3 comments about Understanding Equine Nutrition, Revised Edition (Horse Health Care Library).

1. Understanding Equine Nutrition, Revised Edition (Horse Health Care Library)
   
   I teach Equine Science and require this book for my students. It is easy to read but just as informative as a textbook. This book would be great for the long-time horse owner or someone just starting out. I highly recommend this book.



2. This is a great book, and is a very easy read & well organized. I would definitely suggest this book be on every horse owner's shelf.



3. This is a complete book on horse nutrition, including the newest trends. Covers the new debate over whether grain is best for your horse or not. Short discussions on nutritionally related diseases, such as polysaccharide storage myopathy and laminitis. Written by a nutritionist. Check it out, and check out Horse Illustrated magazine too!

4 comments about Build Confidence Over Fences!: Take the Fear Out of Jumping with This Simple Step-By-Step Plan.

1. The best book ever written for the average rider. Simple, concise and yet well explained. I thought it was so good I bought a copy for my sixteen year old niece.



2. I have really enjoyed this book. It has simple, straightforward exercises I can do on my own.
   After some bad experiences, this book has really helped me move forward.
   I would just like more exercises to build upon.



3. The 1 rating is for the confusion of this order. I have received notification that the book was out of print; mailed; then that I had cancelled the order...I have no clue what has happened to the book I have ordered. It would be nice to be able to truly give a review of it!! I have not found a way to contact anyone about this, though I have tried.



4. This book paid for itself in its first lesson, fixing lead changes...it worked straight from the start. AWESOME.

5 comments about Barbaro: The Horse Who Captured America's Heart.

1. As someone who followed Barbaro even before his Kentucky Derby win, I craved information about him, especially after he passed away. Of all of the books written about this remarkable racehorse, none does him justice as this one does. The pictures are brilliant and glossy and the writing is comprehensive and well done. I still can not look at this book and not get emotional at seeing all the beautiful photos of Barbaro. It is well worth the price to own this book.



2. Sean Clancy did a marvelous job with this book. I laughed, I cried (a lot). If anyone followed what happened to Barbaro this book is a must. Thank you Mr. Clancy for writing such a glowing story about this beautiful animal.



3. This book was beautifully written and I enjoyed every page. Barbaro touched the lives of so many of us and I still feel the sorrow of his tragic injury and ultimate death. What a courageous animal! I also want to give praise to Edgar Prado who wept for Barbaro and probably still does.
   
   This strong, tough as nails jockey has a heart and lots of soul and I admire him tremendously. Barbaro meant much more than a paycheck to Mr. Prado. I am a fan and admirer of this man who felt so much for Barbaro mand who grieved with the rest of the world at his loss.
   
   No praise and no words could pay proper tribute to Dr. Dean Richardson and all the staff who fought so hard to keep Barbaro alive and whose main objective was that he live a life free from pain. What a valient struggle!
   
   It's wonderful knowing there are still professionals who truly care, and human beings who aren't afraid of having a heart and aren't afraid of allowing the world to see it.



4. This is a very well written book of the Barbaro story told with insight and compassion, without being maudlin. Of course when he wrote the book he thought Barbaro would live, as most of us who were rooting for him, did. So the tone is positive and the pictures are worth the price of the book. A great horse and a great story - worth every penny!



5. What a gift this is. Wonderful pictures and step by step story of this incredible horse. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

5 comments about Blessed Are The Brood Mares (Howell Reference Books).

1. I really enjoyed this book, especially because it went into detail about what to look for in the neo-natal foal and post-partum mare. It gave distinct things to look for which helped enable me to make the decision to call my vet in the middle of the night, and eventually saved my colt's life. Indispensible book to have on the book shelf if you breed and foal your own mares. Another great thing about this book, is that it goes into detail about when to re-breed after foaling, when not to, and what steps you will go thru (explained) on how to get her pregnant. Not quite enough information for me on follicle size measurements, edema measurements, short cycling, etc., but for the most part, this is a must have book.



2. Provides people new to breeding a good overall view of the process. It is easy to read and a good reference. This is not the highly technical manual that would turn away the amatuer. At the same time it lacks depth to be a truly serious resource.



3. A must have for the average horse person. This book is extrememly informative, written in a lively way that keeps you reading from start to finish, and is understandable by the layman. I would recommend it highly.



