Answers more than one hundred questions about the physical characteristics, behavior, and culture of horses, including "Why do horses get spooked so easily?" and "Why do they measure horses in hands and what does it mean?"

A book chock-full of answers to horse-behavior questions that will change your horse's life for the better. Horses want partners they trust. Meeting their need for security makes them more tuned-in, calmer, and more reliable. In her engaging book, highly illustrated with professional color photographs, certified riding instructor Lynn Acton, MS, shows you how, with practical step-by-step instructions. You’ll see that progress can be surprisingly fast with methods that are gentle, time-tested, backed by science, and that make intuitive sense to your horse. Discover how to earn trust and make training more efficient by engaging horses’ innate intelligence, maintaining clear two-way communication, and considering their point of view. This leadership approach has been used successfully for centuries by people of all backgrounds and skill levels on horses at all levels of training. Acton refers to this relationship as Protector Leadership because you are the horse’s protector. In these pages, she combines extensive horse experience and an academic background in social dynamics with in-depth research. She interprets and cites the scientific findings that explain why Protector Leadership works, and offers valuable insights into equine psychology while exposing myths that are sources of problems. Plus, Acton includes “Things to Try” at the end of each chapter—fun and easy-to-implement exercises that help you engage your horse as a thinking partner Throughout, the narrative includes stories of Acton's progress with her own horses, including mistakes and hindsight, and especially the transformation of the book’s "cover girl" Brandy from a dangerous throwaway to a happy, reliable partner. Clear, detailed photographs show the subtle body language of horses and people, and illustrate critical interactions that make a real difference in our relationships, communication, and training. These are a few of the concrete skills you will learn: · Earn trust starting the moment you meet a horse. · Recognize “misbehavior” that actually means your horse is thinking like a partner. · Turn pressure into clear communication instead of stress. · Use Positive Reinforcement for better learning, behavior, and reliability. · Turn anxiety and spooks into confidence building situations. · Discourage unwanted behavior without punishment. · Allow your horse appropriate choices and freedom. As your bond strengthens, you can enjoy watching your horse’s true personality blossom. A thoughtful, progressive book for riders of all disciplines and students of the horse of all experience levels.

Riding Home:The Power of Horses to Heal, Horse Nation's must read book of 2016, is the first and only book to scientifically and experientially explain why horses have the extraordinary ability to emotionally transform the lives of thousands of men, women and children, whether they are horse lovers, or suffering from deep psychological wounds. It is a book for anyone who wants to experience the joy, wonder, self-awareness and peace of mind that comes from creating a horse/human relationship, and it puts forth and clarifies the principles of today's Natural Horsemanship (or what was once referred to as "Horse Whispering") Everyone knows someone who needs help: a husband, a wife, a partner, a child, a friend, a troubled teenager, a war veteran with PTSD, someone with autism, an addiction, anyone in emotional pain or who has lost their way. Riding Home provides riveting examples of how Equine Therapy has become one of today's most effective cutting-edge methods of healing. Horses help us discover hidden parts of ourselves, whether we're seven or seventy. They model relationships that demonstrate acceptance, kindness, honesty, tolerance, patience, justice, compassion, and forgiveness. Horses cause all of us to become better people, better parents, better partners, and better friends. A horse can be our greatest teacher, for horses have no egos, they never lie, they're never wrong and they manifest unparalleled compassion. It is this amazing power of horses to heal and teach us about ourselves that is accessible to anyone and found in the pages of Tim Hayes's Riding Home. The information and lists of therapeutic and non-therapeutic equine programs, which are contained in the book, are also available at the book's website.

