Equine Books

This is a must have for horse lovers. The photos are outstanding. The text is also worth the purchase.

Great focus on a limited number of similar horse breeds.

I KNOW HE LOVES HORSES BECAUSE OF THE WAY HE PHOTOGRAPHS THE ANIMALS EYES!!! HE IS A MASTER!!

I WISH I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS GUY BACK WHEN I HAD MY HORSE!!
HE MUST LOVE THE ANIMALS BECAUSE, HE PHOTOGRAPHS THEM SO, WELL!! HE FOCUSES ON THE EYES OF THE ANIMALS IN MANY PICTURES AS IF, HE IS LOOKING AT THEIR SOULS!!! I DO NOT REGRET PURCHASING THIS BOOK AT ALL!!!!!!!!! I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE WHO LOVES HORSES!!!!!
SHIRLEY GREER

Overall, I'd have to agree with the reviewer's comments from Lakewood, OH.

Anyone familiar with Vavra's work will recognize his dreamlike, romanticized approach to horse photography. More "artsy" in style, tone and layout - than the straight forward approach.

Lots of soft-focus photography with heavy post-production image editing (layering of horse upon background, and vice-versa). I own two of Vavra's books (this being the second one to "Equus: The Creation Of A Horse"), so whether or not one likes this style of equine photography is a matter of personal taste. Still, this is a beautifully printed and bound book, with some outstanding equine photography.

See my review of "Equus: The Creation Of A Horse" for further reviews of Vavra's work.

Forward by William Shatner (yes, Captain Kirk!).

If you are a horselover and enjoy books on equine photography in general, check out the work of Gabrielle Boiselle, Johnny Johnston, Henry Dallal, Fulvio Cinquini, Jennifer Forsberg Meyer, et al. All have made their career photographing horses, and it shows. Boiselle is a personal favorite.

While the authors obviously know their stuff, I found it hard to read given the excessive and slightly archaic verbage; I would've preferred something much more consise, perhaps in a "bullet" fashion, rather than a tome.

This book was bought for my 10 year old daughter. It is wonderful, everything and every question is answered in this book.

This is the most complete, concise medical handbook for horse owner's I have found on the market today. It details everything from small medical maladies to major sicknesses and illnesses. It walks you through reproduction and everything you need to know for your pregnant mare too! The language was easy to understand and stated in basic layman's terms, so even if you are a first-time horse owner you can understand the terminology used, but it is also detailed enough for the avid, experienced horse owner. This book comes highly recommended!!

This book holds loads of information. It is a very good item for the horse owner to keep handy.

No book is a subsitute for a licensed veterinarian. Now having said that...

I've had this book for years and wouldn't be without it. It got me through my first foaling and also caring for that foal (including vaccinations). While I've not read this book front to back, the signs & symptoms section in the front is invaluable. The chapters are easy to read, yet they are informative and allow you to ask intelligent questions of your veterinarian when it becomes necessary for them to be there.

My mother recently bought her first horse and this book was the first thing I told her to go get.

Linda's books open up a new world to many readers. Her insights and experiences are (for want of a better word) deep and thought provoking. I love her work and encourage anyone to explore it.

This is an awesome book with beautifuly illustrated cards, all with horses. If you love horses and want to investigate some ideas about healing yourself and get insight into yourself this is a must have. I love it!

This is an excellent tool that I use in Psychotherapy. You do not have to enjoy horses to use the 40 beautifully illistrated cards and explore the short chapter associated with the card. I have used it in career counseling as well as groups for people with conflictual self and relationships. This book has also assisted me in discovering what"gifts" that I bring in my life as well as what "challenges" I may have within me. This book is in a nicely done case in order to keep everything together. It is highly recommended as a reference tool for self or others. I have had all my friends pick their cards and I copied the pages for them to refer back to. I have now purchased as many books as I can find from this author and I will continue to explore her scope of self discovery using the horse as our guide.

These cards and the book make a great option for Tarot readers who want to branch out into different forms of reading for clients that are turned off by the old witchy reputation of the traditional tarot. The archetypes are well thought out. I have yet to master the different meanings and it will take study but I really welcome it. Many people are more open to horses than they are to other people!

