5 comments about Old Friends: Visits With My Favorite Thoroughbreds.

1. Old Friends sits right next to Hillebrand's Seabiscuit in my equine library. It is a modern day classic.
   
   These noble horses get loving and magnificent treatment from Livingston's prose and photographic talent.
   
   Old Friends is a joy; a treasure. No racing enthusiast should be without this incredible book.



2. Barbara D. Livingston, Old Friends: Visits with My Favorite Thorougbreds (Eclipse Press, 2002)
   
   Reviewing books of photography often makes me feel guilty. As brilliant as someone like Romain Slocombe or Joel-Peter Witkin (for example) is, and as good as his books are, it seems kind of cheating to put a big photography book on one's list of books read for a given year. After all, how long does it really take to get through a book of photography?
   
   Not so with Old Friends. While it is, in fact, packed with the gorgeous photographs of horses for which Barbara Livingston is so deservedly well-known, every horse in here also has a small essay from Ms. Livingston, making this more a trip down memory lane than a photography book. Some of the horses in here are some of the best-known horses on the continent (Spectacular Bid, for example), some are well-known in their region of the States (Zuppardo's Prince, the leading stallion in Louisiana most years), and some even the most hardcore horseplayer has long forgotten, or never heard of in the first place. Livingston treats them all with equal dignity, and by the end of the book, we feel like we know these horses, too.
   
   A number of the horses here, since (and in a few cases before) the book was published, have died, and any of the rest of them are going to succumb to the ravages of old age within the next few years. But while some of their names will live in the lore of horse racing forever, Livingston has here ensured that many of the others will also not be forgotten.
   
   A fantastic book, and well worth having. **** ½



3. This is a wonderful book! The photographs are beautiful and the text is honest and touching. Each vignette makes you feel as if you are at the farm with the author that day. This is a must have for every horse lover. I recommend a full box of tissues every time you read this book. It is not a sad book but very moving and full of love an drespect for the wonderful horses represented here. As many of us horse savvy folks know...these are the lucky ones. I Just love it!



4. I bought this book after hearing about the death of the great Ferdinand.
   This book shows many of the great ones that have come along, many that are still breeding and many that are living out the rest of their days in quiet comfort. Livingston is a fan of all of these horses, writing as if each one is her own. I read this book in one sitting, crying and laughing all at the same time.

   I can't help but think of all the horses that didn't make it, the horse that met the same end as Ferdinand. The one's that were bred for speed but couldn't quite turn it on at the right time. The horses in this book were and are all very, very lucky indeed.




5. I had the pleasure of meeting the author at Gulfstream Park . She was doing a book-signing at the Florida Derby and I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. She is a kind and gracious lady. She took her time with everyone who approached her. I was already planning to purchase book and was so happy to get an autographed copy! The pictures are incredible and the grace and dignity she conveys with them is perfect for such beautiful animals as thoroughbred horses. I recommend this book to anyone who loves horses or horse racing. As Ms Livingston signed in my book : Track fever is a good thing!"

2 comments about The Illustrated Guide to Horse Tack: For the English Rider.

1. McBane has written an extremely thorough book which is of value to any rider who wishes to expand their knowledge of English tack and related equipment.

   The book has the following chapters: Saddles and Accessories; Bridles and Bits; Training Equipment; Headcollars and Halters' Clothing; Protective Equipment; Driving Equipment; Care of Equipment; and a good Index. The book is filled with color photos as well as black and white line drawings so you know exactly what she is referring to. As well, she puts in sidebars which go over the reasons why or why not you might want to use a particular piece of tack. Included are some history on various types of equipment and techniques for using the various items correctly.

   All in all this is a wonderful book for the English rider of any age or skill level. Don't hesitate to buy it.




2. Susan McBane has a written a very informative and wonderfully illustrated book. This book has the ability to appeal to both the beginner and experienced horse person. It is a book that can span many age groups, easily understandable to all. This book will be a constant companion for many riding levels. The text and accompanying illustrations will aid even the most seasoned rider. It serves as a great reference guide as well as an instructional manual for beginners. The book answers many technical questions about saddle sizing, bridles design, and many more useful topics. As a horse person myself, I wouldn't want to be without Illustrated Guide to Horse Tack. It is a great reference tool.

4 comments about Horses and Their Women.

1. After completing their two previous books, "Dogs and Their Women" and "Cats and Their Women," authors Cohen and Taylor set out to put together this third compliation. After submitting ads to equine journals requesting that women send in their stories of their experiences with horses, they received over 300 responses. 58 were selected for inclusion in this book.

   Each vignette is unique - some are only a few sentences in length, others take up a whole page, and the content of each is as widely varied as the length. Contributors include owners, riders, trainers, children and adults, amateurs and professionals, a mounted police officer, an equine photographer, a Standardbred racehorse driver, a veterinarian, and more. Topics covered range from stories of healing, horses as an escape from and balm for life's problems, a child's first horse, memorials for favorite horses that have passed on, lessons learned from horses, obstacles overcome, goals made and reached, or simply a description of a favorite moment with an equine friend.

   My two favorite stories were one by a woman whose two horses were stolen and sold for slaughter, and the miraculous way they were rescued and returned to her; and a second by a woman who had adopted a Mustang whose previous owner had abused her, and the journey of trust-building and healing they have gone through.

