5 comments about Farming with Horses (Country Workshop).

1. This book provided an excellent read and a good overall picture of the topic. Even though it is written for the American market it has a lot of information that is transferrable to Australia and other countires. A good buy for people interested in the topic, especially for beginners such as myself.



2. The information in Farming with Horses is presented in a clear,and readily understandable manner. This book answers the how and why of harness fit, hooking to a vehicle or implement and how to do it all safely. The photos illustrating the text are of the highest quality. This book is a must read for anyone interested in driving whether for pleasure, show or work.
   
   SMCannon D.V.M.



3. The text and photographs in this book are equally instructional. Especially enlightening is the book's emphasis on the humane approach to farming with drafts -- an approach that benefits the horse, the driver, and the land as well.



4. Steve Bowers is a master at driving. His straightforward, logical approach keeps the principles in this book clear and easy to implement. Bowers keeps both horse and driver safe and working together. Whether you're heading for competition or just work around the ranch, this is a must read. You can apply "Farming with Horses" to any driving discipline.



5. This is the best book on driving horses that I have ever read, and I've read everything on the subject that I can find. The information is not confined to farming with horses. There is valuable information on training, hitching, aligning teams and many other things that is applicable to any type of horse driving. This is a must book for beginners and experience professionals as well.
   
   Dwight G. Bennett, DVM

5 comments about The Revolution in Horsemanship: And What It Means to Mankind.

1. This is a book that is superbly written. Dr. Miller has really put it all together in this one book. I LOVED this book so much; I bought the paperback, read it then gave it to my friend & bought me the hardcover one. This is a book to always have on the shelf ready to read again & again!



2. I became interested in this book because it was recommended by an Olympic gold medalist. Not a bad recommendation, since it is a Western oriented book.



3. While this book contains plenty of useful and interesting facts concerning
   natural horsemanship, for someone who's already into it, it can be somewhat tedious reading. Not something I couldn't put down until I
   was done. I'm going to think twice about purchasing the followup book.
   
   Jim L



4. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. It really covers ground. It is educational, very well researched and written with such knowledge and passion that even the chapters that from the title seemed like "the same old stuff" , were interesting. I could not put it down!!
   I bought extra ones to give as holiday gifts for my friends and they too loved it, whether they were interested in horses or not.
   This book is an interesting and refreshing new point of view, that will help people to understand the prey/ predator relationship between horse and a human seeing it though the horses eyes. It is a journey through the history of the horse and a human as partners which offers hope for horses today, but more so makes the reader realise how much hope the horse today offers people all over the world.
   A book you can go back to and read over and over, each time getting more out of it.



5. A very interesting history of the Natural Horsemanship 'movement'. The books works it's way through an overview and then looks at a large number of the most well known proponents.
   
   I think that the title was much grander than the content. The content of course only looked at NH or perhaps what should be more correctly called cowboy horsemanship. Although, this has indeed been a very significant change in horse training in recent times, there was no effort in the book to look outside of the US.
   
   For instance, no information on positive reinforcement, the re-emergence of 'classical dressage' or the european contributions to horsemanship. There was also no real discussion about how the general increase in availability of knowledge has made people more aware of issues and training techniques nor information on the scientific research into animal intelligence and learning that is making changes to our views on animals and horses and driving this search for 'new' methods.
   
   The most interesting aspect of the book was perhaps the history of the trainers themselves vs their 'marketing'. Fascinating to see how so many people with little or no horse knowledge can suddenly invent themselves as gurus...

5 comments about The Faraway Horses: The Adventures and Wisdom of One of America's Most Renowned Horsemen.

1. Pretty good story,too bad I found out from this book that Buck was the horse technical advisor on the the movie The Horse Whisperer. That movie was another awful Hollywood misrepresentation and misleading work on horses and horse training. It's a shame that a real horseman like Buck could be a part of such garbage. Maybe someday Hollywood and a real horseman will get together to make a movie that shows the real nature of horses and horsemanship.



