Want to know the best ways to care for your horse? Horse Health and Nutrition For Dummies gives you up-to-the-minute guidance on keeping horses healthy at all stages of life. It provides the latest information on equine nutrition and healthcare, explaining how your horse’s body functions and how to keep it in good working order. Packed with practical advice on equine first aid and alternative therapies, this completely practical, plain-English guide explains exactly what to feed your four-legged “hayburner” and how much. You’ll find out what kind of preventive care is vital to keeping your horse in good physical shape and how to recognize signs of illness when things go wrong. You’ll get the low-down on the diseases and conditions most likely to plague the domestic horse and find help in deciding whether to treat problems yourself or call the vet. Discover how to: Manage your horse’s diet House your horse safely and comfortably Tend to the daily details of horse care Examine coat, eyes, hooves and manure Identify, control, and prevent equine diseases Understand links between horse behavior and health Practice good horse nutrition Grow your own horse food Cover horse-health-care costs Breed your horse Care for pregnant mares and newborns A healthy horse is a happy horse. Keep your horse fit with a little help from Horse Health and Nutrition For Dummies, and you’ll be happy too!

Giddy up! Your guide to horseback riding is here! There’s nothing quite like the sound of a horse’s gallop. Add to that the sight of its mane catching wind as its powerhouse body criss-crosses the boundary of strength and graceful agility. They are majestic creatures to behold—and if you’ve caught the equine bug, Horseback Riding For Dummies is all you need to get saddled up and started on your journey to riding into the sunset! Inside, riders at the beginner level will discover the differences between Western and English riding styles, get the knowledge to select the best stable and instructor, and so much more! Choose the riding discipline that best suits your interests Find a qualified riding instructor Learn how to enter the competitive riding world Fit and care for the saddle, bridle, and other equipment Once you’ve fallen for one of these beautiful animals, it’s hard to hold your horses—and this guide is here to give you the skills and know-how to take that excitement to the ring!

The most comprehensive single volume dedicated to horses, The Original Horse Bible is a celebration of the long relationship that humans and horses enjoy, written by two highly regarded horsewomen, the late Moira C. Allen and Sharon Biggs. This 480-page volume, elaborately illustrated by world-renowned horse photographer Bob Langrish, is divided into eleven sections, covering topics that span the world of horses, from evolution and domestication to horse riding, training, competitions and more.Section 1: "History, Physiology, and Behavior" discusses the natural history of the horse, including adaption, migration, and domestication, how horses became integral to human kind, the role of horses in society (war horses, law-enforcement horses, race horses), as well as animal welfare and the plight of wild and feral horses. The anatomy and physiology of the horse are detailed in discussions of the horse's bodily systems, structure, senses, gait/movement, and coat and color patterns. In terms of behavior, the authors discuss the life cycle of the horse and reproduction, intelligence and trainability, and horse mentality and natural instincts.In Section 2: "Breeds and Types," the authors trace the evolution of modern horse types from three known ancient ancestors and archaic types and extinct breeds. They describe the modern types of horses based on their particular looks and specific uses (Baroque, Cob, Hack, Hunter, Polo Pony and so forth). A detailed discussion of horse color follows, explaining the differences between each and what specific characteristics define each (buckskin, palomino, and pinto).The extensive breed chapter offers portraits of approximately 175 breeds, alphabetically arranged, from the Abaco Barb to the Welsh Pony, including many rare and handsome breeds from around the world as well as favorites like the American Quarter Horse, the Shetland Pony and the Thoroughbred. Main entries provide alternative names, region of origins, brief history, and physical descriptions for each breed. Sidebars called "Breed in Brief" offer concise overviews of the lesser known breeds.The popular hobby of horse riding is the focus of Section 3: "Activities with Horses," which describes English, western, and driving competition as well as rodeo, competitive trail riding, vaulting, polo, and other horse sports. Section 7: "Rider Instruction" continues the discussion on riding with chapters on riding instructions, safety and fitness as well as English and western riding skills.In Section 4: "A New Horse" and Section 5 "Horsekeeping," the Bible becomes a primer for all horse owners offering detailed information about choosing the right horse for novice riders, families, and experienced riders and purchasing the horse and the proper equipment (saddles and bridles, boots, gear, and gadgets). The section concludes with chapters on transporting horses, stabling and boarding, and feeding and grooming. Section 6: "Health" discusses veterinary care and vaccines, recognizing the signs of a healthy animal, first aid for each area of the horse's anatomy, hoof care, and winter wear. A complete chapter is dedicated to battling parasites and pests and avoiding poisonous plants in the horse's environment. A chapter on alternative care completes the section.Section 8:"Horse Training" focuses on various training philosophies and early handling, training lessons, solving training problems (leading, bolting, biting/nipping, rearing/buckling and shying).Section 9: "Competition" is dedicated to horse shows and classes, preparation for various kinds of shows for both the horse and the rider, and what to expect at the show. These chapters are filled with priceless firsthand advice and pointers from the authors about how to succeed at each of these events.Section 10: "Breeding Mares and Raising Foals" offers a complete overview of the reproduction of horses, with details on choosing a stallion, live cover versus artificial insemination, pregnancy, delivery, and care, imprinting, and handling of the young. Section 11: "The Senior Horse" discusses the horse's golden years, signs of aging, nutrition and care, retirement from activities, and general care for aging animals. Horse owners will find symptoms and treatment for sixteen of the most common equine aliments (found in the appendix) to be of great utility, as are the resource section and complete index at the end of the volume.