I ordered these cards because I was planning to buy a set for a friend who is a horse-lover. This is not a traditional tarot deck, but instead a deck defining different aspects of life and offering a unique lens for looking at these aspects. There isn't any skill involved in using these cards (just pick a card in the morning or lay out 3 if asking a particular question) but they seem to offer insights at first use. The first question I asked this deck involved a relationship and I pulled card 6, "Rivalry" which described two people in a partnership wanting to dominate when it could be a more cordial relationship. I was able to discuss this insight with my partner. This deck lends itself to meditation, and is definitely the kind of deck you can use for deeper insights about a situation. It is not the kind of deck for "yes or no" answers. Also, the explanatory chapters on each card goes for several pages so be prepared to sit and read a while when you pull your card, as there are no quick answers in this deck. The book makes interesting reading on its own. The cards are beautifully drawn and perfect for any horse lover. If you want a deck of "wisdom" cards to look at daily, these are very suitable. There is so much wisdom to be drawn from horses, and with evocative cards such as "Kairos," "Merlin's Spirit," "Keeper of the Mysteries," "Maste of Sadness," and others, these cards and book allow a deeper look at any issue you might be facing. These cards will not tell you what to do. They will give you a new view of your situation with alot of food for thought.

Great book - will be put in my barn for immediate reference. Very graphic pictures but really helpful.

This book is a must have for any equine first aid kit and horse owner. It allows the reader to quickly find and reference relevant information regarding a number of equine emergencies.

Wonderful buy for to have on hand for emergencies. This book is very concise and easy to read and understand. The topics are clearly marked making it a breeze to use in an emergency situation. My copy stays at the barn.

This book is so well organized that even if you are in a panic you can find the information you need. Straight forward easy to understand information with pictures. I bought this book years ago and kept it in my hoses first aid box. It's indispensable!

This is the emergency guide we've been looking for as the long term owners/keepers of 3 quarter horses. The pictures help us visually know what we're confronting with our horses. The essential "first aid" to be given, tells us what we can do, what we shouldn't do, and relay the critical information to our vet when we call. Our vet is over-burdened, as all large animal vets are, and giving him the correct information/description helps him know how soon he needs to come. We can also tell him how our horse is responding to the "first aid" we've given and whether he wants us to do anything additional. The size and spiral binding makes it easy for us to keep this reference at the barn, where we need it. We're also reading through this guide now, which helps us decide what to read further about in other resources, such as the Merk Manual of Veterinary Medicine.

I found this book so helpful in learning about horses. Not only about healing and energy work but also about the soul of the horse. We have so much to learn about these magnificent animals. By reading Margrit Coates book I know that I will too become an animal healer. I encourage any one who loves horses and interested in learning about healing touch to read it.

This book is useful, easy to read and understand. It is written in clear prose, with a nice flow, and sense of humor. Just the right amount of pictures and explanations. Thanks for the good work.

A beautifully written book that is easy to read and understand. The stories are moving, and the directions for beginning healing yourself on your own horse, are clear and concise with wonderful diagrams and pictures to further explain how to go about it. I have tried some of the techniques with my elderly horse who recently lost his best horse buddy, and have seen definite results. It is a book worth reading.

Excellent price and a really fine hard cover book that will give anyone reading it many insights into the animal world/mind.

Highly recommend...

This book is an excellent guide to "Hands On Healing" for horses. It is a very practical and compassionate book. It will give you the confidence to give safe and effective healings to your horse. I recommend it for both beginning and advanced healers.

This book was as informative as I have seen. I understood the descriptions and details even though they were written in technical terms and found all the answers I needed when I needed them.

This book will grace any horsepersons bookshelf for many years to come. Jam packed with information. It will be used over and over, year in, year out. Value packed.

This book is easy to understand, and describes lameness in easy to understand language. Lots of photos and exrays that explain what they are talking about. I highly recommend this book!

Excellent book with heaps and heaps of info on lameness and how to treat the problems. Has charts in it as well for you to score your own horses lameness. Has other health complications listed that can cause lameness and syptoms of lameness. I refer to it often. Layed out in section eg: hoof, lower leg, upper leg etc etc so you can go straight to the chapter you wish to look at. Well set out and easy to read. I highly recommend it!

The book "Lameness: Recognizing and Treating the Horse's Most Common Ailment", is a well-written and informative book. The knowledge presented is accessible to the average horse person, and very extensive, covering just about every possible cause of equine lameness in the legs, hooves, and other parts of a horse's anatomy.


