5 comments about Horse Tradin'.

1. Bought this for a friend and they were very pleased.
   Wonderful to be able to find books that are not in most stores.



2. I nearly always give my books away---which was what I did with Horse Tradin' over 40 years ago. Now I wanted to give a copy to a grand niece and was not surprised that hard copies were nearly unavailable. I was pleased to see that someone had the good horse sense to publish this Green classic in paperback for contemporary readers. Even so I paid up for a used hardback and just finished rereading the book. It would have been worth twice the price.
   Probably only people that now live in rural areas can appreciate the freedom and casualness of life before World War ll. You would never know from reading these stories that Ben Green was an educated professional man. He was a self effacing gentleman that may no longer exist. Other reviewers have covered the content of the book and there is no need for my repeating. Do yourself a favor and get and read this book.
   I only wish that someone would make a movie of 3 or 4 of these wonderful stories. When you read the book you will know what I mean.



3. Ben Green's book "Horse Tradin'" will be enjoyed by about anyone from Texas or with an interest in cowboys and horses. Green was born in 1912 and this book tells stories of his horse tradin' experiences as a boy and young man in the late 1920s and 1930s before the automobile made the profession of horse trader obsolete. Green was a bit more than the simple cowboy he portrays in this book. Research into his life tells us that he was educated in Veterinary medicine at Cornell and in England, so he didn't spend all his time trying to make a buck by sharp trades.
   
   One suspects that Green, like all good traders, stretches the truth a bit in some of these 20 stories, but there is an air of authenticity and affection for horses and cowboying that is hard to resist. "I rode into Mineral Wells one day on a new dun horse with black mane and tail that weighed about eleven hundred pounds and had a nice way of carrying himself -- a six-year old, stylish enough..." Now that's a description of a man who knows his horses. Green tells of his shenaningans as a trader, and also of the times that he was taken himself -- by a southern gentleman who sells him a blind horse and by an Indian in New Mexico who sold him wild horses tranquilized by "sleepy" grass to make them appear tame.
   
   Green makes you long for a time gone by, capturing the feel of a cold Texas morning, the taste of "bachelor's grub" like beans, beef, and potatoes, and the virtues of "hard-twisted, ill-tempered, unbroke Mexican mules." Texans bought this book in vast numbers when it was first published and it deserves to be recalled as an outstanding bit of Western Americana.
   
   Smallchief



4. I read this book many years ago and am glad to see it reissued. Even my non horsey kids enjoyed the stories. It's even worth rereading.



5. Whoever said that Green's stories were hokey must be young, and not appreciative of bootstrap operations. Ben Green was a self-made man, sizing up opportunities as an enterprising youngster. He shows determination, he demonstrates decision-making skills, and he always plays within the framework, ever flavored with a fine-tuned sense of humor. In short, he's the sort who made this country great, and what we are woefully short of in today's crop of youngsters. I know; I'm a retired middle school teacher. I'd recommend this book to any of my former students, except most of them don't like to read.

1 comments about Essential Oils for Horses: A Source Book for Practitioners and Owners.

1. For anyone wanting to learn about essential oils for horses, this is the book. Easy to read and packed with tons of very detailed information.

2 comments about Be a Smart Horse Buyer: A Guide to Avoiding Common Mistakes and Finding the Right Horse for You.

1. This book is great! It's very informative and covers all bases when deciding to purchase a horse; you'll know just what to look for.



2. This book is great for a new buyer...and is a good refresher for experienced horsemen. It's laid out in a clear and conscise way and helps the reader focus on getting the horse that's most appropriate for their riding abilities. Despite it's Western photos, the content is appropriate for any and all riding disciplines.
   
   I also recommend Ride the Right Horse by Yvonne Barteau. That book focuses more on horse personalities and getting the right match of horse and rider.

5 comments about The Horses in My Life.

