The most comprehensive guide to the horse's body - inside and out - ever published. In athletics as in architecture, form follows function, and nowhere is that truth more important than in equestrian sports. The better a horse's conformation (how the animal measures up, or conforms, to the ideal standards of its breed or type), the better it will be able to perform. Using hundreds of photographs and drawings, this masterfully produced book will show you how to develop the eye that any horseman needs to assess equine conformation and anatomy. Its comprehensive text focuses on: Ideal and abnormal conformation features Balance and symmetry The relationship between conformation faults and athletic ability Colors and markings Anatomical elements, teeth, and aging Digestive, neurological, respiratory, and circulatory systems The relationship between structure and function Now in paperback, Horse Conformation is the single most valuable book on its subject and one that deserves a prominent place in every horse owner's or rider's library.

It takes more than horse sense to maintain a healthy horse. A knowledge of veterinary medicine is essential, not only for when emergencies occur but to provide the animal with a safe and nurturing environment that will prevent as many problems as possible. Acclaimed when first published in 1977 and now available for the first time in paperback, Horseman's Veterinary Encyclopedia offers a comprehensive approach to equine health, discussing diseases, unsoundnesses and other problems according to the parts of the horse's body: injuries and lameness; foot and hoof care; parasites; skin and coat care; colic and other sicknesses; dental care; and the respiratory, circulatory and reproductive systems. As a practical handbook for the owner and as a guide to working with the veterinarian and farrier, Horseman's Veterinary Encyclopedia is an indispensable tool for every home, barn, and ranch. The highly acclaimed reference on equine medical treatment and preventive care. It takes more than horse sense to maintain a healthy horse. A knowledge of veterinary medicine is essential, not only for when emergencies occur but also to provide the animal with a safe and nurturing environment that will prevent as many problems as possible. Acclaimed when first published in 1977, and now thoroughly updated with the latest veterinary advances, Horseman's Veterinary Encyclopedia, Revised and Updated, offers a comprehensive approach to equine health, discussing disease, unsoundness, and other problems according to the parts of the horse's body: injuries and lameness; foot and hoof care; parasites; skin and coat care; colic and other sicknesses; infectious diseases such as West Nile virus; dental care; and the respiratory, circulatory and reproductive systems. As a practical handbook for the owner and as a guide to working with the veterinarian and farrier, Horseman's Veterinary Encyclopedia, Revised and Updated, is an indispensable tool for every home, stable, and ranch.

Horses with good conformation move fluidly, experience less wear and tear on joints, and are more apt to stay fit. Explaining how conformation relates to structure and function, Heather Smith Thomas shows you how to identify a horse’s desirable attributes and potential faults. You’ll learn to train your eye to see past an animal’s physical beauty and recognize proper balance, leg angles, and height as you confidently select horses that have superior durability, trainability, and athletic potential.

This second edition of Horse Anatomy: A Pictorial Approach to Equine Structure has been completely revised and enlarged. Its original 25 pages of illustrations have more than doubled and now include over 250 individual drawings. All of these drawings have been specially prepared for this new edition by John Goody, and all are fully labelled and annotated in the accompanying legends. The text is primarily intended to explain and in many instances to expand upon the content of the drawings. The basic make-up of the horse is considered with the 'points' of the horse being shown from several different views. Bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments providing the anatomical basis for these surface points are dealt with in some detail, the emphasis being placed throughout on those structures that can be seen or felt from the surface of the body. Component parts of the digestive, respiratory, urinary and reproductive systems are shown in a number of the drawings, as are nerves and blood vessels. Special consideration is given to the structure of the head, with the emphasis on the nasal cavity, teeth, larynx and guttural pouches. The structure of the limbs is also illustrated in considerable detail, especially the foot, and reference is made to injuries and diseases that can result in poor conformation. The wealth of information contained in the book will be of great interest and value to veterinary and equine studies students, to owners, riders and breeders - in fact anyone requiring to know more about the structure of the horse and what makes it one of the most beautiful of animals.

Although there are many publications which discuss the history of the ancient horse, few focus their attention on the origin and development of the various breeds. Most publications examine the horse’s contribution to human history through its role as transport facilitator and military machine, and concentrate mainly on subjects such as the origin and development of chariot and cavalry equipment and changes in military tactics over time. This book examines what happened when humans took the horse from the wild and domesticated it for their own use. This focus was taken as it was felt that the understanding of the huge role which the horse played in human history can only be improved by gaining an understanding of the equally huge role which humans played when they took horses from the wild and, through many hundreds of years of daily interaction, cross-breeding, and training, facilitated the development and spread of many breeds across the ancient world. This book takes as its chronological focus the Greco-Persian world of the second and first millennia BC. This time period was selected for examination as it was during these two millennia that the vital role which the horse was to play in human history became fully apparent. The second millennium BC saw the development of the vast chariot forces which were to form an important part of the armed forces of numerous lands, from Mycenaean Greece in the West to India and China in the far East, while the following millennium saw the gradual replacement of chariots with cavalry forces, which continued to play a vital role in military warfare right up until the beginnings of the twentieth century AD. Part One traces the history of the horse from its evolution to the development and spread of chariot and cavalry forces. Parts Two and Three examine the famous horse-breeding regions of the ancient world and, through an analysis of archaeological, iconographical, and literary evidence, attempts to determine why these regions were famed for horse breeding and what were the physical characteristics and given attributes of the various breeds.

Everything you need to know about horse anatomy is found here. Follow expert Dr. Deb Bennett as she takes an in-depth, informed look at conformation and reveals how to improve your performance and harmony with your horse. The three popular volumes of Principles of Conformation Analysis are now available in this one edition, providing the most comprehensive insight into equine structure and its effects on movement, soundness, and performance. Within these pages, you'll find: * Valuable guidelines for examining the suitability of horses for various activities * Hundreds of photos, charts, and drawings explaining various body parts and the way they work together * Detailed information on how to minimize conformational limitations and maximize your horse's performance, whatever his breed or sport * Simple methods for analyzing hind legs and detecting horses with lame backs * Exclusive lab exercises from Dr. Deb's files that offer practical help in evaluating your own horse Whether you're looking for an international dressage horse or a comfortable pleasure mount, Principles of Conformation Analysis will improve your eye for conformation.And no matter how you're involved in the horse industry--as a buyer, trainer, rider, or breeder--this book will enrich your equestrian experience.