2 comments about The Estes Formula for Breeding Stakes Winners.

1. I enjoy some of the facts, thoughts, and ideas that were in the book, BUT there was nothing there about breeding that 99% of anyone could figure out. All his 'formula' is is basically breed a mare that earned and race very well with a stallion that earned and race very well, and you PROBABLY will get a foal that will earn and race very well.
   
   To be frank, well DUH. Breeders have been doing that for CENTURIES. I don't think there is a breeder out there who does not take his best mare and try to breed her to the best stallion they possibly can. I might why would you do anything else?
   
   Mr. Estes made some wonderful contributions to the Thoroughbred breed and his AEI charts are interesting and a good tool, but his breeding advice is not that great.
   
   Still, it was an easy read and was quite interesting, but I was hoping for something more in-depth, like possible pedigree factors, different lines having different traits, not just 'breed a racehorse to a racehorse and you should get a racehorse'.



2. After reading Mr. Joseph Estes's book, "The Estes Formula for Breeding Stakes Winners", I was very disappointed with its content and would not recommend it for the established Thoroughbred or Standbred breeder looking to improve their chances of producing a stakes winner with existing breeding stock.

   The focus of the author is purchasing broodmare prospects that are the cream of the racing crop that are often overpriced and out of reach for the average breeder. It is unfortunate that the information provided within this book has been known for decades, "Breed the Best Mares to the Best Stallions and hope for the Best." Mr. Estes attempted to support this statement using the Average Earnings Index (AEI) and page upon page of statistics. A major drawback with the book is the author uses a very small percentage of the overall horse population in his examples. It was also disappointing that the author used only the best race mares and offspring from the 1930's and 40's to prove his point.

   In summary, the book relatively easy to read and may be helpful for the first time owner looking to start a breeding operation but lacks information for improveing your chances of producing a stakes winner from existing breeding stock. The breeding of racehorses is still a gamble where Mother Nature is the only one who can predict the outcome. Don't be decieved by the book's title, this book provides nothing new and only attempts to support the statement, "Breed the Best Mare to the Best Stallion and hope for the Best".

5 comments about Overcoming the Fear of Riding.

1. This was a great book. If you ride buy it now because you either have had a fall or may eventually have one and you will need to know how to get back on your horse and continue to enjoy the experience of riding. This books discusses the fear that I've experienced while the horse I was riding was enjoying itself by just being a horse. It gives very useful techniques on how to deal with the natural fears and concerns of being on top of an animal that at times has its own mind. The interviews with professional riders were very helpful and inspiring. The lessons learned can be applied to life in general. This book is not for those who pretend they don't get nervous at a full gallop but is definitely for those whose adreline surges during the excitement.



2. Wow! I really wish I had listened to the one reviewer that gave this book one star. It is definitely not as the title suggests. The entire book is about 200 pages that could be summed up in about 5. The author repeats herself so many times I was about to scream. Even the quotations by famous riders (which makes up about 80% of the book) were repeated many times. The book doesn't give you any good rational reason not to fear riding. And I agree with the other reviewer when they said that the book made them more afraid. It makes horses out to be super dangerous horrible beasts that we may have to use in order to achieve our goals. I got no sense of love for horses in this book. The main idea was that if our goal is to become a famous dressage rider then we have to use a horse to get there. And if one horse isn't good enough, "dump it" (exact term from the book), and get a new one. I can tell you right here the whole summary of the book without costing you a penny. Defeating negative thinking, imagining the best case scenario, and determining your goals. That's it. Don't waste your money on this book now because I just told you all there is to it in one sentence!



3. Topics include: understanding and using nervous energy, risk management, defeating irrational thinking, the importance of goal-setting, cultivating trust and minimizing fear, riding safety tips, ending with 18 personal case studies of different level riders with different types of fears as well as mental exercises to defeat those fears. The author's goal seems to be for anxious riders to trade their fear in for excitement and meet their riding goals with confidence. This book also features interviews with 12 top riders and how they positively use nervous energy as well as tips you can use. Whether you fear injury, embarrassment, and/or failure while riding, this book will give you the tools you need to conquer your fears and make your riding dreams come true!



4. I orignially saw this book & planned to buy it for a friend who has the fear of physical injury when she rides. As I glanced through the book I began to recognize that I had performance fears & that my fears were normal for competitive riders. The authors discuss the "mental" issues that all riders face & encourage riders to embrace their nervousness, focus it & use it to enhance performance. I plan to read this book at least 2 more times!!!



