Reddit mentions: The best horse care books

Wow, that genetic test yielded such interesting results! There was actually a fascinating discovery a few years ago that found a link between a specific gene mutation and the ability for a horse to have extra gaits, like the pace. Here's a cool article about it I don't think it directly applies to your guy but there is definitely a genetic link to the way that horses move.

I think one very good intro to basic dressage book would be Lessons with Lendon, and luckily it's available for $3.99 on Amazon! It starts with the real foundations of dressage and is written in clear language with very good pictures and easy to follow captions. I think it would be helpful for anyone interested in dipping their foot in the dressage waters. My next favorite book is Dressage Formula by Erik Herbermann but it's a little more dense and theoretical. If you find that you really take to dressage and would like to delve deeper, that's where I'd point you. My favorite thing about that book is that the author illustrates his principles on off-breed horses, like a Standardbred and a big clunky part-draft foxhunter. They look freaking amazing in the book and it's a good demonstration of how the basic dressage principles are meant to improve every horse's way of going and balance.

Good luck with everything! It sounds like you're off to a great start though! I'm glad to hear your guy hasn't been cross cantering. Cantering can be tough work! If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to help as best as I can!

It does sound like a great opportunity for you and I'm so glad to hear that you're doing this the right way and looking for information and guidance. So many people would take this opportunity and just go ahead thinking they know best and end up doing more harm than good. Seems like it'll be a very good thing for you and the horse so good job doing it correctly!

You should do a lot of lunge work and pole with him. I dont know how frequently you plan on working him, but every other to every third time should be lunge work over poles. Right now, you don't need to be on him every time. Lunge work shouldnt just be about him going around in a circle at different gates (thats fairly useless other than to tire him out). On the lunge you can do a lot of bending exercises and pole work to get him using his body and going forward and engaging his hind end. If you want me to elaborate on what sort of exercises you can do Id be happy to explain.

Since youre just starting to ride and work him, keep your rides very short and mostly walk with some trot. They should be positive and about getting him thinking and forward. If he kicks off you have to sit back and ride him forward. If he decides he wants to be an ass and run then let him run but dont let him stop until you decide its time to slow down. If youre afraid of him bucking or rearing than spin him in tight circle (inside leg back, outside leg forward, open inside arm at elbow) and do that until he gives and softens and then his reward is to go forward. Tight circles are good bc its keeps them off balance enough that they cant be dangerous but still allows them to go forward so they release the energy and dont get claustrophobic or bouncy.

As for my background, I live in NH so I'm way too far to help you other than via the internet. I'm 25, a vet student, and have been riding for about 15 years, and intensively training dressage for the past 4. Ive spent a lot of time working with young or problem horses and getting them to learn to use their bodies and soften and move forward properly.

Regarding books, these are the three I recommend most and are my favorites. You should also subscribe to Dressage Today.
http://www.amazon.com/There-Problem-Horses-Only-Riders/dp/061812750X
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dressage-Kyra-Kyrklund/dp/1905693249/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337036500&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.co.uk/USDF-Guide-Dressage-Jennifer-Bryant/dp/1580175295

Feel free to ask any questions you ahve and I'll do my best to answer. You're welcome to send me anything you want me to look at as well. I can pm you my email address if youd like as its easier to keep in touch long term that way.

Ohooo, prepare yourself - I love them and I will talk about them for DAYS.

They're definitely really special animals. There are a couple mule groups on Yahoo still, as well as a couple message boards like the one I've linked here.

I recommend picking up the book The Natural Superiority of Mules by John Hauer. There are a couple other basic care books out there too that are available on Amazon. They're different to saddle, shoe, feed, and train than horses, and it's really important to spend time bonding with them on the ground- but one that's never been mistreated will seriously love you like a dog and seek you out for attention.

I'm a member of The American Donkey and Mule Society, which I also really recommend if you're looking to get into mules or donkeys. They have a quarterly magazine that they send to all members that's really informative (just not very pretty in terms of printing).

Mules and More Magazine and Western Mule Magazine are also really awesome.

Good luck with finding a long-eared friend! It takes awhile to find one sometimes just because they're not as common as horses, but a good one is seriously worth it's weight in gold.

I second Pony Club. Unfortunately the cut-off age is 25. However, Pony Club has some great manuals available that cover everything you will need to know. The manuals come in a set of three, The Beginner Manual (This will be absolutely essential in your case), The Intermediate Manual (This will be nice to have on hand), and The Advanced Manual (And this I wouldn't worry about, but it is a fun read!).

The beginner manual covers everything from basic riding techniques, grooming, tack and tack cleaning, stall cleaning, feeding, anatomy, health, first aid, and more.

