On a peaceful country morning, a horse named Bess approaches and connects telepathically with the author. At the mare's urging, the author agrees to write A History of Horses Told by Horses, in which equines trace the historical links between humans and horses, express their thoughts on the impact that humans have on the Earth, and state their mission. The horses' hopes are to partner with compassionate people, especially women, to redirect the course of humanity in a positive way. The story-telling horses exist. The places and people are real. The multi-layered message relates to the human condition on a personal level as well as on a global scale. Equine history spans more than 55 million years and five continents. Horses desire to form meaningful relationships with people. Each horse's connection with a human is unique. A horse's assistance is tailored to a person's individual needs.
When the Spanish explorers brought horses to North America, the horses were, in a sense, returning home. Beginning with their origins fifty million years ago, the wild horse has been traced from North America through Asia to the plains of SpainÕs Andalusia and then back across the Atlantic to the ranges of the American West. When given the chance, these horses simply took up residence in the landscape that their ancestors had roamed so long ago. In Wild Horses of the West, J. Edward de Steiguer provides an entertaining and well-researched look at one of the most controversial animal welfare issues of our timeÑthe protection of free-roaming horses on the WestÕs public lands. This is the first book in decades to include the entire story of these magnificent animals, from their evolution and biology to their historical integration into conquistador, Native American, and cowboy cultures. And the story isnÕt over. De Steiguer goes on to address the modern issuesÑ ecology, conservation, and land managementÑsurrounding wild horses in the West today. Featuring stunning color photographs of wild horses, this extremely thorough and engaging blend of history, science, and politics will appeal to students of the American West, conservation activists, and anyone interested in the beauty and power of these striking animals.
Joel Goss knows that Little Bub is a special colt, even though he’s a runt. And when schoolteacher Justin Morgan asks Joel to break the colt in, Joel is thrilled! Soon word about Little Bub has spread throughout the entire Northeast—this spirited colt can pull heavier loads than a pair of oxen. And run faster than thoroughbreds! This is the story of the little runt who became the father of the world-famous breed of American horses—the Morgan.
There are over seven million horses in America -- even more than when they were the only means of transportation. Nir began riding horses when she was just two years old and hasn't stopped since. This is her funny, moving love letter to these graceful animals and the people who are obsessed with them. She takes us into the lesser-known corners of the riding world and profiles some of its most captivating figures, and speaks candidly of how horses have helped her overcome heartbreak and loss.
A comprehensive, richly illustrated introduction to the fascinating natural history of the horse, from prehistory to the present There are countless books about keeping and riding horses. The Horse is different: it looks not only at the natural history of the horse in the context of its use by humans, but also at its own, independent story, describing the way horses live, think, and behave both alongside people and on their own. Beautifully designed and illustrated, The Horse provides an engaging and accessible introduction to these beloved animals. Beginning with evolution and development, The Horse tells how horses came into being more than fifty million years ago and were first domesticated more than five thousand years ago, eventually spreading across the globe. Chapters on Anatomy & Biology and Society & Behavior explain equine anatomy and how it has affected the lives and social structure of horses, and outline current scientific thinking on their behavior as individual and herd animals, including information on communication between horses. A chapter on Horses & People provides a thorough overview of the horse’s many important roles in human history and today, from pack animal to sporting champion. Finally, the book ends with an engrossing and visually stunning photographic gallery of some fifty popular breeds of horses and ponies with essential information about each. Filled with surprising facts and insights, this book will delight anyone who loves horses and wants to understand them better. Provides a comprehensive, richly illustrated introduction to the evolution, development, domestication, and behavior of the horse—from life cycle, breeding, coats and colors, and the senses to courtship, parenting, communication, emotions, and learning Tells the full story of horses, from their earliest fossil ancestors to the modern-day Equus Offers a detailed survey of how horses and humans have interacted since horses were domesticated, including their use for work and war in the past and recreational and competitive riding today Features infographics, diagrams, and more than 250 stunning color photographs Includes a beautiful photographic directory to some 50 popular breeds
Hannah Gale starts volunteering at a horse stable because she needs a place to escape. Her father has returned from the Iraq war as an amputee with posttraumatic stress disorder, and his nightmares rock the household. At the stable, Hannah comes to love Jack, Super Dee, and Indy; helps bring a rescued mare back from the brink; and witnesses the birth of the filly who steals her heart. Hannah learns more than she ever imagined about horse training, abuse, and rescues, as well as her own capacity for hope. Physical therapy with horses could be the answer to her fatherÕs prayers, if only she can get him to try.
With an elegant sweetness and a pitch-perfect sense of western life reminiscent of Annie Dillard, Glosss breakout novel is a remarkable story about the connections between people and animals and how they touch one another in the most unexpected and profound ways.
A “superb” account of the enduring connection between humans and horses—“Full of the sort of details that get edited out of more traditional histories” (The Economist). Fifty-six million years ago, the earliest equid walked the earth—and beginning with the first-known horse-keepers of the Copper Age, the horse has played an integral part in human history. It has sustained us as a source of food, an industrial and agricultural machine, a comrade in arms, a symbol of wealth, power, and the wild. Combining fascinating anthropological detail and incisive personal anecdote, equestrian expert Susanna Forrest draws from an immense range of archival documents as well as literature and art to illustrate how our evolution has coincided with that of horses. In paintings and poems (such as Byron’s famous “Mazeppa”), in theater and classical music (including works by Liszt and Tchaikovsky), representations of the horse have changed over centuries, portraying the crucial impact that we’ve had on each other. Forrest combines this history with her own experience in the field, and travels the world to offer a comprehensive look at the horse in our lives today: from Mongolia where she observes the endangered takhi, to a show-horse performance at the Palace of Versailles; from a polo club in Beijing to Arlington, Virginia, where veterans with PTSD are rehabilitated through interaction with horses. “For the horse-addicted, a book can get no better than this . . . original, cerebral and from the heart.” —The Times (London)