4. This book is a great resource for novice breeders. There is great information and knowledge will help you put your mind at ease. I recommend this book for everyone who is hoping for their first foal.



5. Honestly, I have not read these professional advice books by Dr. Lose. However, If I ever have cause to need advice or mares, foals, or any other health advice on horses, I will be sure to consult her teachings on the subject. I just want to take this opportunity tell anyone interested in her current publications to please read the one book that really gives us the opportunity to have an inside look into what her world is really all about, and to see how she grew into that world. That book is "No Job For A Lady". See where it all started! What a charming and engrossing viewpoint projected by a great veterinarian in the making. Thanks, Phyllis. I read this when I was 10 years old, and 22 years later, I still remeber what I saw.

5 comments about Horses, Hitches and Rocky Trails.

1. This charming book is sure to please anyone interested in good old-fashioned prose created around the subject of packing into the wilderness. Not only is the writing and story-telling fascinating, the artwork that accompanies each of the pieces is wonderful. Joe Back is not only a writer, but an artist, wildlife sculptor, a rustic poet, back woodsman, and most of all, a humorist.
   
   The book covers the method of packing into the wilderness for both the amateur and the professional. Most of the information in the book has never been written down before. Western Horseman magazine reviewed it as the "greatest little book ever written on packing into the back country." For my money, just looking at the detail drawings is worth the price of admission.



2. Horses, Hitches and Rocky Trails has been called the Packer's Bible. Joe's humor and insight make this an entertaining read. His cowboy vernacular fits the subject and keeps the prose lively. This is especially true in the early chapters when he covers the development of packing through the ages; from Genghis Khan to the Spanish invaders of the New World. This is mostly a how too book though, covering everything from selection of gear and livestock, to packing it all up on the back of a critter and heading off into the hills. There is a wealth of information here, along with Joe's art work depicting what he is talking about, whether tying a hitch or training your pony. You might want two copies, one clean copy for your library and another-that you don't mind getting dirty-for your saddle bag.
   
   You might want to be careful with some of his advice though, especially if you care about your old mountain pony. For instance, in the book he demonstrates how to picket a horse to an old log. I have no doubt that this method will work as far as keeping your charge from leaving the country, but you will also lose a certain percentage of animals to injury this way (some would claim those are the animals you don't want anyway!). In Joe's defense, he lived in the first half of the 20th century when horses were cheap. Just remember there are many ways to skin a cat, and the country you are traveling through will dictate the best methods.
   
   One aside, Joe did not like mules which he readily admits in the book; in my opinion though the average horse does not measure up to even a fair mule when it comes to traveling through the mountains. If you want to read an account of packing in the second half of the 20th Century do check out my book "Across the High Lonesome!"Across the High Lonesome



3. This is a repurchase of an old friend. Years ago my career and life took me to Wyoming. Like many, I fell in love with the high country and soon realized that the only way to get to the best of it was with horses. As a relative greenhorn, however, I had a lot to learn about getting to and living in the high country, with or without horses. A friend gave me Joe Back's book Horses, Hitches and Rocky Trails. Somewhere along the way, I misplaced it. I'm glad to have it back.

   This book is more than informative. It delivers all its name suggests, telling all I needed to know about the tack, rigging and techniques of handling horses in a pack string. By simply following his advice, I found myself not only able to do it, but do it without embarassing myself in the company of real mountain men.

   Beyond that, Joe's earthy narrative and humorous, but informative, illustrations make the book a joy to read. Even after you read it cover to cover, you'll want to spend some time looking at the illustrations and re-reading the tidbits of wisdom. If you have an interest or plan to go into the primitive areas of the mountain West, I encourage you to read this even if you never intend to pack a horse yourself.




4. This is probably the single best work I've ever seen on the "science" of packing. Joe Back lived and worked in N.W. Wyoming, and was a legend in the area. His humorous annecdotes, and extremely accurate hand drawn diagrams, combined with his obvious knowledge of the subject, make this a "must have" for anyone seriously interested in learning how to pack horses or mules, and survive. This little work deserves a place in any packer's library.



