Horses Don't Lie: What Horses Teach Us About Our Natural Capacity for Awareness, Confidence, Courage, and Trust


Chris Irwin - 1998
    Based on more than twenty years of working with, training, and observing horses, Irwin explains why trust and honesty are essential elements in building relationships with horses, and why the sensitivity and awareness that characterize a horse's perception of the world are qualities we can use to enrich our own lives. "A horse knows what you know," Irwin reminds us, and in Horses Don't Lie his message is clear: Horses have a great deal to teach us about how to communicate with empathy and patience -- not only with them, but also with each other.

It's Not About the Horse: It's About Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt


Wyatt Webb - 2002
    This unique form of therapy blends horse sense with common sense. Wyatt uses the horse as a metaphor, explaining that how you relate to this animal will tell how you relate to all living things, hence the title "It's Not About The Horse". Using this analogy and case studies Wyatt shows the reader how to understand what they have learned over the course of their lifetime and explains how to examine what works for or against them. Wyatt then goes on to explain, drawing from his own life experience how anyone that wants to grow and really know who they are must travel through uncharted territory, the only place where you learn anything.

Riding Between the Worlds: Expanding Our Potential Through the Way of the Horse


Linda Kohanov - 2003
    Be they personal relationships with equine friends, fears being overcome in the saddle, or intimate experiences between rider and horse, the ways a horse can be a healer are many. Drawn from years of personally experiencing the intuitive connection between human and horse, Kohanov's insights into equine wisdom are taken from real stories of those healed by horses. Kohanov's own experiences of a deep connection to her herd of horses — such as the compelling story of a foal's birth — are also included. Her message is simple and undeniable: horses share an intense spiritual connection with humans, and tapping into that realm can do wonders for the soul.

The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd


Joe Camp - 2008
    The Camps went searching for logic and sense in the rule books of traditional horse care and what they found was not what they had expected. Written for everyone who has ever loved a horse or even loved the idea of having a horse in their lives, this memoir leads us on a riveting voyage of discovery as Joe and Kathleen navigate uncharted, often politically incorrect territory on their way to achieving a true relationship with their horses.As the creator of the beloved Benji series, Joe has spent most of his life luring us into the heart and soul of a famous dog, but now in this engaging, emotional, and often humorous story, he deftly lures us into the heart and soul of a horse. In doing so, he exposes astonishing truths and unlocks the mystery of a majestic creature who has survived on Earth, without assistance, for fifty-five million years. In a single emotionally charged moment, Camp communes with his first horse, Cash, in a way that changes him and his relationship with horses forever. In his own words, as he stood alone with his back to this horse: The collar of my jacket was tickling the hairs on the back of my neck. And my heart was pounding. Then a puff of warm, moist air brushed my ear. My heart skipped a beat. He was really close. Then I felt his nose on my shoulder . . . I couldn’t believe it. Tears came out of nowhere and streamed down my cheeks. I had spoken to him in his own language, and he had listened . . . and he had chosen to be with me. He had said, I trust you.Ingeniously alternating between the stories of two people thrust into an unfamiliar, enigmatic realm and a fabled herd of wild horses brought to the New World centuries ago, Joe Camp’s valuable and inspiring book teaches us that the lessons he was learning apply not only to his horses but to life and to people as well–to all of us.

Considering the Horse: Tales of Problems Solved and Lessons Learned


Mark Rashid - 1993
    Readers will be amazed at the ways horses communicate with humans beings in this unique horse owner's guide. Illustrations.

Falling for Eli: How I Lost Heart, Then Gained Hope Through the Love of a Singular Horse


Nancy Shulins - 2012
    Cheering as her friends got pregnant and dutifully bringing gaily wrapped gifts to every baby shower, she suffered bout after bout of unsuccessful infertility treatment. Devastated, she slowly heals through the most unexpected route: the love of a good (if cranky) horse named Eli.Everyone knows a woman who loves horses. Maybe she rides whenever she can find the time, maybe she rode as a young girl, or maybe she just devoured the Black Stallion books. Twenty years ago, Nancy Shulins let go of one dream--having a child--and worked toward another one: learning to ride and, eventually, having her own horse. In the process, she learned what it means to love another being so much you can’t imagine life without them.Falling for Eli is about learning to break a sweat rather than break down, to try your best even if you’ll never be the best; it’s about learning to stand on your own six feet.

