5 comments about The Natural Rider: A Right-Brain Approach to Riding.

1. This is a wonderful book. It has taken me a long time to read it but so worthwhile. If you like her book you should see her in person...even better. This lady puts the exclamation point on anyone's riding.



2. 
   I expected more of this book by Mary Wanless, actually, a lot more. But "The Natural Rider A Right Brain Approach" is tough going even for people who have more than a little experience. No mistake about it, there is plenty of good information in the book. The problem is absorbing that information is hampered by the uneven, sometimes disjointed presentation. There are just easier ways to learn the same things than struggling through this book. Mary W.'s videos are a lot better.



3. I stopped riding ten years ago, having ridden for five years as a child. I didn't forget any of what I learned but I did find it more difficult to come back and not be apprehensive as an adult. What I'm coming to understand through this book is how to go about getting horses to work with me instead of against me. It's easy to attribute problems to the horse but this book shows you that it's important to recognize the part you play as a rider in getting the best out of your horse. In reading this book, I cannot believe how much my instructors did not tell me that would have helped so much. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is at least somewhat familiar with terminology because it could be confusing for a beginner student.



4. Liked the book very much. I now ride my horse bridleless and bareback. Her book gave me the best seat I never got from riding instruction. The first Mary Wanless book I recommend to my students



5. On its own, this is an OK book about riding, but it tends to ramble on. Buy Mary Wanless's Masterclass instead, where she clearly presents her principles of riding.

5 comments about One Good Horse.

1. Author Groneberg's spare, beautiful, prose could make you weep in its honest simplicity. He takes the reader on the most intimate of journeys into his heart, his soul, and his mind. His struggles to come to grips with the ordinariness of his life while still daring to reach for extraordinary that he dreams of, is brillantly woven into stories of the past and the present, the human and the equine. Rarely does a memoir touch my soul as this one has. Reading this felt like a privilege. I was enriched in so many ways. I am grateful for the gift od Tom Groneberg.



2. Mr. Groneberg knows the West and takes us there instantly. His characters struggle, live, relate, disengage, and escape just like those anywhere else, but here things move differently. Our hero's method of dealing with, or avoiding, the difficulties of human relationships is through focusing his efforts and passion on the process of training an unbroken horse. As the complex stories unravel, the dusty trail becomes clearer and the beauty of human fragility shines through.



3. One Good Horse picks up Tom's life where he is still in Montana working various ranch jobs to support his budding family. Dealing with all of the complications in his life, Tom decides that what he really needs is a horse. This is not to be an ordinary horse that belonged to another, Tom wants to buy an un-broke horse and go through the process of training him; not the old time approach of jumping on his back and breaking him but rather through kindness and teaching the horse what he needs to do without stress and confrontation. Concurrently Tom also chronicles the life of the horse as it eventually becomes part of the Groneberg family. For me, one of the things that makes this book special is the interjection of segments of Teddy Blue Abbott's wonderful book, We Pointed Them North. Teddy's colorful account of his cattle drive from Texas to Montana is beautifully woven in with Tom's own experiences and surprisingly transcends the century that divides the two literary works. I strongly recommend that anyone interested in the west (past and present alike) give this book a read - I believe you will thoroughly enjoy it.



4. "Remember that life is not always fair, but it is good. Success is measured by the size of your heart," Tom Groneberg writes in his elegiac nonfiction followup to his successful memoir, The Secret Life of Cowboys. This time out, Mr. Groneberg writes of the eponymous equine, Blue, interspersing his tale of searching for that horse with his tales as husband and father to three young sons. In the process, he acquits himself not just as an extraordinary writer, but as an extraordinary father as well.



5. Tom Groneberg's One Good Horse presents several characters from disparate times and influences. Several stories emerge, and are woven in, out and around the authors desire to buy, break and train one good horse. Initially, the books cast of characters seem unrelated as they move in and out of the story. But ever so masterfully this author breathes each one to life, and a common theme begins to coalesce and shimmer. Within each characters circumstance, sandwiched between all things ordinary, life folds tiny, subtle cataclysms that alter perceptions and expectations mercilessly for good or ill. The author opens a window into his own soul and humbly invites us to pause to wonder at the blessings and the disappointments of our naive and so often narrow expectations of life and its most precious commodity: time well spent; time purposefully spent. In this earthy book I can almost smell the hay and grass and hear the horses snort and breathe as I recognize life's brevity and beauty in the colors of the Montanta Sky. Just as in his book, The Secret Life of Cowboys, Tom Groneberg's transparency and gentle vulnerability in sharing his desires, his moments of bliss or epiphany and more often than not - his heartache and disappointment were a genuine delight.