5. I have had a copy of Horses, Hitches, & Rocky Trails for eighteen years. It has been taken to the field many times and read in total and in part many times. For the past eighteen years I have been alert for books that would provide new information or expend on Joe's presentation. If there are better ideas out there they need a literate, artistic, and humorous champion like Joe Back.

2 comments about True Horsemanship Through Feel, Second Edition.

1. If you can pour over only one book regarding your journey with your horse, make it this one. Each time you return to it you will see things that were not there before. It's all there. It is rich and deep, from training and teaching to observing and comparing. Your horse will thank you.



2. This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in developing a relationship with your horse based in respect. Bill Dorrance has a folksy way of expressing himself, which makes for an enjoyable read, but the information provided is invaluable for those interested in natural horsemanship.

5 comments about Horse Conformation: Structure, Soundness, and Performance.

1. If you are interested in getting a well described picture of the author's idea of good conformation, you will probably be dissatisfied with this book. As an example, on page 200 (paperback) figure 8-20, the explanation of a profile of the rear portion of a horse says, " If the croup and thigh are fairly long, the hindquarters have a triangular shape." Certainly drawing straight lines between three points (the point of the hip to the point of the buttock to the stifle) forms a triangle. In order to be of any value however, it is important that the type triangle formed be named (possibly an equilateral triangle?).
   
   The point I would like to make is that the book seems to be thrown together from different sources in what, to me, seems a slipshod manner. Some areas are helpful, but overall, in my opinion, the lack of attention to detail by either the author or the editor, or both is problematic.
   
   An example of a book on the subject, which I think was prepared to be truly useful, is "The Horse Conformation Handbook" by Heather Smith Thomas.



2. I purchased several of these books to use as gifts for my horsey friends. Each one loved it. It's loaded with useful information and is well written. I highly recommend it.



3. This is probably the best conformation book I have ever owned. It is detailed and has more information than I will ever need. The pictures are very informative and really help with understanding what is written.



4. I thought this book was great it has a ton of info.



5. This is a great book for the beginner or the expert horseman! Explains in detail not only a horse's conformation but also the skeletal, muscle and nerve structure. Even better there are TONS of awesome photos and drawings.
   I am very happy with this book and would reccomend it to anyone interested in learning more about horses!

5 comments about Horses (Smithsonian Handbooks).

1. This book was excellent for my 8yr. old. It contains lots of information on horses without being too overwhelming. The color photos and scale depictions of size really captured her interest. I would definitely recommend this book for kids who are not actively involved in equestrian activities but want to learn more about different breeds of horses. The one draw-back I found was that my daughter collects figurines of different breeds, and some we just could not find in the book.



2. This a really cool book! I read it from cover to cover. I learned stuff about horses that I never knew and learned about breeds of horses that I never knew existed! This a good book for beginner horsenuts.



3. I have been taking riding for two years.Just a couple of days ago my instructor said I was the smart intellect of my age group at the barn.I think getting this book really helped. It covers a lot of breeds and information on them.This book is great so if your horse crazy I would reccomend getting this book!!!



4. I am so glad that I purchased this book. I needed a reference guide to help me identify different breeds of horses and ponies for the Photo Model Horse Shows that I have been participating in. Since I will eventually judge a show, I needed to be prepared to classify horse breeds from the photograph entries that will be sent to me. It is easy to read, the photographs are lovely, and there were only a few breeds not listed. Good job!



5. The pictures are nice. But otherwise this is just your average guidebook to horses. The information is easy to understand and some of it, like the heights of horses, is represented visually. But if you are looking to know a little bit about a lot of breeds, this would be a good book for you.

5 comments about The Body Language of Horses: Revealing the Nature of Equine Needs, Wishes and Emotions and How Horses Communicate Them - For Owners, Breeders, Trainers, Riders and All Other Horse Lovers - Including Handicappers.

1. Wow! There are 45 horses who are personal friends of mine, and after reading this book, I feel that I know them so much better now! I had already figured out many of their quirks and cute personality traits, and now I have a whole new insight. For example, now I understand that the reason Image is "attitudinal" is because his mama was lead mare when he was born, and he's not about to let anyone forget it. And Casanova is the "class clown" who, if he likes you, will entertain you for hours with his (sometimes annoying) antics like knocking the hat off my head, over and over again -- and if he doesn't like you, don't turn your back on him, or he'll nip you in the butt (but never hard), and by the time you turn around, he's looking the other way, as if to say, "Who did that? Not me!" There are stories in the book to match and top any I have to tell, including a senior horse who liked to play jokes on cows. It's a terrific read and very educational as well. If you are looking to buy a horse, there are tips for selecting one. And for those who enjoy horse racing, there are tips for betting on horses, based on observing their behavior before the race. There's something for everyone in this book.