Jane Savoie's Dressage 101: The Ultimate Source of Dressage Basics in a Language You Can Understand


Jane Savoie - 2011
    Beginning with the three golden rules of dressage training--clarity, consistency, and kindness--Jane Savoie walks you through her four stages of dressage education.Stage One is an introductory course in the basics, and Stage Two covers the nuts and bolts of training, including transitions, school figures, and movements.By the time you finish Stage Two, you'll have a happy, responsive horse that understands going forward and being straight; accepts contact so you can communicate with him through the reins; moves in a regular rhythm and a steady tempo in all three gaits; and can do transitions, circles, and turns, back up, lengthen his stride, and go sideways.In Stage Three, Jane translates the secrets surrounding the half-halt, enabling you to put your horse on the bit, and adding a whole new dimension to your training. You'll even be ready for some fancy stuff in Stage Four.Don't worry, everything in this book is well within the capacity of most horses. We're simply talking about the work required in the United States Equestrian Federation's (USEF) dressage tests up to Third Level, which concludes with collected, medium, and extended gaits; advanced lateral movements; and flying changes.

Saddled: How a Spirited Horse Reined Me in and Set Me Free


Susan Richards - 2010
    She wrote it down in her journal, struck by the fact that it had taken nine years of waking up hung-over to name her illness. What had changed? Susan had a new horse, a spirited Morgan named Georgia, and, as she says: ""It had something to do with Georgia. It had something to do with making a commitment as enormous as caring for a horse that might live as my companion for the next forty years. It had something to do with love."" Every day begins with a morning ride. Every day Susan lives a little more and thinks about her mistakes a little less. Every day she learns a little more from Georgia, the kind of horse who doesn't go in for indecision, who doesn't apologize for her opinions, and who isn't afraid to be herself. In Georgia, Susan finds something to draw her back to herself, but also something to keep her steady and focused, to teach her about stepping carefully in unknown territory, to help her learn again about balance. This is a memoir about the power of animals to carry us through the toughest times of our lives--about the importance of constancy, the beauty of quiet, steadfast love, the way loving a good (and sometimes bad!) animal can keep you going. It's a wonderful story for Susan's (and Georgia's) fans, and for anyone who has ever loved an animal enough to keep on living.

Last Chance Mustang: The Story of One Horse, One Horseman, and One Final Shot at Redemption


Mitchell Bornstein - 2015
    After years of abuse, Samson had evolved into a hateful and hated, maladjusted beast until the day he found his way to a rural Illinois farm, an ill-equipped owner, and one last chance. Mitch Bornstein's task was to tame the violent beast whose best defense had become offense. He had twenty years of experience fixing unfixable horses, but Samson would be his greatest challenge. Through the pair's many struggles and countless battles, Samson would teach Mitch about the true power of hope, friendship, redemption and the inspiring mettle of the forever wild and free American mustang.Last Chance Mustang explains Samson's violent and antisocial behavior while addressing the remedial techniques employed to remedy these issues. The art of working with damaged horses is demystified. Though his story is sad, the reader is asked to respect Samson—not pity him. He has good and bad days, and he has a dark side. Like all of us, Samson is far from perfect. And his saga will move the reader to both tears and laughter. Part history lesson, part training manual, and part animal narrative, Samson's is a story that all readers will be able to relate to: a story of survival, of trust, and ultimately, finding love.

Relaxed & Forward: Relationship Advice from Your Horse


Anna Blake - 2016
    They evoke a full range of emotions like hope and courage and valor. They can gallop straight to you with neck arched and tail flagged, and then instantly melt to a stop—just to share your breath.” We’ve been besotted with horses since they had three toes. From the popular Relaxed and Forward blog comes training advice combining the everyday fundamentals of dressage with mutual listening skills. Blake writes with a profound respect for horses and an articulate voice for humans, blending equal parts inspiration and un-common sense. It’s serious training communicated with humor and lightness, because horses like us when we laugh. Most riders want to build a better relationship with their horse. These short essays are geared as much toward attitude as technique, and include topics ranging from reading calming signals from your horse to using breath as your best communication tool. Blake’s writing uses clear descriptions, storytelling, and humor to inspire meaningful, positive communication. Less correction and more direction. Horses are honest; they answer us in kind. If we want a better response, a more fluid conversation and relationship with a horse, we have to be the ones to change first. The other word for that is leadership. By the author of Stable Relation, A Memoir of One Woman’s Spirited Journey Home, by Way of the Barn. “Excitement and delight surge through me every time I see Anna Blake's name as an author. Her writing is filled with deep understanding and heart connection, seasoned with a lively dash of humor. Reading her work is like giving myself a gift...one I can open again and again.” --Kim Walnes, winning USET Three Day Eventer, Riding Instructor/Trainer, and Life Coach.