Also, most stables cover the basics when you start taking lessons. Obviously they'll teach you the dos and don'ts of handling horses right away, but you'll learn more as you advance. Most instructors will be happy to answer any questions you have about care and management. Any good equestrian knows that is just as important as the riding.

Also, when looking for a stable, try to pick one with a good community of people riding there, and preferably a Pony Club. Knowledgable people are always at the ready to help beginners out. Good luck!

Most dressage resources talk about both the horse and the rider, since there is really no way to progress as a dressage rider without understanding how your aids affect the horse, nor to train the horse without good riding. So luckily there are a lot of good rider-focused resources out there, but be prepared to read a bit about the horse side of things in any dressage resources you find.

Some that I'd recommend are:

• Lessons with Lendon -- Lendon Gray does a lot of education and has a whole dressage for kids program, so aside from being a great rider she is also pretty tuned in to teaching students across the whole spectrum of experience levels.
  
  
• For the Good of the Rider -- Mary Wanless is a little polarizing, as not everyone loves her brand of biomechanics-oriented riding. But there's no question that she speaks to the rider and that she gets you thinking about what you're feeling as a rider, which is important for developing an innate sense of how to move in the saddle and how your body impacts your horse.
  
  
• Dressage 101 -- Jane Savoie is easy to read and does a good job with the basics. This one is probably targeted most closely to a re-rider getting into dressage.
  
  Your trainer may have other suggestions and will probably be psyched to know that you're excited enough about your riding to do some brushing up outside of lessons, so I'd recommend asking her/him as well.

Which streams/rivers did you try? The water in North Idaho hasn't been bad lately, a few rivers are still running higher than normal but the water clarity has been good. I would read this. Its a pretty good read about what to do when there is nothing obvious. I agree with the other guys though streamers are a great way to catch fish, especially large ones. Personally I like to swing streamers after I've gone through a good spot with dries.

Ok, that makes sense. The Rogue is probably the closest decent option from Lansing. It's just that compared to some of the better rivers further north, it doesn't have as good of a population of fish, and it sees a lot of pressure due to being so close to Grand Rapids.

I think the closest blue ribbon trout river to you would be the White River, near White Cloud. Google maps says that's just under 2 hours from Lansing. Other options would be the PM, Upper Manistee, or South Branch of the Au Sable. All of those are between 2-2.5 hours from Lansing.

In any of these rivers, with their larger fish populations and better insect hatches, success isn't guaranteed. This time of year in particular can be tough. The fish have seen a whole season's worth of flies going past, and a lot of the insects that would normally get them feeding have already hatched out.

Don't get discouraged, though. I fly fished for 2 whole seasons before I finally figured out how to catch trout. Tom Rosenbauer's book Prospecting for Trout was a HUGE help for me.

Good luck out there!

If you hang around long enough, someone will put you to work :)

You can start with non horse things like sweeping and changing lightbulbs in the barn as well as handyman (woman) type jobs. Once the other staff/cleaners/horse people see that you are interested and willing to learn, they will start to ask you to help with other things. Once you learn the ropes, you can start to do turn out (taking the horses from the stalls to the paddocks or field and back) which is a great way to learn how to handle a variety of horses and also help with feeding.

Someone with a good attitude and who is willing to learn is far preferable to someone who has a bit of experience but is snotty or hard to work with.

Regardless of where you choose to ride, horses need to eat and they poop a lot (about 40-50lbs a day), so there is always work to do.

You can pick up a ton from reading How to Ride type manuals and Pony Club books, even older ones (the one I used a bunch was published in the 1950s in the UK). And ask all the questions, watch people and what they do and try to learn as much as you can!

You can look for these in your local library if you are interested:

https://www.amazon.ca/Ultimate-Horse-Rider-step-step/dp/0754830357/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540873380&sr=1-11&keywords=How+to+Ride+horses

https://www.amazon.ca/Complete-Riding-Manual-William-Micklem/dp/0756690587

Horse Health Care by Cherry Hill

Any Pony Club type publications.

Also I think the kids these days use youtube videos on how to do horse things so that might be a good resource (just remember that anyone can post there including people who know just enough to get themselves into trouble).

