Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing


Elizabeth Mitchell - 2002
    Focusing on the 1999 Derby winner Charismatic, Mitchell traces this horse's amazing and ultimately tragic story, from the birth of a foal through its surprising rise to fame. Mitchell also follows the major players in Charismatic's life, including the family who bred him, the trainer, the owners, and the famed jockey Chris Antley, whose own story is more tragic than that of his horse. Through these interlocking stories a sense of familiarity with the key players in the industry evolves, as well as a greater understanding of the heart and soul of a sport that has fascinated human beings for centuries.

Born in the Saddle (Born to Ride Series Book 1)


Samantha Walker - 2020
     At age fourteen, she's a know it all teen living alone with her mum in London - not a horse in sight. Can a few weeks staying with her grandparents back at the stables change all that, or has she really put horses out of her life for good? Meet the whole Michaelson clan, and their four-legged friends, at the Quicksilver Stud in Book 1 – Born in the Saddle. Teen fiction for horse lovers, especially eventing fans. Ideal for fans of Claire Svendson, Amanda Wills or Samantha Alexander.

A Journey to Softness: In Search of Feel and Connection with the Horse


Mark Rashid - 2016
    “Softness,” via what many in the horse world today might refer to as “feel,” begins, Rashid says, with one simple truth: “It’s not about what we do that starts us on the path to softness, but rather, it’s what we don’t do.” Softness is having the sensitivity we need in order to feel when and if the horse tries to “give.”It is about develping the kind of awareness and feel it takes to know when we are working against our horses, rather than with them. In these forthright stories, readers get a glimpse of a life that has produced a man known for his ability to solve difficult problems with communication rather than force, as well as methods and techniques gleaned from decades of work with horses, horse people, and the “way of harmony” through the martial arts.

Ruffian: A Race Track Romance


William Nack - 2007
    Since winning her first race a little more than a year earlier, the unbeaten, unflappable Ruffian had literally raced her way into the hearts of a nation. One of those hearts belonged to Newsday turf reporter William Nack.As a boy in Illinois, Nack had carried in his pocket a trading card of his hero, Swaps, the winner of the 1955 Kentucky Derby. As a young soldier in Vietnam, Nack tuned out the midnight bomb blasts by listening to racetrack broadcasts from Santa Anita. Now, fresh off the publication of his astonishing biography of Secretariat -- described by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand as "the gold standard of horse books" -- he found himself smitten once again.But tragedy struck that summer's day at Belmont Park. After charging from the gate, Ruffian stumbled and shattered her right foreleg. She had to be put down. Nack's heartbreaking run with thoroughbred racing's most famous filly will soon be immortalized in a made-for-TV movie to be broadcast on ESPN and ABC. In this moving, lyrical memoir, he relives the afternoon that forever changed his love affair with the track.

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.

Stake Night


Susan Archer - 2016
    For the owners, it is about wielding power through money in their quest to proudly hold the prestigious World Championship trophy. For the riders, it is about demonstrating technical skill and nerve by out-riding their competitors and maneuvering their horse in the frenetic ring so the judges notice it. For the trainers, it is about finding the key that makes your horse out-perform others that might actually be more talented and achieving the professional recognition that leads to new clients and financial security. For everyone, it is about settling scores and finding a way to win the championship. The central character is Jennifer, a young, relatively unknown trainer. She can’t believe her luck when a rich client brings her the reigning world champion horse and tells Jennifer to prepare the horse for her timid daughter to ride. Jennifer quickly learns that this horse and rider are a dangerous and doomed combination, and she must move carefully to find an alternative that keeps her important client from leaving the barn and ruining Jennifer’s chances to finally join the ranks of the most well-known and respected trainers.

Beat the Gym: Personal Trainer Secrets--Without the Personal Trainer Price Tag


Tom Holland - 2011
    In Beat the Gym, he provides the inside scoop on how to get the most from your gym experience and reach your peak exercise and weight loss goals—offering personal trainer secrets without the personal trainer price tag. The first book of its kind, Beat the Gym offers essential tips and exclusive workouts to help you save thousands of dollars and still build the body of your dreams.

