HOW TO THINK LIKE A HORSE. Cherry Hill. Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA 01247. 181 pp. Illustrated. 2006. $19.95
Author Cherry Hill, well known for her books on training and horse care, has once again provided us with another useful manual on the “hows” and “whys” of all things horse-related.

Though much of the information she relays may seem like second-nature to seasoned horsemen, she exhibits a gift for sharing her knowledge in an informative and helpful way to rookie horse owners, while simultaneously enlightening veteran horsemen as well.

Like my tattered and well-loved United States Pony Club Manual Of Horsemanship, which I still treasure to this day, I have a feeling that this book may turn out to be just as useful and vital in learning about horse management and basic training techniques.

To help her readers better understand how horses behave, Hill spends a great part of the book discussing (with the help of diagrams and drawings) the horse’s overall physique, explaining body language and suggesting how to put one’s self in her horse’s shoes, so to speak. She delves into why horses respond to certain stimuli and what their reactions mean. Your horse enjoys the occasional buck or has another quirk that drives you crazy? Hill recommends checking your tack and overall health of your horse before automatically assuming it’s a behavioral issue.

She uses personal, first-hand accounts of her training experiences with her own horses. “In my experience, horses learn best if they are introduced to an idea, rewarded when they make attempts toward the desired behavior, and then given some time to let it sink in,” writes Hill.

In addition to positive, respectful training, Hill stresses the importance of taking one’s time when working with horses. What’s the rush? Hill writes that when she began her training career years ago, she had the same monthly fee as most local trainers but kept the horse twice as long (though only charging half as much) and insisted that the owner come and work with her for a lesson or two before taking the horse home; this way the owner would learn Hill’s techniques for working with the horse and understanding its natural wants and needs.

Hill’s message to horse owners is perfectly frank, and I have yet to hear truer words regarding training horses: “Be clear and understanding, be focused, invite the horse to change, but act in a calm and patient way. Take your time and be optimistic; be fair and realistic and consistent.”

Readers who take these words to heart and learn from Hill’s experiences are headed on the right track to a respectful and knowledgeable relationship with their equine partner.    Emily Daily


THE CHRONICLES OF THE $700 PONY. Ellen Broadhurst. Half Halt Press Inc., P.O. Box 67, Boonsboro, MD 21713. 198 pp. Illustrated. 2006. $16.95.
Prepare to laugh out loud. This book left me guffawing throughout as Ellen Broadhurst described the trials and tribulations of training and showing her very own $700 pony while running a poultry farm and caring for two small children.

The book came into existence after Broadhurst posted her amusing stories on The Chronicle of the Horse Bulletin Board, and enthus-iastic Internet readers begged her to turn the tales into a full-length tome.

Broadhurst chronicles her adventures in an extremely humorous way, describing how she headed out with her truck and trailer “just to look” at the pony after seeing an advertisement in the newspaper. She brought her home to her less-than-suitable farm and her less-than-enthusiastic trainer and finally competed the mare at her first horse trials.

You will most likely read it in one sitting, or perhaps two, as you alternately laugh with Broadhurst, laugh at Broadhurst and groan as you recognize yourself.

Experienced horse people will nod their heads in sympathy as Broadhurst discusses her good intentions before beginning each outing and the hilarious aftermath that ensues as time slips away and reality intervenes. Who hasn’t carefully planned to leave enough time for washing, braiding, traffic and other mishaps, only to find out that the only way to make the appointment in time is to throw everything into the trailer and risk multiple speeding tickets as you rush off on your way?

Horse husbands and significant others will also recognize the foibles of their partners in Broadhurst’s descriptions of her various predicaments. After all, she said she was just going to look at a pony, not buy one, right?

There’s a fair amount of explanation in the book about the different horse sports. Although humorously done, most readers will probably skip those sections since it’s pretty basic information for your average horse enthusiast. However, the book is also appropriate for the horse newbie–it may scare the budding rider away forever, but if he or she is that easily frightened, then perhaps a different hobby was in order anyway.

The key to this book is Broadhurst’s ability to stand back and laugh at herself. She reminds her readers that there’s often humor to be found in even the most frustrating situations. And a sense of humor probably tops the list when it comes to necessary personality traits for the happy and successful horseman.    Sara Lieser



MOONBLIND. Laura Crum. John Daniel & Company, P.O. Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519. 189 pp. 2006. $13.95.
This book would be an enjoyable rainy day read–it’s short enough to finish in an afternoon and is one of nine books involving the same protagonist. I’ve not read the other books in the series, but they should create an interesting chronology, somewhat like Lilian Jackson Braun’s The Cat Who� mysteries.