Dutch Henry is on a mission to help people see their horses with new eyes, to listen with new ears, to touch their lives with greater sensitivity and awareness. It has often been said that our horses are our greatest teachers. Dutch Henry, who has opened his heart, mind and soul to the horse, is living proof of that statement. Enjoy the learning as we join Dutch on a remarkable journey. ~ Bobbie Jo Lieberman-Editor-in-Chief, trailBLAZER magazine Dutch Henry finds joy as he guides the horse/human relationship closer to and into this space. This project compiles Dutch Henry's years of experience gathering helpful-sometimes life-altering-exercises for the horse. This ability to help the horse sometimes reciprocates in a life-altering shift in the human. Dutch has found and follows the guidance of horse professionals who honor that which he honors. These exercises are based on the truth of the whole horse-emotional, mental, physical. Enjoy the wonderful way of Dutch Henry's writing. Enjoy soaking in this supportive way with your horse. Enjoy the shift in you and your horse's relationship.~ Diane J. Sept, Connected Riding Senior instructor and owner of Back To Basics Equine Awareness In this book Dutch covers what we can do to become better guardians for our equines by understanding their needs, truly encompassing mind, body and soul. I think that if horses could write, they would have compiled a book like this! It's For the Horses is a passionate, highly useful resource for all people who want to do right by the equines in their life. This book belongs in every horse person's library, but best kept within close reach as it is a book to be referred back to often.~ Lisa Ross-Williams, Publisher/Editor-In-Chief, Natural Horse Magazine and author of the award-winning book, Down-To-Earth Natural Horse Care. I believe that things would immediately improve for every horse on this planet if we could effect one simple little change, one tiny little shift in perspective. Dutch Henry believes this as well and that is why I so strongly recommend his latest book, It's For the Horses. Because if we could convince every horse owner on the planet to make every decision about their horses from the perspective of the horse, then everything would change immediately. Relationship, training and the health and happiness of the horse. Kathleen and I have proven it. Dutch Henry has proven it. And everything he has written in It's For the Horses will lift you closer and closer to those goals. And closer and closer to your horses. Read it. You will not regret it. Nor will your horses. ~ Joe Camp, author of the national best-seller, The Soul of a Horse-Life Lessons from the Herd and its Amazon #1 best-selling sequel Born Wild-The Soul of a Horse

In this fascinating best seller, Cherry Hill explores the way horses think and how it affects their behavior. Explaining why certain smells and sounds appeal to your horse’s sensibility and what sets off his sudden movements, Hill stresses how recognizing the thought processes behind your horse’s actions can help you communicate effectively and develop a trusting relationship based on mutual respect.

Margrit Coates is internationally acclaimed for her work as an animal healer and communicator, and is the author of Healing with Horses and Horses Talking. Now, for the first time, she explains how horses can offer healing and guidance to us, the people in their lives. Connecting with Horses explores the key lessons that we can learn from these magnificent animals. When we really understand how to interact with horses and how to interpret their roles in our lives, we will learn how to improve our relationships with others and much more. This extraordinary book draws upon powerful true stories and practical experience to explore themes and offer profound insights ranging from creativity through to potential and success. As you will discover, even your own horse or pony is an incredible animal that has much to teach you...

A heartwarming story of a couple and their horse exploring what caring for a horse can teach us about companionship—whether it’s with a four-legged friend or a fellow human. A surprise birthday gift plunged Joe and his wife, Kathleen, into the world of horses as complete neophytes without a clue as to what a horse needed or wanted. They searched for logic and sense in the rule books of traditional horse care. What they found was not what they had expected. Written for everyone who has ever loved a horse or ever loved the idea of loving a horse, this memoir leads us on a voyage of discovery as Joe and Kathleen navigate uncharted territory on their way to achieving a true relationship with their horses. Joe Camp’s inspiring book unlocks the mystery of a majestic creature who has survived on earth, without assistance, for fifty-five million years and teaches us that the lessons he learned apply not only to horses but also to our relationships with people.

From the author of the #1 bestseller The Man Who Listens to Horses, a book for all of us seeking to strengthen our human relationships "Monty Roberts will make you marvel."—The New York Times Book Review In The Man Who Listens to Horses, Monty Roberts revealed the depth of communication possible between human and horse. Touching the hearts of more than four million readers worldwide, that memoir—which spent more than a year at the top of The New York Times bestseller list—described his discovery of the "language" of horses and the dramatic effectiveness of removing violence from their training. Now, the world's most famous horse gentler demonstrates how his revolutionary Join-Up technique can be used not just for horses, but as a model for how to strengthen human relationships. With vivid, often deeply moving anecdotes, Roberts shows how the lessons learned from the thousands of horses he has known can provide effective guidelines for improving the quality of our communication with one another—from learning to "read" each other effectively, to creative fear-free environments, and, most importantly, teaching belief in the power of gentleness and trust.

The author discusses his unconventional and gentle equine training methods, his unique ability to communicate with horses, and the applications of his communication skills in the corporate world

A journey of discovery into equine psychology -- The ethology and evolution of the horse -- Development of behaviour and personality -- In the realm of the senses -- Emotions: an alien world -- The horse's language as an expression of emotions -- Insights into the equine brain -- Motivate your horse! -- Positive learning -- Brainiacs -- Withered souls -- The fascinating horse.