The book also covers methods of identifying different types of lameness, recognizing gait abnormalities, managing diseases, treating wounds, hoof care, shoeing, and available therapies, medications, and veterinary care. Veterinary therapies and surgical procedures are discussed, such as joint lavage, arthroscopic surgery, and the application of casts.


submitted by J.R. Wise
author of
Give a Horse a Second Chance: Adopting and Caring for Rescue Horses

I found Ride the Right Horse to be an insightful book, well-written and fun to read. The author provided many meaningful examples to illustrate the various horse personalities as she has defined them. Taken together with the people personalities (as defined by Myers-Briggs) I can see this book being very useful for all horse people, from beginners to highly advanced, regardless of discipline.

I was highly entertained by some of the facts and descriptions of a few of the horses described as well as circumstances leading up to, during and after the "cure". I am familiar with many of these animals and reading about them brought back many a smile to my face as well as the subsequent PAIN in certain incidences! Although my recollection is a tad different sometimes the end results were accomplished and I was very proud to see that Yvonne had finally published the book she has dreamed of doing perhaps all of her adult-life and a great portion of her childhood!
If I know Yvonne, this will merely be her first book, not hardly her last!
Hip Hip Hoorah to one of my sisters!!!

A friend loaned me this book and I loved it. Yvonne Barteau's simple method of identifying horse dispositions and character traits can be easily understood and used by both the novice and experienced horse person. Her case studies make this book entertaining as well as informative. In fact, I recently made good use of a banana treat to successfully guide my sweet, social horse through a training snag thanks to the knowledge I gained from this book. Thanks to Yvonne for helping me understand what type horse will be best for my personality type and rider type.

This was a really fun book to read and I found myself using horses I know and have worked with as examples of the different personalities. Really interesting and entertaining along with some practical info. I highly recommend this book to all

I got this book because of the articles in Dressage Today. I really love the case studies and the training tips. I was quickly able to pick out all three of my own horses and get ideas on how to improve their training. The book is easy to read straight through or once you know your horses type to go straight to the parts that apply to them. I highly recommend it.

A very nice lady contacted me with the following review, stating that she doesn't have Internet access, but wanted to tell other readers about her experience.

"Gambling with the Enemy" is the first Toni Leland novel I've had the pleasure of reading. It definitely was very difficult to put down! Toni's vivid description of the settings and characters made the story come to life. She dealt with a sensitive topic that has touched all Americans in recent years. The main characters Jessica Rayder and Faith Angelo are both very complex individuals. Their passion for horses brought them together and created a bond that would get them through the most challenging and trying time of their lives. Howard London, handsome, intelligent and a much needed confidante, is the romantic temptation in Jessica's life. If you think you can predict what will happen, think again! Toni keeps us reading on in anticipation right up to the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an exciting suspense thriller!
L. Tonn - Newton Falls, Ohio

This book had me holding my breath from start to finish! A very exciting plot, with a character that I loved to hate and yet pulled for her all the way through the book. A real page burner!! I couldn't put it down, read it in one sitting (which kept me up til 2am and had my husband take over the book the following night). I wasn't sure if he'd be able to get through the stereotype of the the "romance" and "horse novel" and female characters, but he enjoyed it as much as I did - and finished it in record time. We can't wait for Toni Leland's next novel!!

In her third novel, Toni Leland keeps her reader's eyes glued to the page with a fast-paced plot, interesting and appealing characters, and a premise that is full of mystery and suspense.
Gambling With the Enemy is a very entertaining combination equestrian-suspense-romance novel. I look forward to reading more of this talented author's books.

Jessica Rayder and Faith Angelo are fast friends. They've been through a lot over their long relationship, but nothing has prepared them for the trouble that has arrived at their Connecticut equestrian center. While Jessica struggles with the bleak financial picture of the business and concerns that Faith is slipping into old self-destructive habits, the nature of the real enemy is unfathomable to them. Toni Leland's new book brings the best of her previous "Hearts Over Fences" and "Winning Ways" with her detailed equestrian knowledge and a strong female lead character, but the thrilling action and suspense is totally different. Jessica and Faith are manipulated by forces over which they have no control, and their reactions to the scene unfolding around them reflect the uncertainty of today's American climate after 9/11. The women are alternately unbelieving that this is happening in their presumed-safe country life, then get jolted into the reality of the dangers that must be faced. The portrayal of the busy and positive activities of the riding center, where adults and children are in harmony with horses, provides the perfect backdrop and contrast to the enemy's schemes. "Gambling with the Enemy" is a true page-turner, with diverse and realistic characters that interact in ever-building suspense. We look forward to the next Toni Leland book!!

