Success".



2. This book is a concentrated guide on English Pleasure for Arabians. It deals with training, finding a trainer, hauling, feeding, riding English Pleasure, correct conformation, tack, rider turnout, and more. A great book!