   Each vignette is accompanied by a beautiful full-page photograph of the contributor and her horse. The black and white photography gives the book a classic, elegant, timeless feel, and captures each horse and woman in a crisp, beautiful portrait shot. Some of the shots are posed, others candid, and this too adds to the variety of the book.

   This book is heartwarming, fun, and uplifting - an alternate title could easily be "Chicken Soup for the Horsewoman's Soul." I would highly recommend it to any female horse lover. Buy it for yourself - it's great for either the bedside or the coffee table, or buy it as a nice present for a friend. Or both! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel.




2. This is really a very sweet book. It would be a perfect gift for a young girl in her early teens that has been bitten by the horse bug. It has over 100 pages, with a large black and white photo on one side, and an essay on the other. Some of the essays are short, some are boring, and some make you wonder why you bought this book. But then you read the ones that bring tears to your eyes and you know why. This book shows us women and the horses they love, and in their own words they tell us a little about themselves and their horse. It's not a glorious coffee table book like GaWaNi Pony Boy's is, but it is a charming book to read and pass along to other women, or our daughters who share our love of horses.



3. Scores of small essays about the special horse(s) in various women's lives. A big black and white photo on one page is complemented by the story right beside it. There are no color photos. Some of the "essays" are only two sentences long! Some of the stories are hilarious, some heartbreaking, some just silly or sappy. Still, there is a genuine love of horses here, and no male-bashing like the title might suggest. If you love horses, real horses, not just fictional or perfect horses, than display this book proudly on your shelf



4. This is the kind of book that makes you wish you could have someone else drop the kids off at soccer and ballet lessons so you had time to slip into your jeans and head out to the stable. Lots of photos and stories of girls and women alike who have accomplished that dream. By Claire

No comments about The American Paint Horse (Edge Books: Horses).

No comments about Trailer Training Your Horse (Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin, a-279).

1 comments about A Young Person's Guide to Dressage.

1. This book is outstanding! I am 38 but new, although I have to ridden since I was 7, to dressage. I have MANY books on my shelf on the subject from world class riders/instructors but this is by far the best at simplifying dressage in an easy to understand and non-intimidating manner. Excellent book on the complete subject of dressage....covering the most complete history and origin of dressage, individual movements from beginner to advanced, as well as goal setting, equipment, and the aspect of mental imaging. It explains in detail the why's and how's and also why and how horses react to proper and improper application of the aids, as well as how to properly correct improper or evasive behavior. Great book not only for kids but for adults too!

2 comments about Breeding Horses.

1. Lecturer and head of the Equine Studies group at the Institute of Rural Studies, University of Wales, Aberystwyth Dr. Mina Davies Morel presents Breeding Horses, an in-depth instruction manual especially for professional horse handlers and breeders, but also intended for any agriculture student or horse owner who plans to breed their prize animals yet has little experience. Breeding Horses covers basic equine reproductive physiology, explanations of artificial insemination and embryo transfer; advice for selecting the proper broodmare and stallion; management at covering and during pregnancy and post-partum care; and much more. Above all, emphasis is placed on the importance of avoiding or minimizing risk of injury to the horses, the foal, and the handlers. Black-and-white diagrams and photographs illustrate this exhaustively researched, no-nonsense, down-to-earth manual.



2. Lecturer and head of the Equine Studies group at the Institute of Rural Studies, University of Wales, Aberystwyth Dr. Mina Davies Morel presents Breeding Horses, an in-depth instruction manual especially for professional horse handlers and breeders, but also intended for any agriculture student or horse owner who plans to breed their prize animals yet has little experience. Breeding Horses covers basic equine reproductive physiology, explanations of artificial insemination and embryo transfer; advice for selecting the proper broodmare and stallion; management at covering and during pregnancy and post-partum care; and much more. Above all, emphasis is placed on the importance of avoiding or minimizing risk of injury to the horses, the foal, and the handlers. Black-and-white diagrams and photographs illustrate this exhaustively researched, no-nonsense, down-to-earth manual.

1 comments about Academic Equitation.

1. Academic Equitation by Albert Eugene Edouard Decarpentry (1878-1956) is a masterful piece by a classical dressage rider. The man who brought us the axiom "When hands, no legs; when legs, no hands." This is one of my most favorite dressage books. I own a previous edition of this masterpiece. General Decarpentry (a Colonel in the French cavalry when he wrote his other excellent book, Piaffer and Passage) rode at the French Dressage School of Saumur. He served in the Federation Equestre International (FEI). Although a follower of Baucher, Decarpentry taught his horses to move forward with impulsion. Besides being a practitioner, Decarpentry was thoroughly acquainted with the teachings of other dressage masters, and in my opinion, his contributions to dressage are as important as those of any of the masters. As an avid reader myself, owner of an extensive dressage library, and am the author of A Passion for Dressage (a free on-line publication on classical dressage http://pages.sbcglobal.net/bielikov/dressage/), I list Academic Equitation in my short list of the best 6 dressage books ever, along with works of Podhajsky, Seuning, and Klimke. I give this book five stars! --[...]

No comments about Boots and Bandages (Threshold Picture Guides).

No comments about Six Old-Time Horses Postcards (Small-Format Card Books).