No comments about 2009 American Quarter Horse Datebook.

1 comments about Understanding Breeding Management.

1. I am a big fan of all the "Understanding" books by TheHorse, but this one is one of my favorites. There are great pictures and a through explanation of Natural as well as Artificial Insemination. It helped me pass a Breeding and Reproduction class, making all my cryptic notes so much clearer!

2 comments about Understanding the Foal (The Horse Health Care Library Series).

1. This book not only brings the complexity of foaling to the average horse owner but it really prepares you for what to expect from a foal along with some of the complications that can arise. I won't ever let this book leave my stable.



2. I bought this book after purchasing a pregnant mare, our first horse as well! The book made me very confident that I could handle whatever happened and that I would know when I needed help. I have referred back to the book many times since the foal was born but I would only recommend this book to someone who will be involved in the actual foaling. It would be of minimum help in raising a foal unless it was an orphan. Focuses mainly on the first couple weeks of life.

4 comments about The Simplicity of Dressage.

1. Don't let the title fool you: The issues discussed are abstract, complex, and with NO SIMPLICITY at all. Wrong title on book: It does not simplify the theory of training of dressage horses and riders. The content is scattered, and not practical for ordinary riders to understand. If you use dressage terms to describe this book: It is "above the bit", "Not collected", "Rear end sticks out", "Downhill", "Hasty little steps", "Rough transitions" ....



2. I found it to be a decent book and some of the photos are just gorgeous. The book's title is completely apt... the Simplicity of Dressage as the content in this book is simple in it's message. The core is completely sound (e.g. Rhythm and relaxation, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection) and is an important reminder of the basic principles of dressage for those new to the sport or to those who want an easy read as a refresher.
   
   What did disappoint me was minimal commentary for those of us with less than ideal circumstances... tips for achieving those principles when you're not an international competitor or riding professional or don't have the brilliant mover, talented olympic prospect etc... Simple as the concepts are, rhythm and relaxation, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection are often a challenge due to confirmation issues (in both horse and rider sometimes!) and some discussion of achieving these basics in the face of common problems would have been more helpful for me anyway. It also felt a little bit like a biography on the careers of the van Baalen's.



3. Before finding yourself in a never-ending cycle of tension with your horse, invest in this book. From cover to cover, the entire subject of this book is the six elements of the German training scale: Rhythm and relaxation, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection. In clear and concise language, this book illustrates that you cannot progress to one level before establishing the one before. It proves that before you ask for impulsion, you must have contact, and if you encounter tension in collection, you go back to relaxation. In other words, the authors successfully bring dressage within grips of every rider by providing solid building blocks to progressive dressage training.

   Each element of the training scale is explained thoroughly. Potential problems are addressed with practical, easy solutions. By absorbing this information, you'll find that dressage is surprisingly simple...hence the title. Beware, though, that there is no intense detail as there is in other dressage books. For example, you won't find a 5-page description of the half-halt. You won't find a step-by-step instruction of the half-pass. You will, however, realze the importance of working by a system and you will see it reflecting on your horse.

   A beautifully bound book and a joy to flip through with its numerous color photos. Definitely worth reading regardless of your level.




4. Hinnemann is an accomplished rider and trainer. He studied with the great Reiner Klimke, who was, in turn a student of Harry Boldt, Sr. This means that Hinnemann's dressage education is as good as it gets. Successful dressage training requires patient, systematic work to improve the horse's rhythm, relaxation, acceptance of the bit, impulsion, straightness, and collection. This book shows how some of Europe's foremost trainers develop these critical qualities in their horses. Several of the examples and vignettes use top competition horses, but some focus on ponies and more average horses, making the book's content accessible and relevant to a wide audience of riders. If you want a horse that is balanced, obedient, and sound in mind and body, you should read this book. An beautiful pictures and simple language are an added plus. The book contains many important ideas in an "easy to read" format.

4 comments about Equine Angels: Stories of Rescue, Love, and Hope.

1. Equine Angels: Stories of Rescue, Love, and Hope
   
   "Rescues rescue us" - is a favorite saying of Frank Weller, author of a magnificent book that any horse lover will treasure and enjoy for years to come. Visually stunning color pictures by Donna Cloutier display the intimate lives of horses on nearly every page - herds running through misty pastures, awesome stallions, touching portraits of mares and foals, and adoptive families interacting with their beloved animals.
   
   
   The book features many inspiring stories of PMU horses, real life rescues, and the rewards and challenges of equine adoption. The EARS organization, founded by Frank Weller, the author of this book has saved hundreds of mares and foals from slaughter that would otherwise be disposed of as by-products of the Premarin hormone replacement industry.
   
   "Equine Angels" is a testimony to courage, kindness, reverence for life, and devotion to horses - love comes shining through on every page. This book would make a wonderful gift for any horse lover. The book is available on Amazon.com. If you would like more information about the EARS organization, check out their website at foalrescue.com.
   