2 comments about Horseman's Veterinary Encyclopedia, Revised and Updated.

1. I own/operate a small breeding/showing operation that usually has 20-25 horse at one time. I have always had an intrest in veterinary medicine and have tried to educate myself to a level of competency to which I can treat most of the issues that arise. I found this book to be the best of the six vet reference books that I own. Whenever I have an issue, this is where I turn first. It is extremely well organized and the amount of information and detail is tremendous. It has helped me with difficult diagnosis and treatment. I would highly recommend this book to every horse owner.



2. I am a horse owner, have been for years, and I thought that this would be a great reference book. However, it seems that whenever I need to do research on something specific, the information is either not in the book, contrary to what my vet has said, or just isn't helpful. Look up "cribbing"- a passing mention of "cording of the neck muscles that results when he forces air into his stomach." Period. No possible causation, no mention of diet, suggestions to alleviate, the latest research, nothing. Look up "Deworming"- you get photos of the nasty critters that may inhabit your horses digestive system, and some suggestions about how to handle them. I was looking for information on the latest info on ivermectin resistance, rotation schedules, etc., and that wasn't there. I also couldn't find a chart of the entire skeletal system. There are drawings and photos of all sorts of conditions and pieces/parts of anatomy that may be helpful at some point, but so far, this book is rather disappointing.

4 comments about Stallions: Their Management and Handling.

1. I was lucky to find it in an antique store, but what a load of infomation it has provided me. It has given me more training advice and tips that I can use on western horses through to hunters. Starting from the foal to yearlings to finishing, he is practicle informative of training a well manered and obidient horse and is not bias in the breed of horses he uses. I found this a great book for any one who wants to lern more on riding and horsemanship. John Richard Young is a great horseman and knows and respects his horses.



2. I originally read this book almost 20 years ago (1983), along with John Richard Young's Schooling for Young Riders (also a must-read for beginners). The book is full of gentle, caring wisdom about the nature of horses and how best to partner with them. The author includes information about everything the novice horseman needs to know, from equipment to a variety of specific training and communication techniques. I have never encountered a better, more comprehensive text for the beginner who wishes to progess to confident competence. I highly recommend anything ever written by this author. It is a loss to us all that his books are no longer in print; he was ahead of his time 50 years ago, and he's still far more progressive than many contemporary trainers.



3. I originally read this book almost 20 years ago (1983), along with John Richard Young's Schooling for Young Riders (also a must-read for beginners). The book is full of gentle, caring wisdom about the nature of horses and how best to partner with them. The author includes information about everything the novice horseman needs to know, from equipment to a variety of specific training and communication techniques. I have never encountered a better, more comprehensive text for the beginner who wishes to progess to confident competence. I highly recommend anything ever written by this author. It is a loss to us all that his books are no longer in print; he was ahead of his time 50 years ago, and he's still far more progressive than many contemporary trainers.



4. I originally read this book almost 20 years ago (1983), along with John Richard Young's Schooling for Young Riders (also a must-read for beginners). The book is full of gentle, caring wisdom about the nature of horses and how best to partner with them. The author includes information about everything the novice horseman needs to know, from equipment to a variety of specific training and communication techniques. I have never encountered a better, more comprehensive text for the beginner who wishes to progess to confident competence. I highly recommend anything ever written by this author. It is a loss to us all that his books are no longer in print; he was ahead of his time 50 years ago, and he's still far more progressive than many contemporary trainers.

5 comments about Stud: Adventures in Breeding.

1. Kevin Conley, $tud: Adventures in Breeding (Bloomsbury, 2002)
   
   "The most expensive thirty seconds in sports," the single line on the back of the book tells us, pointedly printed over the hindquarters part of a full-jacket photograph of Storm Cat, the most expensive American sire in history. New Yorker writer Kevin Conley takes us on a tour through the wild, weird world of horse breeding (mostly Thoroughbred, but a chapter is devoted to Standardbreds as well), and we get to meet a lot of very interesting people along the way, as well as the horses themselves. For wildness and weirdness, it can't be beat, as far as horse books I've read go; for writing, it's a bit different. I rush to say I may be affected by my recent reading here. I just finished up Bill Barich's most recent treatise on the racing world, and pretty much any racing writer would be hard-pressed to fill Barich's estimable writing slippers; everything else reads like Edward D. Wood, Jr., compared to Evelyn Waugh. Still, if you're interested in what goes on behind the camera (as it were) in the racing world, you could do a lot worse than to check out Conley's book. ***