Crum’s story involves Gail McCarthy, an equine veterinarian living in California, and, at the time of this book, taking a leave of absence from her work to prepare to give birth. Gail becomes occupied with trying to help her cousin, Jenny, who believes someone is stalking her and later turns up dead.

While trying to simply go from day to day and deal with her own life, Gail slowly puts together the reluctantly-given information she can gather about her cousin’s past on the racetrack that Gail is afraid came back to haunt her, including several scenarios that could have led to her demise.

The author provides an interesting glimpse into the reported underworld of the racing scene, and her narration is quite realistic. Throughout the book, she compares Jenny’s tragic situation, including a vividly described account of depression, and her own life, thankful for how lucky she is. Due to have her baby in only two months, she also provides insight and reflection on how pregnancy can change one’s life focus and even personality.

Although the reader pretty much knows where the murderer will come from, the culprit is actually a surprise. The intrigue the plot provides lies in: who exactly is responsible? And how will a seven-months-pregnant protagonist stop him/her? The only disappointing aspect of the ending is the fact that many questions remain unanswered for both Gail and the reader.

This book is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a light read or a nice diversion on a lazy afternoon. The author has owned and trained horses for more than 30 years, so her experience permeates the book, allowing equestrians to enjoy an accurate portrayal of the horse world. It’s a fairly easy read that allows the reader to escape into the plot just for the fun of it.    Katie Grove


THE HORSE: 30,000 YEARS OF THE HORSE IN ART. Tamsin Pickeral. Merrell Publishers, 49 West 24th St., 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010. 288 pp. Photographs. Bibliography. Index. 2006. $49.95.
If you’ve ever strolled through one of the world’s major museums–such as the Metropolitan in New York City, the Tate in London or the Louvre in Paris–you’ve likely seen some of the equestrian artwork depicted in this impressive coffee table book. But, if you’re like me (and likely most other museum attendees), you admired the works for their great beauty, recognized the more famous artists and wished you had someone with you to further explain the details.

Well, if I’ve described you then you’ll thoroughly enjoy this book, which is exactly like having author Tamsin Pickeral as a personal tour guide. She entertains and educates you as you study some of the most famous and recognizable equestrian art from throughout the world, lesser-known pieces from smaller museums and others from private collections.

Although Pickeral includes a useful timeline to better understand how the horse in art has evolved, what I really enjoy about this book is that it’s not strictly chronological. The 12 chapters are divided into descriptions of the artwork’s theme, such as The Eastern Horse, The Fast Horse, The Real Horse and The Modern Horse. In most chapters she includes a wide range of works to describe the theme, from those in the years BC to the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

The book begins with Pickeral’s introduction. Here she explains the origination of the horse in art and also describes some of the cultures in which the horse played a major role in development, war, recreation and rituals. It’s a useful preface to better understand the horse’s place in history and why this animal is such a prevalent theme in man’s artwork.

Starting in the first chapter, titled The Primitive Horse, each work shown includes Pickeral’s thoughtful description of the piece, with tidbits of history and explanation that keeps the reader interested and prevents the book from becoming a textbook experience. Each piece of artwork also includes the title, artist name (if available), years active, date of work, dimensions and location of original piece.

The fine reproductions of the artwork and the high-quality paper allow you to see many fine details of the pieces and even some of the brush strokes. In addition to the expected paintings, there are a variety of mediums included, such as tapestries, mosaics, sculptures, woodblock prints and scrolls.

One example of Pickeral’s meticulous narrative is her description of artist Peter Paul Rubens’ Equestrian Portrait of the Duke of Lerma, (c. 1603) in which she discusses the gray horse he’s riding.

“There is a particularly wise and tender air to the horse, in part achieved through the soft luminosity of its eyes. It bears itself with pride and control, the ultimate in noble and quietly powerful animals. Where the horse is soft, fluid and moving, the Duke of Lerma is stiff and commanding, regal and imperious– qualities associated with his position of power.”

In her description of another Rubens painting, Philip IV of Spain On Horseback, (c. 1645) the author provides equestrian art aficionados with a valuable and interesting factoid: “Following a precedent set by Rubens, the artist has shown the horse frothing at the mouth, a phenomenon that commonly occurs, especially in dressage horses, and indicates a horse with a soft and giving mouth�From about 1606 Rubens shows almost all of his horses frothing; interestingly his contemporary Vel�zquez also later adopted this practice.”

The wide range of works, artists, styles and genres depicted in this book will keep just about every art lover turning the pages. My only wish is that the author could have included a few more pieces from our more recognized contemporary artists. But, I also realize that 30,000 years is a lot to cover, and the book already is a substantial tome that will look best on an oversized coffee table. Thankfully, I have just such a table in my family room.    Tricia Booker