Equestrian and animal sports Books

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Book SynopsisRed Rum''s classic win in the 1977 Grand National is the stuff of sporting legend. Red himself became a national treasure, and his charismatic trainer - the redoubtable Ginger McCain - became a sporting hero. While the public adored Ginger, there were those who sniped that he was a one-horse trainer. All that changed 27 years later when, in a thrilling race, Ginger won his fourth National with Amberleigh House, equalling the record of Fred Rimmer. Once again Ginger had taken the sporting world by storm. In the 70s, the popularity of Red Rum and Ginger almost single-handedly saved the great race when there were plans afoot to turn the track into a housing estate. Ginger himself is a remarkable individual - charming, forthright, not afraid to speak his mind and a hugely entertaining raconteur. This is his story, at times funny, sad, exciting and always captivating, told in his own inimitable style.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisStressing the benefits of preparation, Mike Smith helps you retain and even improve your riding skills in between lessons. Brushing up on the basics of horsemanship, identifying key goals, and conditioning riding muscles are all part of Smith’s regimen, which is designed to enhance your riding experience and maximize the benefits of precious lesson time. With insights into understanding horse behavior and advice on how to effectively communicate with your instructor, you’ll gain the confidence to take your riding to the next level.

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Book SynopsisSaddle up and get ready for some fun! Improve your equestrian skills as you play more than 50 exciting games that include obstacle courses, charades, and barrel races. These delightful diversions will not only help you master the finer points of balance, steering, and leading, but also provide a special bonding experience for you and your horse. Adaptable for riders of all styles and skill levels, each game is presented with clearly illustrated instructions and necessary safety considerations. Who’s ready for the Root Beer Relay?

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding your horse’s behavior is an essential aspect of creating a mutual bond of trust, respect, and friendship. In a handy question-and-answer format, Dr. Jessica Jahiel explains the language and logic of how horses learn and communicate, enabling you to interpret and properly respond to your animal’s quirky ways. From fear of the vet to unstoppable kicking, this guide provides proven techniques for helping your horse break bad habits, along with creative ideas for fostering a healthy relationship filled with love and affection.

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Book SynopsisGet in top riding shape! Designed to strengthen the muscles commonly used by equestrians while improving overall balance, flexibility, and coordination, this six-week fitness program includes clear instructions and step-by-step photographs for more than 70 exercises. You’ll learn how to create workout routines that are customized for specific disciplines like jumping, dressage, and rodeo. Whether you’re a beginning rider or have years of experience, increased fitness will help you prevent injury and improve your riding form.

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Book SynopsisTrain your horse to embrace a life around humans. Focusing on developing the skills vital for every domesticated horse, this guide stresses the importance of creating an atmosphere where both trainer and horse can overcome fear and cultivate mutual respect. With a series of tests to gauge your horse’s knowledge and training exercises to enrich and strengthen your horse’s comfort around people, you can increase attentiveness, boost confidence, and help your horse reach his full potential.

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Book SynopsisLearn correct seat, leg, and hand positions; the three basic gaits of walk, trot, and canter; how to perform halt and half-halt; how to direct a horse’s movement correctly and energetically; and much more. Each fundamental is defined and explained, with plenty of tips on proper technique and an emphasis on how to avoid common errors.

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Book SynopsisDid you know that a miniature horse weighs just a few pounds, while a giant draft horse can weigh well over a ton? Or that from a standstill a mule can jump, kangaroo-like, more than five feet high? With answers to hundreds of questions about behavior, physiology, training, and special breed characteristics, Knowing Horses has all your horse quandaries covered.

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Book SynopsisStorey’s Guide to Training Horses is a one-stop reference for every aspect of horse training, including a complete program for turning a shy and gangly foal into a calm, confident, well-balanced equine partner. Now with full-color photography, the third edition includes step-by-step guidance on all the essential training procedures for both English- and Western-style riding, including haltering and leading, saddling and mounting, and addresses the finer points of gaits, lightness, and collection. Best-selling author Heather Smith Thomas draws on her decades of equestrian experience to anticipate every situation that might arise and provide answers to managing all the potential challenges of training different types of horses.