In the Middle Are the Horsemen


Tik Maynard - 2018
    A university graduate and modern pentathlete, he suffered both a career–ending injury and a painful breakup, leaving him suddenly adrift. The son of prominent Canadian equestrians, Maynard decided to spend the next year as a “working student.” In the horse industry, working students aspire to become professional riders or trainers, and willingly trade labor for hands–on education. Here Maynard chronicles his experiences–good and bad–and we follow along as one year becomes three, what began as a casual adventure gradually transforms, and a life's purpose comes sharply into focus. Over time, Maynard evolved under the critical eyes of Olympians, medal winners, and world–renowned figures in the horse world, including Anne Kursinski, Johann Hinnemann, Ingrid Klimke, David and Karen O'Connor, Bruce Logan, and Ian Millar. He was ignored, degraded, encouraged, and praised. He was hired and fired, told he had the “wrong body type to ride” and that he had found his “destiny.” He got married and lost loved ones. Through it all he studied the horse, and human nature, and how the two can find balance. And in that journey, he may have found himself.

The Horse Boy: A Father's Quest to Heal His Son


Rupert Isaacson - 2009
    But when Isaacson, a lifelong horseman, rode their neighbor's horse with Rowan, Rowan improved immeasurably. He was struck with a crazy idea: why not take Rowan to Mongolia, the one place in the world where horses and shamanic healing intersected? THE HORSE BOY is the dramatic and heartwarming story of that impossible adventure. In Mongolia, the family found undreamed of landscapes and people, unbearable setbacks, and advances beyond their wildest dreams. This is a deeply moving, truly one-of-a-kind story--of a family willing to go to the ends of the earth to help their son, and of a boy learning to connect with the world for the first time.

She Flies Without Wings: How Horses Touch a Woman's Soul


Mary D. Midkiff - 2001
    Drawing from myth and literature, the author’s own experiences, and interviews with countless women, we learn, through women’s deeply personal stories, how horses enrich our lives and connect us to nature–making us readers of rhythm and invisible signs, helping us harness our youthful sexuality, sharing the “horsepower” we need to reach our dreams. And here we see how, for thousands of years, the deep kinship between women and horses has connected us to our most intimate feelings of delight, helped us learn to solve problems, and set our creativity free. From the poetry of Geoffrey Chaucer to the fiction of Jane Austen to folktales from around the world, She Flies Without Wings uses great literature and myth to encompass a wide spectrum of beliefs and perspectives–and creates a true celebration of speed, air, and the spectacular animal that connects us with both.Filled with the moving lessons–-about sensuality, commitment, power, nurturance, and spirituality–women riders have known for centuries, written with a loving hand by an expert equestrian, She Flies Without Wings is an eloquent paean to a pairing that enlivened history, inspired literature, and continues to enchant us all.

Horse Owner's Veterinary Handbook


James M. Giffin - 1989
    Doctors James Giffin and Tom Gore address such basic health-care and management issues as the latest medicines and immunizations, wounds, illnesses, parasites, nutrition and supplements, and reproduction. Just inside the covers, the horse owner can easily access the index of Signs and Symptoms, since responding quickly to an emergency can literally mean the life or death of a horse. Anyone who looks after a horse whether owner, trainer or groom can rely on this authoritative book to get them through emergencies and well as routine events. James M. Giffin, M.D., lives in Ridgway, Colorado, and Tom Gore, D.V.M., lives in Osmond, Nebraska. They co-authored Howell s Dog Owner s Home

Zen Mind, Zen Horse: The Science and Spirituality of Working with Horses


Allan J. Hamilton - 2011
    They use this energy, called chi, to communicate with their herd, express dominance, and sense predators. Hamilton shares safe, simple techniques to make you more receptive to your animal’s chi, so you can develop a calm and effective training style that will not only help your horse follow commands, but strengthen the spiritual bond between horse and rider.