How to Look After Your Horse Essential Skills and Professional Tips

First domesticated over 6000 years ago, horses have long intrigued us with their intelligence, loyalty, and physical power. How to Look After Your Horse is an easy-to-follow guide divided into five chapters which cover all the practical details of horse ownership, as well as delving into the psyche of this most majestic of creatures. This personal approach to caring for your horse includes a guide to breeds, basic handling care and riding techniques, tips for feeding and grazing from spring to winter, and guidelines for understanding your horse's character and history. There is invaluable hands-on advice on choosing a horse, stabling it in the most equine-friendly manner, feeding and grooming, treating minor ailments and riding your horse in a way that will give you and your mount the maximum pleasure. The emphasis of the book is on developing horse communication skills and combining these with a practical knowledge of horsemanship in order to build the ultimate horse and owner partnership. From hoof trimming to parasites to raising a foal, to choosing a horse to suit your riding skills, to taking advantage of your horse's natural curiosity, this hands-on manual is designed to give your horse as nearly as possible the life it would have in the wild.

Peter Brookesmith is a writer and editor whose work covers much of the military and scientific spectrum. He is a keen horse rider and has contributed to the Larousse Encyclopedia of Science and Technology and the Encyclopedia Britannica. He lives in Wales.