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Book SynopsisExamines a further aspect of the horse's performance. This book is designed to help the horse owners and riders to understand how a horse moves and how its anatomy helps, or hinders, the horse's athletic ability. It uses photographs and anatomical drawings to show the systems of support and movement at each phase of each of the horse's gaits.Table of ContentsPart I: Anatomy and conformation; The head and neck; The chest and ribs; The forelimbs; The abdomen; The hind limbs; The back; Part II: Movement; Walk; Trot; Canter; Gallop; Collection; Lateral movements; Rein back; Jumping; Part III: Lameness and injuries; Sites of common lameness; Identification of the lame limb; Common lamenesses; Appendices: The points of the horse; The skeleton; Superficial muscles; Deep muscles; The stay apparatus; The tendons and ligaments; The circulation; The nervous system

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Book SynopsisHorses need grass. It plays a vital part in their nutrition, health and well-being, and good grassland management results in a cost-effective way of feeding them. However, all too often horses at grass are either poorly managed or managed according to normal agricultural practice, which does not provide good pasture for them. This informative book explains everything which needs to be considered when managing grasslands to benefit the horse, the vegetation and the environment. The book examines the horse''s grazing habits and its requirements when at grass, and goes on to present an overview of the range and types of grasslands found in Britain and their suitability for the horse. Details are given of how to assess a pasture and identify significant plants, and the methods and outcomes of various management practices are discussed. The role of horse owner as land manager is set in the wider context of stewardship of the countryside, with considerations for preventing pollution and prot

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Book SynopsisTen years have elapsed since the last publication of this book, necessitating a substantially revised edition of this invaluable guide to equine law for students, owners and professionals within the horse industry and solicitors involved in cases concerning horses. Existing subjects brought up to date include: buying and selling, lending and borrowing, negligence, import and export, riding establishments, rights of way, road traffic, veterinary surgeons, betting and gaming, and rules and disciplinary procedures of equestrian bodies.

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Book SynopsisBack to Work provides a foundational plan for returning a horse to work after an injury or extended time-off. Some of the industry's top veterinarians explain several of equestrian sport's more common surgeries, injuries, and illnesses and then provide a practical guide to the basic steps one should take when bringing a horse back to work.

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Book SynopsisThere are many factors in day-to-day living that might cause your horse stress, many of which could be eliminated with just a little attention to detail. Conditions and diseases related to stress are discussed, along with stress-busting treatments and techniques.

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Book SynopsisConfessions of a Horseshoer offers a close and personal look at the mind-set of a professional horseshoer (farrier) who also happens to be a college professor. The book, an ironic and playful view of the many unusual animals (and people) Ron Tatum has encountered over thirty-seven years, is nicely balanced between straightforward presentation, self-effacing humor, and lightly seasoned wisdom. It captures the day-to-day life of a somewhat cantankerous old guy, who has attitude and strong opinions.Throughout the book, Tatum ponders the causes that led him into the apparently opposing worlds of horseshoeing, with its mud, pain, and danger, and the bookish life of a college professor. He tells the reader that it is his hope that writing the book will help him understand this apparent paradox between the physical and the mental.Tatum provides a detailed description of the horseshoeing process, its history, and why horses need shoes in the first place. The reader will learn about the dangers of shoeing horses in “Injuries I Have Known,” in which Tatum describes one particular self-inflicted injury that he claims no other horseshoer has ever, or will ever, experience. “Eight Week Syndrome” demonstrates the close, often therapeutic, relationship between the horseshoer and his or her customers. Tatum relates the story of an old Wyoming cowboy who could talk with horses, and consistently cure their injuries, lameness, and other physical problems after the veterinarians had given up. The humor in the chapters on chickens and rabbits will entertain any reader, as well as the sections on various dogs, ducks, llamas, goats, flies, and a sexually disoriented pig.Readers of western life and lovers of horses will find Confessions of a Horseshoer an informative, quirky, and delightful work full of humor, attitude, and off-beat insight.Trade Review“Here now is the only book about horseshoeing you will ever need. Ron Tatum has created a magic mix of great information and terrific stories—all told with superb writing and fun spice.” — Jim Lehrer, executive editor and former news anchor for The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour“It is not often you come across a book where ‘spending more time under a horse’ strikes you as not only sane but sage. But here is such a book, where a born raconteur horseshoes his way to wisdom with self-deprecating humor, cowboy canniness, and lightly worn professorial erudition. By the evidence of these pages Ron Tatum has lived at least nine lives, each one enriching the others, all of them grounded by the world of horses and the human characters he encounters there. He is a true American original.” — Ger Killeen, winner of the 2006 and 2007 Gertrude Stein Awards for Innovative Poetry“I found Tatum’s stories to be compelling and funny, charming and wry. I was caught up in his voice, his attitude about the world. This is very strong stuff.” — John Calderazzo, Department of English, Colorado State University“Life’s real meaning tumbles out of each story and envelops the reader with laughter, tears, and peace. A wonderful read for anyone who still cares to reflect.” — Denis G. Lawrence, retired vice president for academic affairs, Marylhurst University.

