Sarah Montague - The Complete Idiots Guide to Horses

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Table of Contents

For mum, who kept my horse dream alive, and Michael,
who made my horse life a reality.
I love you both,
Phyllisjo

Foreword

Horses are a dream. Quite literally, as when they visit you in sleep, a vision in the dim distance of flashing manes against the pasture fence. And metaphorically, when they represent the only kind of future you can or want to imagine, a future where you and a horse are bound together completely. It is a powerful dream. Sometimes the power is yours; suddenly you are five feet taller and a thousand pounds stronger and faster than you were. Sometimes the power is his, as in that one swift moment when you are reminded of an irrevocable fact of nature, with luck not too painfully. But both make up the totality of one of the loveliest unions in the universe.

How odd, then, that books should be such an important part of this (indeed) earthy relationship. Yet they are. The complete library of volumes written on every aspect of horses is one of our oldest and biggest. And if you are interested in horses, not a single one is too arcane.

When I was a horse-crazy child, before I had ever learned to post properly (and I own several books that definitively inform me I still do not know how to post properly), I was consulting the likes of one of Americas greatest riders, William Steinkraus, in the pages of his 1961 classic, Riding and Jumping. It was so easy to fancy that it was only a matter of time before I would be putting the contents of the chapter on Advanced Schooling over Fences to work for me and my bold and honest mount. That such a mount never quite materializednot to mention any opportunity to show my perfect balance on approach to a fencedid nothing to diminish the pleasures of being lost in such a dream. I studied Sam Savitts elegant drawings illustrating Correct position at the gallop in Gordon Wrights 1966 Learning to Ride, Hunt, and Show, a book I received for my eleventh birthday, and I could feel that thrilling contact with a sensitive mount as the great churning of hooves beneath me made the most seductive music I would ever hear.

That treatise began by repeating the truism that no one can learn to ride by reading a book. Inarguable; yet so is the fact that the desire to ride may first be ignited by reading. In books, we encounter the deeds of individuals who make us long to know for ourselves a Misty or a Stormy, a red pony or a Top Kick, a Man o War or a Seabiscuit, a Smoky or Black or Little Vic. You think you are touching horses through the words on a page. And then you touch a real horse and realize you did nothing of the sort, for here is a different horse, unlike any other, and this moment has not yet been written.

You will, as it were, take up your own pen to author the horse story of your dreams. It will join that great library that becomes any true horse-lovers treasure. It contains things you need and want to know. And you start by turning the page.

Melissa Holbrook Pierson
author of Dark Horses and Black Beauties

Introduction

First off, we know youre not an idiot. But you probably are a busy professional, or student, or active retiree, or parent. You know how to learn things, youve been doing it all your life; and yet its difficult to know where to begin sometimes, especially when the subjecthorsestakes you into a completely different world.

Horses arent just animals, but our companions in work, pleasure, and sport, with a history as complicated as our own. Weve tried to treat this subject thoroughly and entertainingly, beginning at the beginning:

Where did horses come from?

How have we worked with them throughout history?

What are the breeds and what do they do?

Today, more is known about horses than ever before, and we want to share this knowledge with you:

How do horses think, move, and react?

What should we feed them?

How do we care for them?

What about common ailments, behavior problems, gender issues?

We assume youre reading this book because youre contemplating lessons, or even horse ownership, so here are some other things youre probably thinking about:

What types of riding are there?

How do I learn?

What kind of horse should I buy? Where do I find him?

How much is all this going to cost?

These are many of the same questions we had when we started out, buying our own horses and competing with them, and weve learned a lot in writing this book. Weve tried to cover, not only the basics for those of you who are just starting out, but some of the more complex information, and a wealth of detail about different breeds and disciplines. Since the horse world is really many worlds, we think therell be something for everyone to discover. Most of all, we hope it will help to make you a horseman, sharing a special bond with this fascinating creature.

Whats in This Book

Think of this book as a ride, with different roads to follow, different hills to climb. The journeys end is up to you, and so is the route. Weve divided it into five trails, and depending on where you are in your riding life, you may want to amble through some and gallop by others.

Part 1, The Horse Through the Ages, takes you through the ancient history of horses, their place in our developing civilizations, the horse breeds in all their colorful variety, and the place of the horse today.

Part 2, Body, Mind, and Soul, teaches you all about the horse, inside and out. How theyre built, how they move, what to feed them, how to care for them, and, most important, how they think and feel. Knowing this will help you make the most of your riding.

Part 3, Preparing to Ride the Beast: Grooming and Saddling, focuses on youhow to handle a horse safely, groom him, saddle and bridle him, and prepare for your ride, including what youll want to wear for security and comfort.

Part 4, School Days: Learning to Ride or Drive, takes you through the various horse sports, and will help you to choose a school and instructor who will help you to pursue the discipline of your choice. We also tell you about programs for children and those with special needs.

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