2. I personally felt that this book is an awesome introduction to horses and their behavior. No, it does not go into great detail of body language, and it is not for the experienced horseman (I only bought this book because it was required for a class), BUT the book is worth your time. I think that this book offered an excellent perspective on undertanding the horse and why they do what they do. For example, just because the horse isn't doing what you want, doesn't necessarily mean that it's being a "bad" horse- there is an incredible array of things that could be the 'problem'; even though as I said this book will offer no new insights to experienced horsemen and women, it can be a very good reminder of why our horses do what they do. All in all, if you are a beginner to the horse world, pick this book up, and take a few hours to read it, it'll be worth the time and money.



3. I'm a young horse lover and I spend much more time reading and studying horses in books, magazines, and other sources of trustworthy media than I do actually experiencing these beautiful animals up close. Nor am I lucky enough to be able to regularly work with them. I recently received "The Body Language of Horses" and I have blazed through this small book and found that it is very informative, observant, and suitable towards an aspiring horsewoman or horseman. It gives out clear, though thick, digestible pieces of horse psychology and body language offering ways to understand and `connect' with the equine. I give it a rating of four stars out of five because there is further searching in different books about horse language I have yet to discover and the horses themselves.
   Thanks!
   Sarah



4. This is an excellent resource for a person who hasn't had much exposure to horses or has trouble interpreting the meaning of equine body language and sounds. Although, it was well written, and made some excellent points, it seemed quite basic and I didn't come to any new revalations about horses that would help or change my relationships with them.



5. I was rather disappointed with this book for several reasons. First and foremost, the bulk of the book does not, as the title would have us believe, focus on the body language of horses. A couple of chapters devote themselves to brief descriptions of horse behavior under different circumstances (when happy, angry, frightened, bored, tired, hot, cold, hungry, thirsty, etc.), but the largest sections of the book concern curing problem horses and training foals. At the end there is a chapter on observing the body language of racehorses in order to pick winners, and two appendices on how to buy a horse.

   Not only does the book stray from it's purported topic, but the information that IS given about equine body language is so basic and obvious that any true horseperson would already know it, and any aspiring horseperson could learn it all in a matter of a few weeks spent around the creatures. Of course a nervous horse will work up a sweat, a bored horse will get mouthy, and a horse that is irritated by a fly will swish its tail and twitch its skin. There are really only two forseeable uses, in my mind, for this book. The first is as a reference for those who know next to nothing about horses and wish to learn. The second, a slightly different version of the first, is as a guide to non-equestrian racegoers in order to pick winning horses on which to place their bets (and this is not surefire or guaranteed in any way, since pre-race behavior is only one of many factors that determines the outcome of a race).

   The book is also considerably old, and a bit dated. It was written and first published in 1980, more than two decades ago. While the basic behavior of horses hasn't changed in that time, much else in the horse world has, including attitudes toward the care and training of horses. There are now many more effecting training methods than those presented here, and one passage in the book even alarmed me. Though they pronounce it a "dubious last resort," the authors nevertheless included the following method for "[teaching] manners to a resistant horse":

   ". . . dramatic effects are obtained by striking the animal over the poll bone with a fragile wine bottle filled with a slush of sand and warm water. When the bottle breaks and the warm, moist substance dribbles down its head, the savage horse becomes a trembling wreck. A gestured threat to repeat the treatment is usually enough to terminate subsequent misbehavior" (pg. 49).

   While this is the only place in the book where the authors propose such blatantly inappropriate methods, I nevertheless cannot give a vote of confidence to anyone that would condone striking an animal with a wine bottle to elicit compliance. In addition, the authors make a great many generalizations about equine behavior and do not allow much leeway for differences in personality. As any person who spends much time around horses knows, one can be vastly different from the next. I said earlier that this book had two conceivable uses, but even for those I would not recommend purchasing this book. There are other books out there on the behavior and training of horses that are more current, more accurate, and more effective.