2. One of the most insiring books about Natural Horsemanship and any instructor that I have ever read. I wish I had read it before I took a clinic with Buck. I most certainly will continue to Study with him when ever possible and with the instructors he has taught. Ricky Quinn & Paul Dietz
   Thank you Buck for all that you are and all that you do for us and our Horses we love and revere so very much.
   Donna Petermann
   Gilbert Arizona



3. This book arrived in less than 1 week, in new condition. I am very happy with the service as advertised. I was given a copy of this book and have passed it along to several friends, who in turn, have passed it along until it was worn out. Quite a story and man.
   JD



4. Buck invites us on a journey of his life that is less than perfect and yet terribly intriguing. His honesty is refreshing and his story is not tainted by the misgivings of others. This book demonstrates his desire to overcome a difficult childhood, his love of horses, and his compassion for all. He is certainly not a "Hollywood cowboy," though his skills have brought him into unintended notoriety. Inspiring for all horse lovers.



5. The faraway Horses is what the author's young daughter refered to when she spoke of her father's job that took him away so often. As a horselover, trainer, teacher etc.. the term rang true to how faraway we can get, horse and equine alike, from where we want and need to be. Buck Brannaman's stories are introspective and beautifully told. A powerful book moving and beautiful.

5 comments about Taking Up Riding as an Adult (Horse-Wise Guides Series).

1. I enjoyed the book. It gave me many good tips on excercising to help strengthen muscles I forgot I had't used in a long time. Also good tips on caring for a horse. It had been 35 years since I had owned a horse and I remembered not alot. I would recommend it for anyone taking up riding or brushing up on long forgotten skills.



2. Very good reference. Follows right along with my riding lessons. Written with a nice touch of humor.



3. After buying this book, you then discover that there is a WHOLE other series of books they want you to buy afterwards. This book barely covers the areas I thought it would. Almost the entire book preaches on where to learn, and where to buy, and board a horse. But doesnt barely, or not even, covers the step by step essentials of how to groom, apply tack, or even how to ride a horse. They want you to buy the other books to learn that information. Save your money.



4. I'm 43, and I bought this book after I'd been riding for a year, because I wanted to go over the basics again and make sure that I was doing things right! (I was pleased to find out that I am, thanks to a great instructor/school horse/farm.) I especially like the way the author stresses safety while also noting that, while accidents will happen, it's very unlikely that you'll be seriously injured--IF you ride safely.

   Another thing I like is that she plays up the social/fun aspects of riding. While I'm sure there are "horsey snobs," I've not yet met any here in Knoxville, and have found other riders to be friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic. If you love horses & riding, you're "in the club"; there's no need to be bashful about being a beginning adult rider!

   This is a great little book, and I recommend it to any adult who's new to riding or thinking about learning how to ride.




5. This book is well worth the price. It provides and excellent overview to the entire equestrian sport. Illustrations are clear; photographs, while not in color, are helpful (not just decorations); the copy is concise. The author has excellent knowledge of the sport and command of the english language. This book is great for any adult looking to take up the sport or parent seeking to better understand his/her child's passion.

1 comments about Conformation (Threshold Picture Guides, No 19).

1. Lots of pictures and drawings to explain even to the youngest child or the most confused adult. The entire series is well done. Recommended.

5 comments about Carriage Driving, Updated Edition (Classic Edition): A Logical Approach Through Dressage Training.

1. This book is easy to understand for the beginner yet is full of quality classical driving and training principles. It also incorporates natural horsemanship(so old it's new again!) principles. Highly detailed but not overwhelming. Excellent book. This should be the bible of Carriage Driving.



2. I have only read portions of the book at this point but plan to read all of it. I am completly ignorant of harness driving but recently purchased a miniature horse that I plan to finish in carting. This book has been an excellant resource. It is very detailed, but easy to understand. It mentions things to keep in mind that might not be obvious (like if you're new to harness or your horse is, you should have a bucking strap on your harness to save you a lot of frustration). I also like her approach to working with the horse - it is definately working WITH the horse and not BREAKING the horse. I have not read any other driving books yet to compare, but I am happy that I started with this one.