A year’s worth of ideas and activities that will stoke your passion for horses and inspire you to spend as much time as you can in their presence. Horse Lover’s Daily Companion is a unique, easy-to-use, and inspiring handbook filled with a year’s worth of insight, helpful tips, and practical advice into the equine-human relationship for all horse lovers and owners. Whether you’re a riding veteran or someone who’s simply pined away for horses since childhood, this book will provide you with a lifetime’s worth of ways to enjoy and appreciate horses, whether or not you have forty acres and a stable of Appaloosas in your backyard, or just a shelf full of books! The format—a year-long, day-minder-type book—is not meant to be read cover to cover; rather, the book can fall open on any given day and provide insight, inspiration, and valuable information on everything equine. Each day features rousing notions, activity suggestions, and novel facts that remind you of why you love horses: Monday—An illustrated guide to horse breeds, from the Appaloosa to the Zorse Tuesday—Equine activities, such as riding sidesaddle, herding cows, and driving Wednesday—Horses through the ages, from prehistory to modern equine heroes Thursday—Behind-the-scenes access to real life in the stable Friday—Health, wellness, and nutrition Weekends—Bonding, relationship building, and planning special occasions When you love a horse, every day is a surprise, and this book reflects that spirit. Turn to any page and you will find another useful tip. So, saddle up and enjoy this book at your own pace.

Since 2004, when Craig Cameron’s book Ride Smart was printed, the clinician’s popularity has only grown. With his 2010 championship at the prestigious Road to the Horse, he gained even more followers to his no-nonsense approach to training and riding. Cameron’s easygoing teaching style, beloved by his students, is now found in this follow-up to his popular first book. In Ride Smarter, readers learn to further develop their horsemanship skills and continue on the road to becoming true horsemen and -women. Cameron continues to build on some of the topics covered in his first volume, and adds valuable information that riders of all levels of expertise can use in improving their riding experiences. Early chapters in this second book talk about the qualities that make a good horseman, and the responsibilities each person has to his or her horse. Cameron gives tips on selecting the right horse, making a smart purchase and knowing when it’s time to change horses. He discusses caring for your horse at home and on the road, something he’s familiar with after logging thousands of miles with his horses in tow. In Ride Smarter’s later chapters, Cameron addresses the advantages of different bits, and then delves into the use of cues and how important they are. He also discusses the fine art of correction, and helps readers understand when discipline is necessary, and offers tips on understanding and riding the different gaits. One of Cameron’s goals when training is to develop a horse that does anything the horseman asks, and in one chapter Cameron relates how to create what he calls the “brave horse.” He then discusses the advantages of cross-training between the arena and the trail, and patterns and obstacles that you can use to advance both your and your horse’s skills. In his clinics, Cameron answers numerous questions about problem horses, and Chapter 15 addresses the most frequently discussed problems and the clinician’s approach to fixing each one. Cameron also takes a humorous look at some “people problems” that your horse might tell you about if he could talk. And finally, this top hand talks about setting goals for your horse and your horsemanship, and how valuable having that sense of direction can be. As in Cameron’s first book, chapters in this second book, Ride Smarter, include a “True Story,” a personal anecdote about a memorable experience; “Here’s How” with simple and practical training tips; and “A Better Way,” which provides workable approaches to common problems encountered in achieving horsemanship and horse-handling goals. Anyone who has been to Cameron’s clinics can appreciate the straightforward instruction the Texas horseman offers. Those who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Craig Cameron in person get a good look at the training techniques and coaching skills that have earned him a reputation as the “Cowboy’s Clinician.” Ride Smarter helps readers advance in the adventure of horsemanship.

"Maintain your horse's well-being with advice on everything from a healthy equine diet to emergency care...everything you need to keep your horse in top form is here."-cover.

Improve your horse sense! This indispensable guide will introduce new and prospective owners to every aspect of buying, riding, grooming, handling, stabling, training and caring for horses. The Complete Idiot’s Guide® Horses gives you everything you need to know about these magnificent animals. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • Detailed information on the daily care needed to keep a horse happy and healthy. • Smart advice on how to keep your horse free of infections and parasites. • Helpful hints on evaluating riding instructors and what to look for(and what to watch out for) when choosing a lesson barn. • In-depth descriptions of the various riding styles. • Expert tips on rider safety and fitness and the right gear for the job.

This is a common sense guide to horse ownership. Inside you will find detailed information on what to look for and what to avoid in buying a horse, why you want a horse, alternatives to horse ownership, extensive information to help you find the right boarding stable, suggestions for building your own barn, what to look for in a riding instructor and horse trainer, what a horse eats and how to feed him, veterinarian care, farriers, safety concerns, common sense ideas, trailering, what you should do if you bought the wrong horse and the steps you need to take in the event your horse passes away.