5 comments about Horse Sense and the Human Heart: What Horses Can Teach Us About Trust, Bonding, Creativity and Spirituality.

1. This book presented a good overview of the usefulness of horses in therapy. Some of terms were very psychological, however, and perhaps not understood by the general public. It gave a good viewpoint of how horses can be used to help people struggling with their own problems. The specific examples were particularly helpful.



2. This page turner enlightened my psyche and transcended my love for horses. The usage of horses in therapy related aspects has always intrigued me. I was mesmerized to read page after page of actual case studies of positive impacts of such therapy. As I read this book, I stopped thinking about clinical applications for this therapy and realized how close horses have been to my own heart. They have a way of centering one and grounding your thoughts to the realities of life. This book was not only thought prevolking but inspirational. I would highly recommend!



3. My primary complaint about this book is that the authors are not familiar with the idea of "Show, Don't Tell". The book hops blithely from topic to "inspirational" topic, tossing in pseudo case studies at random. These case studies, or short stories about particular client/horse experiences, rarely last more than a page and would be just as easily summed up in a single sentence like "Joanne recognized her control issues after realizing that horses can't be controlled like humans can". In several cases, the stories would end just as I started to be curious enough to read more. In many other cases, the stories were so short or bland that I didn't care about them at all. The basic thrust of most of them, regardless of the chapter title (like "Our Connection with Animals", "Riding Horses to Health", and "The Genesis of Feelings") was that "the magic of horses fixes stuff". While people like "Joanne" are described as having these sudden revelations about their lives, there is nothing to follow up whether they took that lesson back and truly made a change in their life. The troubled youth who tried to straighten up from his jail cell so he could someday acheive the dream of owning a horse might just as well have been inspired by the dream of owning his own tattoo parlor. Don't TELL how much we can learn from the special and magical horses, SHOW me.

   Every horse in the authors' stable is an anthropomorphic Lassie. Their horses know just what lessons their clients need to learn, are sweet and loving to anyone who approaches with an pure and open heart, but collectively act crazy a la Black Beauty if someone is on drugs or just plain untrustworthy. One stallion trumpets and paws at the ground because he "knows" that there is a foal trapped under a fence several miles away. A horse tumbling off a cliff has terror in her eyes, not for herself, but for her rider. A mare's negative reaction to a student's tension and anger is because she "knew" that the student was ready for the lesson of being forced to take resposibility. Furthermore, the authors' intense focus on the traits of their beloved Peruvian Iberian breed (a fine breed, to be sure) ends up implying that there is something special and magical about the breed itself, rather than horsekind in general. I am an avid horse lover, and at no time did I feel that any equine in this book was a real living, breathing beast.

   Metaphysical abilities are attributed where none are necessary. A student realizes that the more she concentrates on staying away from flowerpots in the corner of the arena, the closer she and her mount get to them. The fact is, all beginning riders learn the lesson "look where you want to go". There are physical reasons for this that have more reasonable explanations than "vibrations" or "path of energy". I can't argue that any of this is false, because it isn't. However, the psychospiritual and metaphysical aspects of horsemanship as presented here are too syrupy for my own sensibilities.

   There is little that is presented in this book that I would challenge or disagree with, but the presentation was too nonsensical to have been inspiring to me, and in fact, I had a very difficult time trying to discover what the true message of the book is. If I'd never had experiences of my own with horses and were handed this book to convince me to back a new venture using horses in psychological therapy, I doubt I'd write a single check. Although I have the strong feeling that the authors are experienced horsewomen and competant psychiatrists, there was nothing in this book to truly convince me of this. The only reason I gave this book 2 rather than 1 star(s) is because it may have interest for psychotherapists with little exposure to horses.




4. I am with the person from Monte Sereno, CA - I just couldn't get past the first few chapters - waiting for the book to "get to the point." I prefer a simple, straight forward anecdotal style. If you want to get right into a horse's head and heart, I strongly suggest reading anything (and everything) by Mark Rashid, Chris Irwin, or Henry Blake.



5. This is absolutely the best book I have ever read. I recommend to anyone who will listen. The book gives insight to horse relationship and can be used in human relationships with each other. I have reread the book just for the enjoyment of it. Thanks to the authors for a wonderful read.