5. This book is great for those who tend to be overly hard on themselves or have developed unrealistic expectations which cause them to doubt if riding is something they can do any more. Some great names in riding, people with a world of experience, share these experiences and the wisdom they've gleaned from them, reassuring the reader that it's okay to have doubts, that difficult horses do exist (which is not always the rider's fault), and that the main point of riding is to enjoy the ride! A great aid for those who have high expectations but face difficult horses, or long layoffs from the saddle, or for those who are just starting out and are frustrated with the fact that they aren't perfect yet.

3 comments about Klimke on Dressage: From the Young Horse Through Grand Prix.

1. This book is full of large photos of what dressage should look like and in my years of riding I can tell you a picture is worth a thousand words. Every trainer in the country uses all the same words but unless his horses look like these he is incorect, it is that simple. The poll is the highest point always and the head should never be bent past the vertical. Klimke did a great job of collecting pictures of real horese being schooled in dressage corectly something few trainers bother to do nowdays anywhere in the world. Use your eyes and you can learn volumes from this slim work!



2. If, on the other hand, you are looking for lots of pictures of great riders and equally great horses, this is it! It is a beautiful book with a lot of photographs and very little text. It takes the reader through the 'ideal' developmental stages of dressage but without detail. I was looking for more practical words of wisdom on how to achieve the pictured perfection, but found none.



3. This book is one of the most beatifully photographed books on dressage and horse sports in general available. Even if you are not a dressage lover, the chronicle of the developing horse will be of interest. This book includes some very rare photographs of some of dressage's great equine and human athletes. With the untimely demise of Dr Klimke the book will certainly be more difficult to obtain.

1 comments about Understanding the Stallion (Understanding Series).

1. Understanding the Stallion is a fairly short, detailed book, bursting with information pertaining to stallion management and breeding. This book does not, however, go into the mental aspects of the stallion in much depth, as I was hoping it would. Also, the book fails to take into account the fact that every stallion has his own personality, and that they each require a different approach, whether this is in the breeding shed or in the stable.

   This book cannot be flawed for its scientific and technical statements. The descriptions of the stallion's anatomy are very detailed, as are the diagrams, and the text is phrased carefully so that the author can be understood, even to the least scientifically inclined person.

   This book is a worthwhile purchase for the first time stallion owner, or to anyone that is considering buying a stallion for the first time, either for competition or breeding. More experienced horse people may find the book a little light on practical information, but nonetheless useful. A recommended read to all stallion owners and breeders.

5 comments about Second Chances: Amazing Horse Rescues.

1. My first thought when I opened the box was, "I paid 20 bucks for THIS?" Reading the book didn't help. More information on the rescuers than I wanted to know. Not enough information about the horses. I was never amazed. Save your money.



2. This book really touched me. They Cheyenne chapter was my favorite because that horse and the people who cared about her went through a lot. especially to find her all them times. But this book is so interesting and it makes you want to go rescue a horse yourself.



3. I read this book and then did a report on it for school. I liked it because it didn't just have all the happy stories you usually read about horses. This book told the truth about abused horses. I learned a lot about how to take good care of my horse, and how to help save a horse when I see that it is not being taken care of, and that it takes a lot of hard work to raise a horse. But most of all I liked reading that most of the horses in the book got happy homes and were taken away from the people who hurt them. This book was easy to read and is good for kids and parents too.



4. I have read lots of horse books from my library. I thought this book would be just another book with horse stories in it. But I was wrong. It was so much more than that. I felt like I knew each horse that the author wrote about. They seemed so real and I was so happy when they were rescued and had good lives. No horse should ever have to suffer, but when they are in bad homes, it is so good that people find them and take them away from that. I will make sure all my friends read this book. It was very good. I learned a lot from this book.



5. This is the best horse book I ever read. The way the horses were saved made me feel so happy. I cannot believe that people could be so mean to beautiful horses. Now they will have a great life. I loved this book so much. My Aunt bought it for me and I am very glad. I will let all my friends read it too.

No comments about Conformation for the Purpose: The Make, Shape and Performance of the Horse.

1 comments about The Complete Book of Horses, Horse Breeds & Horse Care (The Complete Book of).

1. The book was everything my wife needed to learn about horses.
   I have had experience with horses and I also enjoyed reading it and remembering some of the things that I had forgot.

No comments about A Student Workbook for BHS Stage One (Books for British Horse Society Examination).

No comments about In Harmony With Your Horse: How to Build a Lasting Relationship.

No comments about How Your Horse Works.