The first horse set foot in Australia on 30 January 1788, one of seven aboard the First Fleet's Lady Penrhyn, which also carried a cargo of female convicts. From then on, horses carried explorers who opened up the country to settlement. They carried Aboriginal mounted police, trained as ruthless killers of their own people. Horses, often fine stolen animals, carried bushrangers who ruled the roads and bailed up townships: 'gentleman' Matthew Brady, 'brave' Ben Hall and the towering, controversial Ned Kelly. Horses carried men to war. Some 120,000 horses were sent to World War I battlefields: only one was brought home. Horses helped build the nation, marshalling the great flocks and herds, helping to create its myths. As they have since the early days of the colony, they carry our bets and, like the mighty Phar Lap in the Depression days, they have the power to lift our spirits. Cameron Forbes, author of the acclaimed Hellfire and The Korean War, uses the motif of the horse to tell the wider Australian story of settlement, exploration, dispossession and warfare. Australia on Horseback is a masterful achievement, a comprehensively researched and beautifully told history of a developing nation and a powerful tribute to the horse - bearer of men, hopes, fears and dreams.

Life in the saddle - from wild brumbies of the high country to trusty stock horses of the outback and from drovers to dressage riders - a collection of heart-warming tales for horse-lovers.

The Korean War was a 20th Century conflict that has never ended. South Korea, a powerhouse economy and dynamic democracy sits uneasily alongside North Korea, the world's most secretive, belligerent, unpredictable and repressive totalitarian state. Today, tensions simmer and occasionally flare into outright violence on a peninsula dense with arms, munitions and nuclear warheads. Cameron Forbes, acclaimed author of Hellfire, tells the story of the war and Australia's involvement in it in a riveting narrative. From the letters and diaries of those diggers who fought across Korea's unforgiving hills and mountains to the grand strategies formulated in Washington, Moscow and Beijing, The Korean War reveals the conflict on all its levels - human, military and geopolitical. In the tradition of Les Carlyon's Gallipoli and The Great War and Paul Ham's Vietnam, Cameron Forbes has written a masterpiece that will serve as the definitive history of Australia and the Korean War. Winner of FAW National Literary Awards for Best Fiction 2010

Horse Sense provides an in-depth guide to horse care under conditions unique to Australia and New Zealand. It is written in an easy-to-read style to appeal to novices as well as experienced owners and covers all aspects of horse care and management. This new edition provides the latest information on new feeds and supplements, new techniques for handling horses, safe riding, and treating injuries, diseases, worms and other pests. The book also incorporates the latest standards and guidelines for the welfare of horses.

Three sisters and an unforgettable journey to tame New Zealand’s Kaimanawa horses For the Love of Horses is a heartfelt story about a life familiar to many young Kiwis who love horses – the trials and tears of Pony Club, the joy of riding bareback, and the pressures of adolescence and competitive showjumping. It is also the story of an unlikely childhood dream coming true. Every year in the wilderness of the Central Plateau, wild Kaimanawa horses are rounded up and sent to the slaughterhouse. It’s upsetting, but what else can be done? The Wilson sisters decide something could be done. They saw future champions behind the fiery eyes and beneath the shaggy coats. In this touching book, Kelly Wilson tells the true story of how they embarked on a courageous journey to train horses that most people believed were untrainable.

Experience the sheer joy of being one with your horse and one with nature. When you're riding the trails with your horse, you enjoy a refreshing feeling of freedom, the exhilaration of exploration, and an invigorating escape from the demands of the day. You're in control--as long as you can control the 1,000-pound creature you're riding. Trail Riding: A Complete Guide takes you from the basics to more advanced trail riding skills with information on: * How to choose a horse, including basics on conformation * Finding the best trail-riding lessons, tack, and equipment * Feeding, care, grooming, health care, and stable management * Conditioning--for the horse and yourself * Trailering to trails * Advanced trail riding, including information on camping with your horse, how competitive trail riding is judged, and racing on the trail * Tips on how to find the best trails, both locally and around the country This book helps you develop the knowledge and skills that will give you a leg up every time you climb in the saddle. You and your horse will become the perfect pair for relaxing yet energizing adventures off the beaten path.

First raised during the Boer War, the Light Horse attracted many from the outback - men who knew how to survive and fight in hot and dry country, and who had a special bond with their horses. Battle-hardened at Gallipoli, by the time the men arrived in Palestine they were more than ready to play their critical role in Colonel Lawrence's defeat of the Turks (in the face of the British High Command's acceptance of the status quo). And under their brilliant commander, Sir Harry Chauvel, they were victorious in the Sinai, Palestine and Syria - culminating in the last great cavalry charge in our history, the taking of Beersheba in 1917. Their victories played a decisive part in shaping Middle Eastern history in the 20th century. Roland Perry tells the story as it deserves to be told - with colour and authority, bringing their exploits to life. Every Australian knows this story - but few, until now, have read it. 'a history book that deserves a place in every suburban home library . . . the story of an extraordinary generation of Australians who created an enduring legend while changing the course of history' - West Australian 'the first great read about the victories of the Australian cavalry in Arabia' - The Australian 'conjures up the romantic image of the Light Horse that endures to this day' - Herald Sun 'briskly written, well-researche'd - The Age 'A compulsive read' - Newcastle Herald