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Book SynopsisWho would have dreamed that a one-day calf show would evolve into a top-five professional rodeo that raises millions of dollars for education? From its beginnings as a tiny 4-H event to its current role as one of Austin’s largest charities, the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo has grown in both size and purpose in the past seventy-five years.Here, Liz Carmack tells the story of Rodeo Austin, a nonprofit enterprise whose face reflects its agricultural heritage but whose scholarship program is at the heart of its mission. Since 1981, when organizers became fully committed to providing college scholarships, millions of dollars have been raised through a year-long fundraising effort including a sporting clay tournament, golf tournament, wine tasting and gala. The year culminates in March with the organization’s signature event known as Rodeo Austin - sixteen days of non-stop events, including a livestock show, fair, rodeo, and concerts. Over the years, dedication and hard work, an ever expanding cast of participants and volunteers, many benefactors, and changes in name and venue have served the organization well. In 2011, the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo welcomed more than 300,000 attendees and awarded $442,000 in college scholarships plus more than $1.5 million in additional funds to Texas youth.Fans of rodeo everywhere, and especially anyone who has attended Rodeo Austin—“Where Weird Meets Western”—will come away from Rodeo Austin: Blue Ribbons, Buckin' Broncs, and Big Dreams with a new appreciation of the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo and its dual mission of promoting youth education and preserving Western heritage.Trade ReviewFor 75 years, Rodeo Austin has been crowning Champions, inside livestock and rodeo arenas. Blue Ribbons, Buckin’ Broncs and Big Dreams tells the story… the story of volunteers, cowboys, cowgirls and scholars…all who share one common trait…they were, or are, all relentless!" - Trevor Brazile, Eight Time World Champion All Around Cowboy"Here's a book for anyone who loves livestock, rodeo, history, or just the compelling stories about the people who embody the spirit of the West. Liz Carmack brings alive what has made Rodeo Austin what it is today with meticulous research, marvelous writing, and outstanding photos.

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Book SynopsisAfter a fifteen-year career as a sled dog racer, musher Dave Olesen turned his focus away from competition and set out to fulfill a lifelong dream. Over the course of four successive winters he steered his dogs and sled on long trips away from his remote Northwest Territories homestead, setting out in turn to the four cardinal compass points - south, east, north, and west - and home again to Hoarfrost River. His narrative ranges from the personal and poignant musings of a dogsled driver to loftier planes of introspection and contemplation. Olesen describes his journeys day by day, but this book is not merely an account of his travels. Neither is it yet another offering in the genre of ""wide-eyed southerner meets the Arctic,"" because Olesen is a firmly rooted northerner, having lived and travelled in the boreal outback for over thirty years. Olesen's life story colours his writing: educated immigrant, husband and father, professional dog musher, working bush pilot, and denizen of log cabins far off the grid. He and his dogs feel at home in country lying miles back of beyond. This book demolishes many of the clichés that imbue writings about bush life, the Far North, and dogsledding. It is a unique blend of armchair adventure, personal memoir, and thoughtful, down-to-earth reflection.Trade Review"Dave Olesen's four midwinter dogsled journeys project struck me as a wonderfully sane choice of place- and self-exploration, reminding me of how Thoreau walked many days across thickets and swamps exploring his homeplace. But what a vast landscape Dave lives in! And what mindful and sympathetic attention it took to pack and plan for not just himself but a whole team of tough and dedicated dogs. I understand why he did it, but the details of how is an education in itself. The book's back matter on winter camping, and on the care of dogs, alone is worth it. The relaxed but steady frame of mind in which he packed and travelled is the key. I salute this man and his passion, and his family for giving him space to explore it. An old Inupiaq Eskimo once said to me as I set out in a canoe on a September river, 'Don't have any adventures!'" -- Gary Snyder, poet; professor of English, UC Davis"'Kinds of Winter' is a chronicle of the beauty, the lore, the why, and the dog sled adventure of travelling across the Barren Lands. It is written by a master of winter travel by dogteam. To anyone who loves the north or who has a curiosity about living in the cold this is a must-read." -- Will Steger, polar explorer and educator; www.willstegerfoundation.org"This is a wonderful book, telling the story of four incredible journeys by a remarkable man." -- Kathleen Coskran, author of 'The High Price of Everything'"A vivid armchair traveler experience like no other, Kinds of Winter is highly recommended." -- Midwest Book Review"Working animals were once a staple of town and country life: pit ponies, sheep herders, warehouse mousers. All lesser mammals were bred for chores or meat. The main thing to remember, says a friend who's spent a lifetime with horses, is that they don't care about your feelings.... To watch huskies scrap with each other, or to watch dogs go after a teammate who has for some reason become a scapegoat, is sobering to anyone who tries to mold dogs to a human model or to elevate them to a preconceived notion of furry nobility, Olesen writes. They are physical, and we must relate to them on that level.... Olesen's book is a crisp account of a world now gone in urban Canada, when animals worked as hard as their owners." -- Holly Doan -- Blacklock's ReporterTable of ContentsTable of Contents for Kinds of Winter: Four Solo Journeys by Dogteam in Canada's Northwest Territories by Dave OlesenList of IllustrationsAuthor's NoteCompass Points, Over the Boulders, Eager...SouthEastNorthWestAfterwordAppreciations and AcknowledgementsAppendix A: Food, Gear, and Some Notes on Winter CampingAppendix B: The Dogs and Their CareAppendix C: Some Tricks for Dead-Reckoning NavigationNotesGlossary

