horses

Clinton Anderson's Downunder Horsemanship: Establishing Respect and Control for English and Western Riders

Crazy Good: The True Story of Dan Patch, the Most Famous Horse in America

A hundred years ago, the most famous athlete in America was a horse. But Dan Patch was more than a sports star; he was a cultural icon in the days before the automobile. Born crippled and unable to stand, he was nearly euthanized. For a while, he pulled the grocer's wagon in his hometown of Oxford, Indiana. But when he was entered in a race at the county fair, he won -- and he kept on winning. Harness racing was the top sport in America at the time, and Dan, a pacer, set the world record for the mile. He eventually lowered the mark by four seconds, an unheard-of achievement that would not be surpassed for decades.

America loved Dan Patch, who, though kind and gentle, seemed to understand that he was a superstar: he acknowledged applause from the grandstands with a nod or two of his majestic head and stopped as if to pose when he saw a camera. He became the first celebrity sports endorser; his name appeared on breakfast cereals, washing machines, cigars, razors, and sleds. At a time when the highest-paid baseball player, Ty Cobb, was making $12,000 a year, Dan Patch was earning over a million dollars.

But even then horse racing attracted hustlers, cheats, and touts. Drivers and owners bet heavily on races, which were often fixed; horses were drugged with whiskey or cocaine, or switched off with "ringers." Although Dan never lost a race, some of his races were rigged so that large sums of money could change hands. Dan's original owner was intimidated into selling him, and America's favorite horse spent the second half of his career touring the country in a plush private railroad car and putting on speed shows for crowds that sometimes exceeded 100,000 people. But the automobile cooled America's romance with the horse, and by the time he died in 1916, Dan was all but forgotten. His last owner, a Minnesota entrepreneur gone bankrupt, buried him in an unmarked grave. His achievements have faded, but throughout the years, a faithful few kept alive the legend of Dan Patch, and in Crazy Good, Charles Leerhsen travels through their world to bring back to life this fascinating story of triumph and treachery in small-town America and big-city racetracks.

Tug of War: Classical Versus "Modern" Dressage: Why Classical Training Works and How Incorrect Riding Negatively Affects Horses' Health

How to Think Like A Horse: The Essential Handbook for Understanding Why Horses Do What They Do

Ask someone who works with horses how best to communicate with a balky colt and she will tell you that horses do not respond to human cajoling. To be successful the human must understand and work with, not against, the horse’s instincts, needs, and fears. When a trainer resorts to human teaching methods — reasoning, begging, bribing, even hugging and kissing — the horse will become confused and unable to respond appropriately. But if horses are treated respectfully with methods they understand, everyone involved — animal and human — will be happier, safer, and more productive.

Horse trainer and instructor Cherry Hill believes that every human/horse relationship benefits from a greater human understanding of what motivates horses, how they experience the world, what makes them happy, and what worries them. Journey through the equine mind with Hill as she explores all that makes a horse tick. How do his basic needs dictate his behavior and mood? What touches and tastes appeal to his senses? How does his “flight or fight” instinct dictate his response to sudden movements?

Hill offers interactive experiments — fun for both horse and human — that bear out her findings on horse behavior. And her final chapter presents simple training methods that draw from the insights and information presented throughout the book.

Natural Horse-Man-Ship: Six Keys to a Natural Horse-Human Relationship

How Your Horse Wants You to Ride: Starting Out, Starting Over

Learn to ride correctly, safely, and confidently

In this breakthrough guide, renowned riding expert Gincy Self Bucklin offers adult riders a unique, proven method for developing a good physical, mental, and emotional relationship with a horse. Whether you're a beginner, a more experienced rider looking to enhance your skills, or someone who used to ride but is reluctant to try again, Bucklin's step-by-step exercises-slowly and carefully practiced first on the ground and then on your horse-will have you riding with confidence and without fear. You'll build a safe and caring partnership with your horse as you:
* Understand how your actions affect your horse
* Improve your form, release tensions, and find balance
* Communicate with your horse to gain his trust
* Stay in charge without being controlling
* Observe your horse's responses and learn from them
* Increase your horse's comfort-both physically and psychologically


"If you' ve ever said to yourself, 'Why can' t I . . . ?,' you' ll find the answer here to why you can' t, and exactly how to solve the problem. Whatever your level, you'll gain greater understanding and become a better rider and horseman from reading this book."
-George H. Morris, internationally renowned clinician, USEF Show Jumping vice-president, ARIA master instructor, and member of the U. S. Equestrian Federation Board of Directors

"How Your Horse Wants You To Ride is chock full of innovative and practical tools presented in a thoroughly entertaining style. A delightful read for riders at all levels!"
-Jane Savoie, olympic alternate and author of That Winning Feeling!, Cross Train Your Horse, More Cross Training, and It's Not Just About the Ribbons

A unique, proven method of riding instruction

Written by a renowned riding expert, this unique guide offers adult amateur riders a proven method for building a good physical, mental, and emotional relationship with a horse. Step-by-step skill-building exercises-first on the ground and then on the horse-help riders gain confidence, understand how their actions affect the horse, and communicate with the horse to gain his trust.