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Six years. That was how long it took to take my Arabian gelding from vicious with a side of 'you ought to put that horse down' to nobody could believe he had ever been anything but amazing. My mother did rehabilitation and told me it was unfair to expect him to be anything but a horse in a field. Someone else told me to euthanize because she couldn't ever expect to handle him and certainly never ride him (like I'd have let that moron touch my breyer model horses, nevermind him). I once told a vet determined to beat him for 'lack of discipline' that I'd make him eat the whip and sue him for every penny in his bank (and was the girl who couldn't say a definitive no on my own behalf). The moral of this story is that your daughter is amazing and from one owner of a 'hopeless' case to another, you have all my undying respect. Given a patient, loving handler and enough time, these amazing animals can turn anything around. Tell your daughter to keep going, one day she may not even remember the day the farrier refused to enter the stall. If she hasn't already, try this book. It was one of my main go to guides through a lot of episodes because it is all about communication on their terms.

https://www.amazon.com/Body-Language-Horses-Communicate-Handicappers/dp/0688036201

I have been in the same situation, with a horse above my level I mean. It is really important to build the trust slowly. Like Usinuk said just walk and trot. Change it up is the best way to keep him focused on you and not causing trouble. May I suggest trying to find a copy of this book. http://www.amazon.ca/101-Dressage-Exercises-Horse-Rider/dp/1580175953/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346257713&sr=1-1

It will give you lots of new things to try so you don't get bored.
Good Luck, and keep us updated!

I learned a lot of the stuff I know about horse care from "The Everything Horse Care Book"

which is also available on the Google Play store if you like to read on an Android tablet/phone.

I've never told anyone but when they wonder how I know the things I do about horse care, that book is it. It's not even very long.

But if you're going to get into riding itself too, just find a lesson place that looks good and has plenty of reviews on Google or Facebook or wherever. Most riding places that you'll find will accept complete beginners.

I fish for trout almost exclusively and don't really use bait at all. For a Panther Martin (I use quite often) and other lures, my favorite is the Mepps XD (extra deep) http://www.mepps.com/product/xd/144, I've found that the retrieve speed is delicate. I've been in situations where I've been nearly skunked and my brother has had 20 fish afternoon. Essentially it comes down to finding the depth the fish are sitting.

Other lures I love are the classic Dardevel in red and white (other colors are awesome too), the Blue Fox vibrax, and a Jake's Spin-A-Lure.

Colors I use are almost exclusively metalics and black.

For trout and especially stream fishing you should pick up "The Orvis Guide to Prospecting for Trout" http://www.amazon.com/Orvis-Guide-Prospecting-Trout-Revised/dp/1599211475/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320161835&sr=1-1.

This is a threshold issue, not a bit issue. You need to work her on controlling her impulses, not use more pain. It takes time, but is not complicated. The only change I would make is either use a full-cheek snaffle or a side-pull- something that has a safe lateral pull which will not pull through her mouth or cause damage. I have had success with a super-S, although that can be a bit severe- wrap the metal part with vetwrap.

The Reason- the "competitiveness" built into racehorses and often tortured into barrel horses in not a healthy one, often. It is based on fear. As a herd animal, being left behind meant being eaten. Using pain to control a reaction to fear creates more fear. I know she probably does love running, but the ROOT of the sudden urge to run is still fear.
Barrel horses are seldom given a chance to develop their speed (MANY EXCEPTIONS, I KNOW) in a healthy manner. I have seen 3 year olds barely 3 months into training ridden in twisted wire gags, ridden with sharp spurs and over-unders. If your horse was raced for many years, then it is DEEPLY ingrained that when she needs to run she NEEDS TO RUN NOW OR IT HURTSSSSSS.

WHAT YOU WANT- You want her to turn to you for instruction when she is startled or unsure. This is conditioning rather than training- meaning you need to make it a reflexive response rather than a conscious decision. Think about how long it would take you to teach yourself to stand on one foot and put your hands on your head instantly whenever you are startled... Teaching a horse to not run when they have the urge makes just as little sense to a horse as that does to us, and takes as much time.

Co-LESSON- You also want to re-set your horse's response to confinement. For the same reasons as above.

BEST RESOURCE- The best resource for both, in my experience, is John Lyon's methods. You don't have to do the round-pen part, but it helps. He has a book titled "Troubleshooting" which briefly describes good fixes for all these problems, and the Ground Control Manual is very in-depth, and worth every penny if you figure to be working with green or young horses in the future. I also like the Tellington method.

BRIEF EXPLANATION: For confinement, you need to go back to the basics of "give to pressure". I know she already seems to know this, but she doesn't retain it under pressure. Work on it every day. I use a clicker and treats to very great affect with abused and skittish horses- it works, but get the book so you don't accidentally create a treat-mugger. (Clicker Training For Your Horse, from the Karen Pryor website) The great thing about clicker training is that you can do a little bit- a minute or two several times throughout your visit with your horse.