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Book SynopsisMeet Nimrod, a typical horse in the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. He's big, black and brave, yet steady as a rock. But what's his story, and how is he trained for his special military role? The Household Cavalry is a uniquely British institution, famous around the world for its outstanding pageantry and gallantry on the battle field. Its 250 horses, known as Cavalry Blacks, are central to its existence, and visitors to London flock to see these magnificent horses taking part in ceremonies and routine guarding activities. Little is known about how they are chosen, trained and what their duties - as full members of their regiment - entail. Here in words and pictures Juliet Blaxland fills in the background to their life and work, providing a fascinating insight into the world of the Household Cavalry horse.Trade Review"This charming story about Nimrod's life is equally entertaining for adults and children." Horse Magazine 'This sweet little picture book' ... ' I found it really interesting, as it's not a subject that has been extensively written about and this is the first book I've seen that gave such a clear inside view of what it's like behind the scenes.' ... 'Although aimed at children, adults will also find plenty of interest here.' Horse & Countryside 'Nimrod's life from foal to retirement is charmingly documented in this picture book' The Field

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Book SynopsisThe Science of Equestrian Sports is a comprehensive study of the theory and practice of the rider in equine sport. While most scholarship to date has focused on the horse in competition, this is the first book to collate current data relating specifically to riders. It provides valuable insight into improving sporting performance and maintaining the safety of both the horse and the rider. Drawing on the latest scientific research, and covering a wide range of equestrian disciplines from horseracing to eventing, the book systematically explores core subjects such as: physiology of the rider sport psychology in equestrian sport preventing injury biomechanics and kinematics coaching equestrian sport the nature of horse-rider relationships This holistic and scientific examination of the role of the horse rider is essential reading for sport science students with an interest in eTrade Review"This is a landmark text for all riders, if they are truly committed to do the best for their horses rather than simply pay lip service to the notion of excellence in training and riding. Every horse deserves a rider who has read this book!"Dr Andrew McLean, Director Australian Equine Behaviour Centre & Equitation Science International and President of the International Society for Equitation Science.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Motor Control of the Rider: On moving and being moved Chapter 2: Performance Physiology and Rider Fitness: Riders are athletes too! Chapter 3: Sport Psychology in Equestrian Sport: merely mind games? Chapter 4: Coaching Riders: From a different perspective Chapter 5: Injuries in Equestrian Sport: Dealing with it or part of the deal? Chapter 6: Horse-Human Interactions: Art or science? In Conclusion: Quo Vadis, Equestrian Science?