2. "Stud, adventures in breeding" is a well-written book that focuses as much or more on the human stories within the Thoroughbred breeding industry as on the equine aspect. One of the things that makes horse racing interesting is that every horse has a great human story behind it and the author skillfully impliments this fact. While the book is a good source of general, "inside information" and entertaining stories, it is certainly not an entirely accurate reference. Factual errors are common, distressing considering that the author is an editor of the New Yorker and contributes to a number of large publications. Smallish errors are more common, for example, the listing of Secretariat's syndication value as 5 million dollars rather than the actual figure of slightly over 8 million dollars. The bigger errors are more glaring. The most obvious to me is the report of the death during foaling of a prominent Standardbred broodmare. During my tenure as a farm veterinarian at Hanover, Daisy Harbor continued to produce healthy foals - something that would have been difficult for her to do post-mortem.
   All in all, I recommend this book as a light-hearted look at what happens when the top racehorse de jour retires "to the breeding shed." There is more to it than girls, grass and money.



3. I don't know much about horses,I live in a place where owning one means you have the space,money, and can accomodate them to the colder climate. Needless to say, I went into this book knowing very little about them let alone what it takes to make a champion racehorse.
   
   However, by the time I got done reading this book I was able to inform other people on horses in general and breeding them. I enjoyed reading it, Conley makes the whole business entertaining and practical for anyone to understand. I couldn't put the book down, everyday when I was finished with what had to be done life-wise I read this book. Despite this factor there are a few things in the book that one had to either know offhand or research. This is the only reason why it didn't get five stars from me.



4. STUD is both fun and a nice overview of the horse racing and breeding industry. One of those rare books you tend to share witty quotes from with your friends.
   
   The writer does an excellent job of telling us about the industry, horses and people - while rarely, if ever, boring us with the "I'm special 'cause I was there and you weren't" flavor common to many horse racing industry books.
   
   A rare find, I was sorry to reach the end.



5. This book, in addition to being well written and interesting, covers the oft-overlooked foundation of the racing industry. I loved the portrayls of the horses and the owners!

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Servicing a Horse Trailer (Howell Reference Books).

1. A great book that takes you through all the basics and gives very good explinations of what he is talking about. Walks you around all the different types of trailers and what is importaint. This is a great book to someone new to trailering or looking to buy or a great refresher for the seasoned horse owner.



2. As an experienced horse owner, I found this book very helpful to look at horse trailers in a whole new light. This book is great at pointing out all the little flaws that different trailers may have and defiantly helped me make a check list to bring with me to purchase my next trailer. I would recommend this book to anyone, novice or experienced, who is on the market for their first or 5th trailer!



3. the book itself is very informative and useful for a new trailer owner.
   the disappointment that I feel is having the supplier say that the book is new and receive a new book but that has been scored from top to bottom on the front cover. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT! i tried to contact the supplier but they apparently don't have a useful email address.



4. This book is well written. It gives lots of great information about horse trailers. I do wish there was more written about recommendations for the actual vehicles being used to pull the horse trailer.



5. Even if you have trailered horses for years, you will still find this book to be a "must have." It will remind experienced horsemen of checklists to follow for safe towing, and give the new comer an insightful, useful tutelage on the ins and outs of buying and hauling. Ms. Schreve has thorough research and experience to back up her advice. Absolutely excellent advice on being fullly prepared for on-road emergencies!

1 comments about Western Training: Beyond The Basics (Equi Skills).

1. If you have a green horse of any age that you want to train for western events, here's the book for you: a title which goes beyond elementary lessons to provide step-by-step instructions on how to finish a Western horse. Black and white photos follow details which tell how to warm up a horse, correct common problems, use ground training to build a foundation, and more. A top pick for trainers who already know the basics and wish more.
   
   Diane C. Donovan, Editor
   California Bookwatch

No comments about The Complete Performance Horse: Feeding, Fitness, Lameness, Preventive Medicine.

5 comments about Conversations with Horse: An Uncommon Dialog of Equine Wisdom.