1. Interesting reading if you're a Monty Roberts fan. Basically short stories
   of horses he has owned or trained. Not much educational content but an
   overview of his life with horses and fun reading.



2. This book is a set of stories about the horses in Mr. Roberts life, not all of them, but a collection of sixty or so. It starts with the first horse in his life and ends with a horse named Johnny Tivio that he road to win numerous championship event. Mr. Roberts stresses in this book that these are the horses that taught him things.
   
   Mr. Roberts, the author of the best selling 'The Man who Listens to Horses,' clearly loves horses. In this book, that love comes through. Each horse is treated with respect and understanding, perhaps more than you would normally think goes to an animal. Perhaps, but it makes it easy to see why Mr. Roberts has chosen to spend a lifetime with horses.
   
   Knowing that the horses are long lived, there is a bit of trajedy here as each horse goes to his own ending. But that too is part of life.
   
   This is not a book on how to train horses, not even about how to ride horses. This is a life of loving horses.



3. It was fascinating to follow how the different experiences with horses led Monty to become the person he is today. I have seen him work in person and it is truly amazing to watch what he can do. Learning more about what the horses have taught him gave me even more insight.



4. This is a great bunch of stories and such a marvelous perspective on a rich life involved with animals - pure love!



5. Monty says these horses made him the amazing trainer that he is and it is a fascinating journey through the decades of his life. He created a movement that will forever change the way we treat animals - not just horses.
   I read a review by the American Library Association touting this book and they are right on!

5 comments about Long Reining: The Saumur Method.

1. Such a simple and straight forward approach. I know that if I take a patient approach, these tools, as outlined by Phillipe Karl, will take myself and my horses far!
   Tres Bien!



2. This book does a great job of getting to the point and letting you know what you need to do and what you should expect form your horse. There isn't any fluff that you need to short through to know what to do, and Karl doesn't skirt around training issues. Since he wrote the book in a nice progression of exercises any level of horseman can use this book and learn from it. I would recommend this book for those who are wanting to learn this technique of training your horse.



3. If you're working with a young horse or are unable to ride and want to keep up with your dressage training, buy this book. Although the book is short, the pictures and text are very clear. Karl teaches basic lunging and driving all the way to passage and piaffe. His methods are gentle to the animal. Lots of diagrammed arena exercises. The troubleshooting was great. I taught my mare shoulder-in on 3 and 4 tracks in one hour. I had to stop riding due to pregnancy but I have been able to keep up with my training.



4. This book focuses exclusively on long-reining, and what a treat it is. Lavishly illustrated with color photographs throughout (all taken in France), beautiful, fit horses are worked through various exercises by Philippe Karl, impeccable in his uniform and coveted golden spurs (which have to be earned) of the Saumur, so the reader sees a master at work.
   
   The first major chapter sets the stage for all work in dealing with the gymnastics of the horse, how he moves, his anatomy, sequence of footfalls, balance, bio-mechanics, all of which are well-diagrammed with line drawings. It is supported with quotes from many well-known masters of the past (de la Gueriniere, Raabe, Licart, Kerbrech, D'Auvergne, L'Hotte).
   
   Equipment is dealt with in the opening chapters, and one thing the Europeans have over there which we don't are surcingles with the rings further down the side of the horse for a lower placing of the lines. Everything is clean, simple, and workmanlike, of quality.
   
   Not only do we see basic work on the long reins, but also innovative exercises as well, with clear line drawings illustrating the movements described to break the monotony of the work and to develop the horse's agility and sharpen his response to the aids.
   
   The Europeans believe in introducing horses to jumping as well, feeling that it produces a more all-around athlete, and in this book as well, a section covers work over fences fully illustrated with those beautiful photographs.
   
   While the main focus of the book is the long reining, there are many photographs of mounted work with which to compare to the photographs of ground work so that the reader sees how each enhances the other and how the pieces fit together.
   