   
   Submitted by J. R. Wise author of "Give a Horse a Second Chance: Adopting and Caring for Rescue Horses."
   
   note: the reader is welcome to copy this material as long as you credit the source - in fact I would like to encourage you to do so and help promote this wonderful book



2. This book is a touching and poignant story of love and the deep connection that exists between animals (in this case, horses) and the humans who care for them. The narration and the photography are done with sensitivity and compassion. What an eye-opener to the plight of the premarin mares and their foals, and the stories within the book prove that it is indeed possible to make a difference. I would strongly recommend this book not only to any animal lover, but also to anyone who believes that the measure of a society is in how it treats the most defenseless of its creatures.



3. This wonderful book brought tears to my eyes as I viewed the pictures of the mares and foals in such bucolic settings. The real story of the lives of these beautiful animals is told in a factual accounting of the abuse suffered before being rescued by true angels dedicated to the atonement for the injustices created by our modern society. Special relationships are forged with intense devotion between the angels and their horses that make the reader empathize with these personal stories. It is impossible not to be affected by what you read in this book of the great work done by the angels. It is a must read by animal lovers.



4. This book needed to be written....and it has been written by a writer with just the right touch of factual information, sentimentality, urgency, love and gratitude to make it reach out to your heart and pull you in to help in some way. Frank Weller's optimism shines through a story and an industry that has dark sides. He, however, has chosen to spotlight the success stories, his "angels" with both two and four legs, and that is what makes the book his own. Anyone who loves animals of any kind, anyone who has owned or had a relationship with a horse in their lifetime or has dreamed of doing so all their lives, will be drawn to the stories of Frank's army of angels as they share their reasons for getting involved and rescuing a PMU equine. The photos are mesmerizing...so beautiful are the photos taken in Canada pre-rescue, that one could almost believe that these horses are living the perfect life! Unless of course, you know how it ends....and then the photos of the foals safe and sound are the ones that warm your heart. A wonderful book and a wonderful gift for any horse or animal lover in your life! Uplifting and special! Bravo to Frank Weller and Donna Cloutier and all the "angels"!

No comments about Living Western Horsemanship: Personal Narratives by Leading Horsemen of the American West.

1 comments about Desiderata for Horse Lovers: A Guide to Life & Happiness.

1. I HAD A GOOD LOOK 'INSIDE' THE BOOK BEFORE I PURCHASED IT. I LIKED WHAT I SAW, IT WAS NOT TOO BIG OR TOO WORDY BUT SOMETHING TO REFLECT UP ON. IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THE BOOK FILLED A GAP IN MY CHECKLIST OF SUITABLE GIFTS FOR A 'HORSE LOVER' WHO IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS SUFFERED DIVORCE AND OTHER PERSONAL TRAUMAS. I PURCHASED THE BOOK AS WHAT I CONSIDERED WOULD MAKE AN IDEAL GIFT FOR MY GROOM.

5 comments about 101 Schooling Exercises: For Horse & rider.

1. This book is easy for anyone to use. It is clear on what the exercises are for, how to do them and more importantly what can go wrong when you are trying to do them. It is a well thought out book and very user friendly for training at home.



2. This book as a fantastic aide while training yourself and your horse. The exercises are very well described and illustrated. There are also hints for what to watch out for, and what to do if something goes wrong. The progression of exercises is well thought-out and great for slowly building up the skills of your horse. There is also a section which suggests which exercises may be good for which problems (such as collection, flexion, or gait transitions). This is a wonderful manual to have around when you need some great ideas for what to work on. Highly recommend for any rider serious about their equitation.



3. I recomend this book because is very easy to pratice with my hore with fast and good results!



4. There are several books on the market with schooling exercises, arena patterns and the like, but this book I found to be more useful than the rest. The things I liked about this book were numerous . There are exercises contributed by top trainers/riders such as Richard Davison, Sylvia Loch, John Lasseter and Jennie Loriston-Clarke, to name a few. All the exercises themselves take up a whole page which are very clearly done and in this large format book (11 x 8 1/2 inch) which gives plenty of room to clarify the exercise. In order to help the rider the exercises are further clarified by accompanying text such as "How do I ride this exercise?" "What should happen" "How do I ride (travers)?" "Moving On" "What can go wrong?" and "If it's not working"
   The section on Rider's Problem Solver further outlines a unique way to use the book. An example being "My horse is stiff on one side" - so the required exercises for this problem are given. There are further chapters on Why School Your Horse?, Structuring Your Schooling, The Horse's Way of Going, The Rider's Position, Making Things Work and Setting up Your Arena. This book is not to be missed and will be invaluable to the rider who has to work alone and the less experienced to see how an exercise should be performed.



5. This book is equal in theory and practicality. It teaches you how to ride your horse to practice a specific principle. It gives you inspiration and fun what to do with your horse. The diagrams are fantastic.
   The riding-level chart is funky: and no explanation of what they mean.

No comments about Thinking Riding Book 1 Training Student Instructors.

No comments about Horse Breeds of the World.