Gambling with the Enemy is a modern thriller in every sense. Toni Leland demonstrates her knowledge of horses an the horse community, and then she couples that knowledge with the sense of doom that has hung over America since the fatal 9/11 attacks that crippled New York City. She demonstrates an insight at to what motivated those attacks, and applies that, in very concise literary form, to the equestrian world of show horses.
This is a novel with plot twists and deceitful characters that carries the reader right to the end, while exploring subtle human greed and exposing the darker side of mankind's soul. It does all of this before a backdrop of equestrian culture, which serves to give the story line a depth of history; these human motivations are older than America, going back beyond man's mastery over animals.
Gambling with the Enemy is a great read, captivating, and very informative as well.

I really like the content. I like the photos, I like the way it's written and most of all, I like the fact that I can understand it. I would say that this book belongs on every horse owner's bookshelf as a reference guide.

Dr. Loving has done it again with this comprehensive horse owner's "survival' guide. There is nothing left untouched and every horse owner needs to have this book in their library. I read it cover to cover and have dragged it out on many occasions for answers to questions. Dr. Loving converts equine science into lay terms with outstanding photographs illustrating the topic of discussion. I can't thank her enough for her concern for the horse and the years spent compiling this amazing book. I just wish I lived closer to her clinic in Colorado to utilize her vet skills 'hands-on'.

This book I have found to be very valuable as a reference book particularly for people who take their horse sport seriously. I myself am into endurance, and have found absolutely everything I needed to know about what can possibly go wrong with an endurance horse, whether it be training techniques, nutrition, lameness, etc etc. The detail is immnense, and I have not found any veterinary condition not written about, and yet it is easy to understand, and very readable. There are photos and diagrams on almost every page, and the book is 565 pages long, plus has a huge appendix, and bibliography section at the end. I would strongly recommend this book to any competitive horse owner.

This is an exceptionally good reference book, a must-have for horse owners. The photographs are extremely well done. Many are by Dr. Loving herself, and illustrate exactly the points made in the text. I gave this book only 4 of 5 stars because the information on infectious diseases and vaccines is not up to par.

Every horse owner should have a copy of this book. And with the price being less than a vet's farm call, it will pay for itself many times over. What I really appreciated about the book was that it isn't so technical that you need a medical degree to understand it, yet at the same time it is very thorough and the pictures, wow the pictures! For example not only are you told how to care for a deep wound, but how it should look at various staging of healing. How many times have you treated a wound and called the vet daily wondering if it's healing o.k. or getting worse?

The only thing that I was a tad disappointed in was most of the hoof shots showed shod horses and I am practicing natural hoof care and barefoot trimmning. But if you want a book on Barefoot Hoof Care, you should order a book specific to that topic. This book, it covers everything else you will ever wonder about with your horse and health related problems.

I don't call many of my 1000 books a "bible" of whatever subject, but this is my "bible" of horse health.

This book is fabulous. We are expecting our first ever foal in October 08 and I have read this book from cover to cover. It is a must in my opinion for anyone who wishes to breed horses. It is a comprehensive manual easy to read in a logical sequence for easy reference. This will be placed in my foaling kit when the time arrives for my new baby to be born. I highly recommend this book, well done.

Theresa Jones has created a wonderful, easy to read and understand manual that is a must for the first time or experienced horse breeder. The book is accurate, written so it is very understandable by the layman, yet full of good medical advice and knowledge. To supplement the book Theresa Jones provides an advice column online to answer specific problems encountered in foaling.

When my mare was near term this was the one book that I had with me at all times. Where other authors of foaling books tend to emphasize foaling horrors and disasters, Theresa Jones emphasizes what is normal. She makes you very aware of what can go wrong, and gives ample instruction on how to recognize an emergency or abnormal situation, but she does it in a way that helps you remain confident rather than helpless.

Foaling horses is definetly a very long process especially if you intend on being there for the whole delivery. This book explains what to look for and what will happen during the foaling process. It also tells what to expect and the musts for after delivery. It was very easy to read and understand by real people. I drag it out for each foaling I attend even though I have read and re-read it more than once.

This book is an excellent book on the foaling proceedure and what you have to do, and know. What I most liked about it was its common sense approach and though the problems that the mare and foal can encounter were mentioned, advice was given on how to handle these problems. Some of the other foaling books on the market emphasis all the problems that can occur to the point that one feels that a mare should never be bred. This book is not at all like that.