   The piece de resistance is the end of the book, the dessert of the work, the piaffe(r) and passage in hand, as well as pesade. With Philippe Karl's detailed description of how to execute the exercises, I feel that I could teach my horse to do them, too.
   
   While this book is a unique and valuable training tool, it is pretty enough to be a coffee table book as well. The photographs alone are enough to make the reader salivate, and I would go so far as to say some are works of art in themselves.
   
   This book came out in 1992 and did not remain in print very long, but fortunately it has been reprinted.



5. Every lover of horses should read this book if they want to understand the art of perfect equine fitness. I am using it to help me train a mare recovering from a long illness. She cannot bear the weight of a rider on her back yet, but she can benefit greatly from the exercises shown in this book. The author is clear and direct; a very talented author and teacher. The photos are excellent. I have purchased many books on long reining, and this is by far the best.

5 comments about Veterinary Notes for Horse Owners: New Revised Edition of the Standard Work for More Than 100 Years.

1. The information is well organized, thorough and informative. I have used it to identify and verify situations with my three horses. The photos are great and give you additional info to consider. I would recommend this book to the horse lover who is concerned about her animals health.



2. This book is beyond words, it is definately a MUST have.



3. I bought this book last year, and have nearly worn it out!! I am studying towards vet school, and this book is invaluable to me when I work as a vet assistant in an equine hospital. I would reccomend it to people with more than an average interest in equine medicine, and with basic knowlledge of horse anatomy and veterinary terminology.



4. I received this book as a birthday gift 6 years ago and it has been close at hand ever since! It is helpful for all horse owners from novice to advanced levels of veterinary knowledge.



5. This book is a must for all horse owners. It is an invaluable reference tool. I bought my first edition of this book 18 years ago, and it is the single most useful book I have ever purchased.

No comments about The Ultimate Level of Horsemanship: Training Through Inspiration.

3 comments about Veterinary Guide to Horse Breeding.

1. Great Book! Very informative. Goes into good detail of every aspect but not too detailed that you have a hard time understanding it. I have purchased a few books on the topic as I have experienced some unusual situations with my horse breeding program and found it to follow right along with my vets advice and information on many of them. For the money, this is by far the best book I have purchased yet on horse breeding.



2. This is a pretty informative book, but I found that there is still some basic information that is not mentioned. For example my vet said a 3-week heat cycle for a mare's first March heat is not unusual. The book never mentions it. It also doesn't say anything about dealing with a virgin stallion. My vet had different advice than they did on washing the stallion. Since he maintains a stud, I trust his judgement. It is still informative however and we'll have to see how the foaling part goes. Just wish it had more information in certain areas. It would have saved me a $70. trip to the vet for something that is normal.



3. This book will enlighten you too. It is great for the large or small facility. Have to read. A must!

5 comments about People We Know, Horses They Love.

1. I have seen this book before and decided to get it for myself, so I can ponder over the different chapters, and personages at leisure. Filled with one surprise after another, the book delivers photos masterfully done, interwoven with stories of people we know that share a common bond... horses. It is a great gift for the horse lover or the person that likes to read about people in the world of celebrities. Again, I must emphasize that the pictures are truly stunning and well composed. Having been a photographer for over 40 years, I always pay more attention to the details, composures, and art-full feel of pictures, and these photos are charming and "story telling" in their own light. One picture is worth a thousand words, is very true in this book. Buy it, enjoy it, keep it and give it.
   Vern



2. This book has some really well taken photography shots of people and their horses. It dosen't lie in its title...alas..the title is incredibly accurate...it shows a bunch of celebrity with their horses and a few with the dogs also.
   
   Did I say the photography was wonderful?...It is.
   
   The choice of the persons included in this book was well thought out..as she included several minority persons for which I give high marks for doing so..as minorities are very poorly represented in most equine books.
   
