Books on Animals
Horses: Riding, Training and Behaviour
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Horses:
General
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Perfect Manners
Kelly Marks was a champion jockey and show jumper, and here she passes on the benefits of her experience to other horse owners. This is a wonderful book for riders at all levels, funny, informative, and it makes you see horse-human relationships in a new way, helping you to get the best out of your horse.
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The British Horse Society Manual of Equitation (revised edition)
This is a comprehensive manual for training riders and horses. All levels are covered, from novice to advanced riders, and from foals to advanced training for adult horses, as well as various activities, including cross country events, and jumping. A solid reference work for anyone seriously interested in riding, and of course this is the key text for those riders who are taking British Horse Society examinations.
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Dressage Tips and Training Solutions
This is a very useful manual which explains German training methods, which have brought international success for teams from that country. Concepts such as losgelassenheit are explored, the emphasis on managing horses with a light touch. There is help on training horses at different levels and for different activities, as well as help for riders who want to improve their performance, with an emphasis on psychological preparation. An invaluable reference manual for riders involved in competitive events.
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Down to Earth Dressage
This is a very enjoyable guide to dressage training which stresses the need to motivate the horse, and maintain his enthusiasm, an approach which helps make dressage more enjoyable for the rider as well. Carl Hester draws on his own experience, and the book is illustrated with photographs showing him at work training and riding horses at different levels. Riders are reminded that one reason we like being with horses is because it's fun, and if you take this approach, you can achieve a great deal.
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Enlightened Equitation
Heather Moffett has ample experience as a riding teacher, and is an well known author on equestrian issues. Here she sets out her views on the need for a partnership between riders and horses, and gives practical advice on how to prevent and deal with problems, and how to get the best out of the horses you ride. Her approach is helpful for experienced riders who will understand the sense of what she says, and is also especially useful for novices, since it is very clearly written and riding techniques are well explained.
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Horse, Follow Closely
This is another author who places great stress on the need for a partnership between rider and horse, though he comes from a different background, and offers wisdom from Native American traditions on riding. There is an emphasis on respect for horses, and the need to gain their trust. The photographs are exceptionally beautiful. This is a book to delight anyone with affection for horses, and it can help you see your equine companions in a new light.
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Considering the Horse
Horses Never Lie
Mark Rashid has become very popular as a result of his chatty style, which can teach so much, although he sometimes appears just to be offering anecdotes rather than teaching. He argues that riders should earn the respect of their mounts, so that horses choose to follow them. This means that spending a long time developing a relationship of trust with a horse is all important. 'Considering the Horse' stresses the viewpoint of the horse, while 'Horses Never Lie' goes on to develop his ideas on passive leadership.
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Think Like Your Horse
This is a very popular and clearly written guide to understanding life from your horse's point of view. It is an essential aid to developing an understanding with horses, and can help riders with younger horses that they are starting out with, as well as improving relationships with older horses, and tackling ingrained habits.
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Talking With Horses (new edition)
Henry Blake is a well-established writer on equine issues, and a pioneer in the field of horse psychology. His books are fun to read, with lots of anecdotes, and his sympathy for horses is evident. The case studies provide vehicles for understanding equine viewpoints. He is highly rated, both for the insights he provides, and because of his gifts as a storyteller.
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Shy Boy
This is the story of a wild mustang called Shy Boy, and how he learnt to trust Monty Roberts, who took on the task of building a partnership with a mustang as a challenge. The book is illustrated with photos telling the story of their relationship, including a trip back to the desert where Shy Boy was given the chance to choose whether or not to return to the wild. This is a fascinating account, both of Roberts' methods, and of mustangs.
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Join-up: Horse Sense for People
Monty Robert's idea of 'join-up' refers to ways of achieving cooperation with horses, allowing horses the space to decide they want to do what their riders want them to do. This idea is developed in his book 'Join-up', and the possible benefits of applying it to relationships with people are explored. There is a stress on non-verbal communication, and on the need to gain the trust of those over whom we can exert power, whether they are equines or humans.
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The Equid Ethogram
Sue McDonnell's book is a delight for horse lovers. It's profusely illustrated, with both photographs and drawings, describing all aspects of horse behaviour, both normal and abnormal. Topics dealt with include play, communication, and equine reproductive behaviour, a speciality of the author. There are also links with similar behaviours recorded in wild animals such as zebras and Przewalski horses. The book is a sort of dictionary with pictures, helping owners to identify behaviours that they may not have noticed. There is not much advice on what to do if owners don't like a particular behaviour, but this book is a great help for owners seeking to understand and communicate with their equine companions.
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The Behaviour of Horses: In Relation to Management and Training
Marthe Kiley-Worthington
J A Allen & Co Ltd
ISBN: 0851316883
Marthe Kiley-Worthington has written a very useful, up-to-date guide to equine behaviour, which is of practical help for owners seeking to tackle behavioural problems, as well as improve their training techniques. This book is well worth reading, both for experienced owners, and it's accessible enough to fascinate and be of use to novices.
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Horse Behaviour
George Waring's book is a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of horse behaviour, bringing together findings from many international researchers, and looking at both domestic and feral horses. There is help with using this information to provide insights into managing horses. The second edition has new section on ecological influences, and there is an updated appendix which sets out behavioural symptoms and possible reasons for horses behaving in these ways. The book is well illustrated. This is the most comprehensive guide to horse behaviour available, so it is a good investment, though it's a quite pricey book.