Essential Horse: Tthe Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Riding Your Horse

Everything a horse owner wants to find out and must know to care for humankind's most loved and useful creature-from equine body language and stable skills to riding instruction-is in this ultimate, fully-illustrated horse care manual. Consult it to read up on equine history, equestrian sports, breeds, behavior, and anatomy. Enjoy fascinating facts and locate with ease, highlighted tips and checklists on: saddling, tacking, and grooming; footcare and mucking out; mounting, lunging, galloping, jumping; health, diet, and first aid; as well as dressage, show jumping and eventing for advanced riders. For anyone interested in horses or ponies-whether you own one or not-it's the only book you'll ever need!

Table of Contents

Introduction 6; 1 History 10; How horses evolved; the domestication of the horse; the development of the breeds; riding throughout history; riding styles around the world; the working horse; 2 Anatomy and behaviour 24; The horse's body; mating and foaling; behaviour in the wild; behaviour in domestication; 3 Your First Horse 46; Are you ready to own a horse?; keeping your horse at livery; keeping your horse at home; where to find your horse; the right horse for you; colours and markings; trying out a horse; 4 General Care 62; Stables and paddocks; bedding down and mucking out; feeding; watering; grooming; clipping and trimming; daily foot care; complimentary therapies; saddlery and equipment; tack; rugs, blankets and sheets; transporting horses; 5 Riding 106; Clothing; finding a riding school; first lessons; approaching your horse and mounting; on the lunge; walking; trotting; cantering; coming off the lunge; class lessons; fast cantering and galloping; pole work; jumping small fences; jumping larger fences; riding on roads; hacking out; riding alone; problem solving; coping with a young horse; finding a freelance teacher; 6 Advanced riding 150; Western sports; sidesaddle riding; showjumping; dressage; eventing; flat racing; steeple chasing and hurdling; point-to-pointing; endurance riding; hunting; carriage driven; 7 Health care 174; Good health, sickness and injury; first aid; common ailments and vaccinations; foot care and farriery; dental care and parasite control; Glossary 186; index 188.

Author Biography

Susan McBane has many years' experience working with ponies and has written 38 books and hundreds of articles on the subject of horse management and psychology.