   The horse crazy among us..(like Myself) will devour this book in less than 30 minutes if you read it..and even faster than that (maybe) if you just look at the pictures. Teens..young adults...minority horse lovers should jump on it...because it contains people that you have seen ..that could be you or your kids in it..and for that reason..it is excellent for the younger crowd too !!!
   
   It isn't smart..or difficult..or magical...or knowledgable......its a good look at American Celebritys the horses they own..and how they got connected to them.



3. Where should I start? With the many blurry, grainy photos? Or the photos of celebrities and horses that are hugely under exposed so the "background" can come shining through? I thought I'd get to see celebrities with their horses - in focus. Disappointing photography.
   
   The interviews sound somewhat "canned" and "redundant". As though the celebrities were asked to fill in a form and then the interview was written from the form.
   
   Why two stars? Page 1, Richard Gere and his horse; Page 13 Robert Duvall and horse; Page 89 Kim Novak and her horse.



4. This oversize book with photographs by Linda Solomon is exactly as advertised by the title. We see photo-montages of stars like Robert Redford with his favorite horses. The text burbles on about his screen credits and career and the Sundance film festival. Robert Redford talks about his (horseless) childhood and why and how he learned to ride. The other stars that Rappaport and Wilkinson interview and photograph are Gisele Bundchen (super model from Brazil), Chevy Chase, Robert Duvall, Richard Gere (who raises Appaloosas), Melissa Gilbert and Bruce Boxleitner, Whoopi Goldberg (who currently doesn't own any horses, so was photographed with NYC's finest mounted police), Kelse and Camille Grammer, Joe and Billie Perry (Friesians), Katharine Ross and Cleo Elliott, Jane Seymour (who prefers driving to riding), Maria Shriver, Robert Wagner and Jill St. John, Jeff Bridges, Christie Brinkley, William Devane, Morgan Freeman, Kim Novak, Jack Palance, and Dennis Quaid.
   
   The book has two other, shorter sections titled "Pro and Show" and "Healing Hands, Healing Horses." My favorite interview was with ex-jockey Julie Krone. What a gutsy, determined athelete! There are also short articles on the U. S. Equestrian Team, Dressage, and horse healer Buck Brannaman.
   
   "People We Know, Horses They Love" is a pleasant hodge-podge. I would recommend it to star-struck teenagers who also happen to love horses.



5. I've been a horse lover since I got my first pony at the age of six. I am also a working entertainment reporter, so I am always on the lookout to talk to celebs who have horses -- but this book taught even me a few things! Who knew Chevy Chase has Icelandics? That's my favorite breed!
   
   People We Know, Horses They Love is not only very well-written and informative, but the pictures are beautiful too. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because that rating for horse/picture books is reserved for Robert Vavra :)
   
   Staci Layne Wilson

5 comments about Arabians.

1. Expertly edited by Hossein Amirsadeghi with enhanced with full color photographs from Rik van Lent Sr. and Rik van Lent Jr. and an informative text by Peter Upton, Arabians is an extensive pictorial documentation and understanding of a distinctive equine of historic lineage -- the Arabian Horse. Providing readers with an detailing of the breeds origin, use, recorded development, and the interesting historical significance of the prestigious and fascinating animal. Arabians is very highly recommended as illustrated compendium of detailed writings about a truly noble and enduringly popular animal.



2. This book has entrancing photos, and skips through a large number of countries and studs. If you are looking for in depth information on Arabians in any particulary part of the world this book is not for you. It looks at selected studs only. If you want lovely pictures you wont be unhappy.



3. This book is a necessity for the library of any Arabian lover. The text and photographs take you around the world and through the passages of time. Fabulous photographs and wonderful attention to detail. What a worthwhile purchase!



4. This is a great title to add to your ever growing arabian horse book collection. It's excellent reading, as it contains everything that you need to know about this magnificant breed and is fully illustrated with beautiful graphics.



5. i love the great pictures of these beautiful horses, and the text actually tells alot, where most books give alot of info you dont need.