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Book SynopsisIn critical sport studies, the place of animals has been a relatively minor field of inquiry. Much of this research has addressed animals with regard to gambling, via studies of horse racing. Increasingly, however, riding the animal studies wave, sport studies researchers are looking more extensively at interspecies relations and taking up topics connected to Posthumanism. In this book, contributors offer the first comprehensive overview of the implications of this new field for sports studies, exploring subjects including the horse-rider relationship, the marketing of professional rodeo, the ethics of the sport of dog agility, and many more.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Sport, Animals and Society Michelle Gilbert and James Gillett Historical and Evolving Dichotomies 2. Taming the Wild: Rodeo as a Human-Animal Metaphor Arnold Arluke and Robert Bogdan 3. Human Horse Partnerships: Beyond the Dressage Stephen J. Smith 4. The Masters of Nature: Golf, Non-Humans, and Consumer Culture Brad Millington and Brian Wilson Human and Animal Relations 5. "The Horse Has Got to Want to Help": Human-Animal Habituses and Networks in Amateur Show Jumping Kirrilly Thompson and Lynda Birke 6. From Sport to Therapy: The Social Stakes in the Rise of Equine-Assisted Activities Jerome Michalon 7. Taking Teamwork Seriously: The Sport of Dog Agility as an Ethical Model of Cross-Species Companionship Giuliana Lund Ethics and Violence in Sport 8. The Ethics of Interspecies Sports S.P. Morris 9. The Virtue of Compassion: Animals in Sport, Hunting as Sport, and Entertainment Gabriela Tymowski 10. Necroposian Nights: Animal Sport, Civility and the Calgary Stampede Kevin Young and Brittany Gerber Sporting Identities of Human and Animal Athletes 11. A Star is Born to Buck: Animal Celebrity and the Marketing of Professional Rodeo Susan Nance 12. (Dis)Abled Riders and Equestrian Sports Marie Larneby and Susanna Hedenborg 13. Branding Boundaries: Colonial Sporting Identities and the Racialized Body R. Scott Carey, Rob Millington and Carolyn Prouse Future Directions 14. Young Equestrians: The Horse Stable as a Cultural Space Michele Gilbert 15. Embodied Communication: The Poetics and Politics of Riding Natalie Corinne Hansen 16. Communion Without Collision: Animals, Sport and Interspecies Co-Presence Michael Atkinson and Kass Gibson

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Book Synopsis"A can't-put-it-down modern Western." —Kirk Siegler, NPR Longlisted for the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports WritingTrade Review"The Last Cowboys is a beautiful book, threading deep reporting into a gorgeously written narrative. It is American portraiture at its best." -- Susan Orlean"One hell of a ride." -- Carson Vaughan - Washington Post"Remarkable.… [The Last Cowboys] has an uncommon ambition: it’s a story not just of rodeo, but of the contemporary West." -- John Swansburg - New York Times Book Review"Gripping.… What Branch focuses on so beautifully is how one remarkable American family navigates the situation of wanting to do dangerous, peculiar and deeply impressive kinds of work." -- Nathan Deuel - Los Angeles Times"The Last Cowboys is informed by scrupulous and compassionate reporting, casting light on a side of the sporting world typically hidden from view." -- Andrew Graybill - Wall Street Journal"The Last Cowboys is a humble but sweeping portrait of a humble but highly accomplished family." -- Chris Vognar - Dallas Morning News"Keenly observed and artfully conveyed." -- Michael Berry - San Francisco Chronicle"A fascinating dive into what it’s like to make a living by horseback, both on the range and at the rodeo." -- Christopher Collins - Texas Observer"Branch does a beautiful job chronicling a family as it navigates old traditions in a new, fast-paced century.… The Last Cowboys is an excellent, compassionate book." -- Michael Schaub - Minneapolis Star Tribune"[The Last Cowboys] isn’t just about winning saddle bronc titles.… It’s about the Old West becoming new." -- Associated Press

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Book SynopsisCassidy's investigation reveals the factors-ethical, cultural, political, and economic-that have shaped the racing tradition.Trade ReviewCombining thorough research with an excellent writing style, this volume goes beyond such personal accounts as Jane Smiley's A Year at the Races (2004) and Nan Mooney's My Racing Heart (2002). Not about the sport of horseracing per se, this is an entertaining and enjoyable anthropological study of the relationships between humans and animals. Choice 2008 Cassidy has created an engaging study that would appeal to anyone with even a passing interest in horse racing. -- Jeff Meyer Register of the Kentucky Historical Society 2007 [A] comprehensive and entertaining book. -- Margaret Taylor Journal of the Royal Anthropological Inst. 2009Table of ContentsPreface1. Histories2. The Right to Be Well Born3. The Horseman Makes the Horse4. The Centers of the World5. Stud Farm6. Auction7. Training8. Racing TodayEpilogueNotesEssay on SourcesIndex

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