1. Conversations with horse is a great launching pad for a new exploration, not of what we have to teach horses but of what horses have to teach us. Those of us who try to really listen to our horses won't find a lot of new information, but will feel comforted and understood. Those of us who have been too scared to listen and let go of our weak methods of control like bits and stalls might get a gentle jostle to look closer. If you don't buy into animal communication, you probably will find this book to be paper thin. If you do accept animal communication this book with be as rich as a wedding cake. This book isn't about individual horse behavior or training, it is about connecting with the Great Mystery that is behind it all, where we and the horse can experience oneness.



2. While this is a small book, don't be fooled. It is not a quick read, neither is it trivial nor shallow. However, the average "horse person" will probably dismiss it as New Age airy-fairy baloney as it requires one to THINK. Remember: the number of years one associates with horses does not necessarily equate to knowledge or experience . . . there is a much bigger realm than the average mind recognizes. This book delves into the wider universe of co-existence as opposed to domination. It is not a how-to book about horses. It's a how-to book about life.



3. but then if she's psychic she probably already knows what I think of her. Save your money and buy a good book on horse behaviour



4. I was incredibly disappointed by this book. Of course, I have ridden, bred and trained horses since I was 10 years old. However, any fool who has every been around horses should have figured out everything Ms Solisti-Mattelon has to say in this book. That said, there are a lot o fools out there, so I'm sure there is a place for this book. Just don't expect great insight.



5. Just when you thought you've read all the "horse whisperer" books out there. This one finds me. I thought this would be the same as all the others: herd behavior, flight instinct. etc. etc. Well it was, and it wasn't. There were insightful, reassuring methods and so many things that I have never thought about. This book is full of wit and humor and reading it seems to float on a cloud...that may not make sense, but it will once you read it. It's like the whole world is resting on that pretty white pony's back and he's just sleeping and you can hear him thinking. It's amazing. Kate is the greatest.

5 comments about Consumer's Guide to Alternative Therapies in the Horse.

1. An excellent scientific approach that will no doubt send the oddball "alternative" therapy fans into a complete swoon. However, they'll not be able to come up with a single serious scientific article to refute the science in this book -- after many decades of frantic, fruitless attempts.
   
   The sad fact is that these "alternative" therapies simply do not work, as far as any scientific study has ever been able to tell. And the few little studies they occasionally cite are scientifically worthless, as a bit of research always reveals.
   
   This always brings out the worst in the homeopathic/chiropractic/crystal therapy/needle-stickers, etc., and they usually revert to claims that it's all just a plot by the evil veterinary/pharmaceutical community. A glance at some of the critical reviews on this site are typical -- you'll notice that they don't refer to any scientific publications or peer-reviewed journal articles ... because, sadly, they can't.
   
   This will, also sadly, do little to dissuade those desperate and gullible souls who will grasp at anything hoping to help their four-legged friend. After thirty years in dog & horse rescue, I understand the feeling all too well, but after seeing the results of alternative medicine vs. real veterinary medicine, I know that alternative medicine is 99% pure moonshine and marketing.
   
   This book should be required reading for all horse, dog & cat owners, period. We all need to know the facts in order to do right by our furry friends.



2. This author is well-known for his disparagement of alternative therapies. Do not buy this book if you are looking into alternative therapies for your animals as the author is strictly a "Western Medicine" kind of
   guy and very biased. Having used chiropractic, homeopathic, and acupressure on my horses, dogs, and cats, alternative therapy is extremely helpful when provided by a competent and trained professional. Research your practioner's training and background. See "Homeopathy for Horses" by Tim Couzens, "Veterinary Acupuncture" or "Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine: Principles and Practice" by Allen M. Schoen. All excellent reference for the holistic practitioner.



3. was very disappointed and felt the author did a disservice to balanced critical review and assessment. I did agree with a number of the findings in the books but the author should have provided less personal opinion and adhered to balanced scientific review rather than providing sweeping generalisations of certain therapeutic modalities. Absolutely regret having bought this book.



4. This book is a waste of money for people who are looking for good information on alternative care for their horse. The author considers any method other than his own to be unfounded and of no benefit. Could we say he is coming from a very egotistical point of view? I wonder how we and all the animals survived the thousands of years before modern medicine and his birth! The cover of the book is also cleverly laid out in order to trick the consumer who is interested in learning about alternative therapies into thinking the book will give them information on learning how to use complementary care. This was a total waste of my money.



5. Very Disappointing. The Author sets out "open mindedly" to investigate numerous alternative therapies for horses and proceeds to discredit each and every one of the therapies, concluding that the horse owner should revert to consulting the Veterinarian. A desperate attempt to preserve the Veterinary Profession.