Dancing with Horses: The Art of Body Language


Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling - 1996
    A book on developing trust and harmony between horses and humans through the use of an innovative visual language.

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.

C-Mass: Calisthenics Mass: How to Maximize Muscle Growth Using Bodyweight-Only Training


Paul Wade - 2014
    Legendary strongmen and savvy modern bodyweight bodybuilders both, have added stacks of righteous beef to their physique--using just the secrets Paul Wade reveals in this bible-like guide to getting as strong AND as big as you could possibly want, using nothing but your own body. Paul Wade’s trenchant, visceral style blazes with hard-won body culture insight, tactics, strategies and tips. C-Mass is the ultimate blueprint for getting huge naturally without free weights, machine supplements or--God forbid--steroids. With C-Mass, Paul Wade further cements his position as the preeminent modern authority on how to build extraordinary power and strength with bodyweight exercise only. CONTENTS: 1. Bodyweight Muscle? No Problem! 2. The Ten Commandments of Calisthenics Mass 3. “Coach” Wade’s Bodypart Tactics 4. Okay. Now Gimme a Program 5. Troubleshooting Muscle-Growth: The FAQ 6. The Democratic Alternative…How To Get As Powerful As Possible Without Gaining A Pound 7. BONUS CHAPTER: Supercharging Your Hormonal Profile Get the expert's guide to build phenomenal amounts of natural muscle mass and discover how to: • Add 20-30+ pounds of solid muscle to your frame--with perfect proportions • Reshape your arms with 2-3 inches of gnarly beef • Triple the size of your pecs and lats • Thicken and harden your abdominal wall into a classic six-pack • Throw a thick, healthy vein onto your biceps • Generate hard, sculpted quads and hamstrings that would be the envy of an Olympic sprinter • Build true “diamond” calves • Stand head and shoulders above the next 99% of natural bodybuilders in looks, strength and power • Boost your testosterone naturally to bull-like levels

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


Clinton Anderson - 2004
    Now his methods are available for the first time in a reader-friendly, highly illustrated book, and you, too, can learn the program that teaches "everyday people"—regardless of riding style, age, or ability—how to better communicate with their mounts.

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.

Road Racing for Serious Runners


Pete Pfitzinger - 1998
    This training plan is based on solid science, and its physiological basis is clearly explained and incorporated into a running program that produces maximum results and reduces the risk of injury.In Road Racing for Serious Runners, Pete Pfitzinger-a world-class marathoner, distance running coach, and exercise physiologist-tells you how to get the most out of your limited training time. Pfitzinger teams up with former Running Times editor-in-chief Scott Douglas to present a training and racing plan that will help you excel in the full spectrum of road racing distances. You will learn how to- design a week-by-week training program, - determine the right pace to run during speed workouts, - get the most out of long runs, - taper training before an important race, - detect and avoid staleness and injury, - determine the best strategy for each race, and- achieve the optimal mental state to train and race.Included with each of five training schedules are racing tactics, mental tips, and lessons from world-class runners. Whatever distance you plan to race, Road Racing for Serious Runners will guide you to peak performance!

Fit Soul, Fit Body: An Ironman and a Shaman Put You on the Path to Lasting Health and Happiness


Brant Secunda - 2008
    Based on the immensely successful training of a six-time Ironman triathlete by a renowned Huichol Indian healer, this handbook seeks to remedy the conspicuous absence of spirituality in typical Western exercise regimens by explaining how to incorporate the divine into everyday exercises and why the two issues are inexorably linked. After years of respective training, both parties realized that the art of prayer and its signature mindfulness could increase not only one's physical abilities but also the mind, and that fitness wasn't just a matter of good cardiovascular health and strong muscles. Whether training for intense competition or just reaching fitness goals, this indispensable resource discusses how to exceed mental limitations and become successful in any physical, emotional, or spiritual journey.

Way of the Horse: Equine Archetypes for Self-Discovery - A Book of Exploration and 40 Cards


Linda Kohanov - 2007
    Useful as both a divination deck and as a book for straight reading, "Way of the Horse" offers profound insight into the powerful relationship between horses and humans. The book consists of 40 chapters,... Full description