3. This is the book for anyone who is serious about training their horses for driving with no corner-cutting. It is obvious that this book was written by a true horse trainer for true horse trainers, people who love horses and are dedicated to making the training experience a joyful and life-long experience. Heike Bean's book covers everything you need to know starting with the very basics, horse anatomy, hoof structure and shoeing, conformation, collection, bits, harness, carts and carriages.



4. This is truly the best book on carriage driving ever written. It is the bible for people who know the sport. This is the one book you truly need if you want to learn carriage driving. You can tell from the first page you are in the hands of an expert.
   The only thing wrong with this book is you can hardly ever find a copy. If you find one, grab it. ( I don't know what's going on but there were about 10 reviews of this book here, all of them glowing, and they seem to have been erased. Everyone in Driving knows how great this book is.)



5. This is the best book on driving ever written. Extremely well organized and easy to follow. Answers all your questions just as you think of them. There is only one problem with this book -- it is very hard to find. People never resell their copies so if you can find one, grab it.

5 comments about Lyons on Horses.

1. I loved this book, I bought 2 of them in fact (one for a friend) because I was so impressed with it. John Lyons's teaching is based on the fact that the horse is a condition response animal and that you set up the condition to get the response you want out of your horse. He also likes to think of it as "playing games" with the horse and not just "training" it must be fun for you and the horse and if its not, YOU are doing something wrong-not the horse. I highly reccomend this book!



2. Informative step-by-step instructions for everyone, from a novice working with their first horse, to the experienced horseman. Makes problem solving easy in a sensible manner.



3. This book is very informative. Easy to read and very easy to understand. The author does a good job of explaining training techniques.



4. Everything happened as promised: A very nice (appearing unused) book arrived within a few days of ordering. Perfect!



5. You wouldn't want this book if you need visuals. There are very few pictures to help in understanding how to go about a lesson. I think John Lyons would rather you buy his videos. This book doesn't help unless you have the videos. Only buy this book if you have a round pen and you don't need visual help in getting the idea. I felt it was a waste of money.

1 comments about The Western Horse's Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book: Soundness and Comfort with Back Analysis and Correct Use of Saddles and Pads.

1. After months of wait for the release, my copy finally came. I am very happy with the book. It is an excellent reference for western saddle fit issues for both horse and rider. Covers a wide variety of saddle styles, pros and cons, etc. How to evaluate the soundness of saddle trees on used saddles. Common conformational issues and how they impact fit. Even pads and fittings get are covered. Just a wonderful, all-around go-to source. Will be next to the author's English saddle book in my permanent library.

5 comments about Raise Your Hand if You Love Horses: Pat Parelli's Journey from Zero to Hero (Western Horseman Books).

1. i am a big fan of pat parelli.i enjoy most everything i've read from him and his wife linda.



2. I'm a Parelli student, and have been for many years now. I really enjoyed reading this book and learning the in-depth story behind Pat and his journey to *now*. You get a sense of his life when he chats during his demos and seminars, but this book, with pictures, really helped me understand the chronology of his life and experiences. It's a quick read, and for anyone involved in natural horsemanship, and Parelli specifically, I think this is an interesting and fun book.



3. Very interesting reading, especially if you've ever attended a Pat Parelli
   savvy clinic, or are familiar with his work. He basically trains people in
   horsemanship as opposed to training horses. The book describes in interesting fashion how he got to where he is today. More informative
   than educational. Would recommend if you're already a Parelli fan.



4. I have followed the Parelli training methods for a couple years, so this book was interesting.



5. This book is exactly what I had expected. Not a "how to" but rather a more in depth look at Pat Parelli himself. I highly recommend this book.

2 comments about Ride from Within: Use Tai Chi Principles to Awaken Your Natural Balance and Rythm.

1. I bought this book about two weeks ago. I read through the whole book in two days, and am now working on the exercises. I can already feel a huge improvement in my riding. My awareness of balance and where I am carrying tension is greatly heightened, and with the exercises I am able to correct these problems.
   
   The unmounted exercises are deceptively simple. As my proficiency increases the benefit I get from them increases exponentially.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone who is serious about riding, or anyone who would just like to increase the pleasure of riding.
   
   Marvellously therapeutic!



2. Great book to help with your seat and "feel" for riding.
   Highly recommended for students and instructors of any discipline.