For the bolting/barn/herd sour behavior- choose a pattern of basic movements. I do "walk 3 steps, stop, bend left then right, turn right, walk stop, repeat". Having a set of simple exercises you can turn to when your horse is upset is a great way to relax them, turn their attention back onto you, calm YOU, and gives you credibility with the horse. Do these exercises in the arena, a LOT, until you notice that your horse relaxes when you do so. Then, go out of the arena a bit. If she is calm, continue. As soon as she starts to get even the slightest bit tense, do several repetitions of your chosen exercise. If she gets too tense, go back until she is calm. I know it is the presense of the other horse which triggers her bolting, but start this exercise alone. When you can do the whole trail ride, including coming home, with her calm- THEN add another stressor in the form of another horse. Begin again in the arena. Walk side by side, then turn away and put her through the exercises as the other horse continues. Then do this as the horse trots, then canters, then runs away. Do not continue to the next step until she is calm, head down, ears to you, no matter what the other horse does. When the other horse can bolt away from yours, THEN repeat this exercise further and further away from the arena. Remember, you have to pull her head to the side BEFORE she takes more than a step, preferably as soon as she tenses to launch. If you drop the outside rein and pull her head towards your boot, she CANNOT run away with you. Unless you are a pixie and she is a draft horse, you are stronger than just her neck. Don't even try to pull back or make her stop that way. If she continues to freak out, bail off. (practice this!!!!!!!) If she DOES freak out, then you have exceeded her threshold and you need to go back a step or two.

Add these to your early xmas wish list:


http://www.amazon.com/John-Lyons-Troubleshooting/dp/1929164319/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408841539&sr=1-4&keywords=john+lyons

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Horse-Behavior-Training-Book-ebook/dp/B009Z76QE8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408841570&sr=1-1&keywords=tellington-jones

http://www.amazon.com/Clicker-Training-Horse-Alexandra-Kurland/dp/1890948357/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408841597&sr=1-1&keywords=clicker+training+for+your+horse

Modern Pace Handicapping by Tom Brohammer was a good book to learn pace.

Andy Beyer's Speed Figure handicapping books are still relevant.

Here's a bunch of articles to read: http://www.icapper.com/ - Joe Takach's stuff on how to look at horses is useful. See if you can find some of his videos, they are pretty good.

Bonnie Ledbetter and Tom Ainslee wrote a book on Horse's Body Language - I've found that to be useful.

I feel like Harry Potter was probably the gateway for a lot of us! Before HP I read Pony Club, Saddle Club, Marguerite Henry novels (horse books), Boxcar Children, etc. So...pretty much 90% horse books.

After (and during) Harry Potter, I read Animorphs, Tamora Pierce (a YA, female-oriented fantasy author), Dinotopia, the YA Star Wars books, etc. etc.

Quite a jump, but one that did stick through adulthood. I do still enjoy horse books, but nowadays they're more like this :)

edit: I realize you may have been just asking authors on the sub - I should mention that I'm not an author. Sorry!

There’s a lot of garbage online, to be honest.

The Pony Club manuals are probably one of the best places to start as Pony Club is very safety focused. Start with the D manual.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1118123786/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_I8YYCb2FZT2N8

I was so frustrated when I started trotting! I could sit the canter, no problems - somehow the slower rhythm worked for me, but that canter -jeesh. I would be sore and cramp up and tense up.
I got my self some theoretical knowledge from Sally Swift in the book "centered riding" it really helped me and she has some great mind tricks you can use on yourself, as well as some interesting exercise you can talk to your trainer about.
I also really like that the book isn't just for beginners, so as I've progressed in riding, I've also advanced in the book.
Here is a link to amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Centered-Riding-Trafalgar-Square-Farm/dp/0312127340/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377851359&sr=1-1&keywords=sally+swift+centered+riding

also, try doing just short bits. so start trotting and once you loose your rhythm go back to a walk. then trot again, and back and just keep doing that. you'll notice that the trot sessions will get longer.
With the canter I found that the opposite helped me. I needed a few circles to get the rhythm down. which reminds me - are you on a lunge line? it really helped me concentrate on the seat and rhythm because I didn't have to concentrate on make the horse go and telling her where i wanted to go.

You can't go wrong with the Pony Club manuals. They're aimed at kids and teenagers, but they provide excellent information for anyone about riding and horsemanship. Start with Basics for Beginners and go from there.

A few things I have on my list (being fairly new myself)

http://www.amazon.com/Orvis-Guide-Prospecting-Trout-Revised/dp/1599211475/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323023476&sr=8-1

and

http://www.amazon.com/Orvis-Guide-Reading-Trout-Streams/dp/1558219331/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323023530&sr=1-1