Gincy Self Bucklin (Narragansett, RI) is an accomplished riding instructor with more than 50 years' experience. She is the author of What Your Horse Wants You to Know (0-7645-4085-8).

Equestrian Style: Home Design, Couture, and Collections from the Eclectic to the Elegant

Elegant equestrians in impeccable attire; glorious hunt balls held in museums; a procession of regal foxhunting paintings in a home fit for a polo king and his brood—the world of horses is full of imagery. Extending far beyond the stable, the racetrack, and the polo field, our love of all things equine appears everywhere from our closets to our dining rooms.

Now journalist and horse-world fixture Vicky Moon captures the equestrian way of life with an unprecedented peek into dozens of stunning residences. You’ll visit a French-accented mansion decorated with contemporary horse art; an equestrian resort on 395 acres, complete with cottages for rent and a large private collection of carriages; a spa with a swimming pool for horses; and a working barn that Kathryn Ireland decorated to do double duty as a home for a professional horseman, riding instructor, and model whose students included Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

Horse enthusiasts will be delighted to find familiar names and faces of the horse world gracing these luxurious pages, from art masters of the past such as painter George Stubbs and sculptor Herbert Haseltine to today’s most popular artists, including Liza Todd Tivey and Beverly Zimmer. Equestrian devotees, such as the up-and-coming star Mayan Lopez, show jumper Georgina Bloomberg, and the late Allaire du Pont, are profiled with their beloved horses and the collections and fashions that reflect their passions. With beautiful photographs, richly detailed stories, and practical advice, Equestrian Style is certain to inspire horse lovers everywhere to bring a stylish bit of the stable into their homes.

In this luxurious tour through stylish equestrian-themed interiors, Vicky Moon captures the rich details—from the coveted to the quirky—of the art, architecture, clothing, and people inspired by the classic horse motif.

Equestrian style begins with a basic love of horses. It is more than a feisty, wet Jack Russell terrier, a pair of Wellington boots, and a tweed jacket. It goes beyond hanging a hunting print on the dining room wall to actually leaping over stone walls on your favorite hunter. An unspoken equestrian philosophy surpasses wearing an Hermès scarf; it celebrates riding over jumps in an Hermès saddle. Equestrian style reaches its apex among people ­who not only love horses, but also practically live with them. It is an enduring tradition.

Centered Riding (A Trafalgar Square Farm Book)

John Lyons' Bringing Up Baby: 20 Progressive Ground-Work Lessons to Develop Your Young Horse into a Reliable, Accepting Partner

What Your Horse Wants You to Know: What Horses' "Bad" Behavior Means, and How to Correct It

Listen to and communicate with your horse-successfully

"This is a book for everyone who has ever looked at the constantly increasing list of methods and systems marketed as 'horsemanship' and wondered which of the many possible approaches would be most suitable for a particular behavior problem. Gincy Bucklin has distilled her many years of experience with horses and riders into a very useful, step-by-step, hands-on book. Bucklin's writing is smooth and easy to read, and no matter where you open this book, you'll find that her deep respect and affection for both equines and humans shines through."
-Dr. Jessica Jahiel, author of Riding for the Rest of Us

"Gincy Bucklin uses her decades-long experience with horses to answer that most frequently asked question: 'Why did my horse do that?' And she comes up with creative solutions that weave together traditional horse handling with the best of modern horse training, including my own personal favorite, clicker training."
-Alexandra Kurland, author of Clicker Training for Your Horse and The Click That Teaches video lesson series

It takes time for a horse to learn everything we want him to know. If we don't make our intentions clear to him in ways that he can understand, or if we don't listen to what he wants, problems may result. Featuring easy-to-follow, step-by-step advice, What Your Horse Wants You to Know reveals how to communicate effectively with your horse to create an atmosphere of mutual cooperation.

What Your Horse Wants You to Know focuses on improving your horse's behavior on the ground, so you can develop relationship and communications skills without the more challenging problems that arise once you're on his back.
* Use your entire body to communicate with your horse
* Show your horse that you respect his needs and feelings
* Be patient and consistent with your horse while having fun
* Understand your horse's fears and overcome them
* Respond appropriately to physiological or nutritional problems
* Use praise to make your horse feel confident and successful