"An informative and enjoyable guide, The Handbook of Horse Breeds looks at the history and development of modern horse breeds, and horse anatomy, senses and behavior. The bulk of the book looks at the major horse breeds, including ponies, heavy horses and light horses, and detailing size, characteristics, country of origin and colors. Containing over 200 types, this is a comprehensive guide to the most popular and widely-known horse breeds in the world today."--Page 4 cover

A manual of essential information on every aspect of horse care, designed for both first-time and experienced owners and riders.

An amazing variety of horse breeds roam North America’s vast and geographically diverse landscape. This detailed portable handbook celebrates the unique qualities of 96 regional breeds, from the sleek muscles of racing thoroughbreds and the stoic power of draft horses to the easy gait of pleasure horses at your local farm. Fascinating facts about each horse breed’s size, talents, and suitability for various types of work are accompanied by full-color photographs in this fun and informative reference guide.

A standard reference on horse breeds, illustrated and updated Celebrating the animal that has been a stalwart servant to humankind for countless generations, Bonnie Hendricks’s International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds is the most thorough compilation of horse breeds ever attempted. The nearly four hundred entries, arranged alphabetically, include foundation breeds now extinct as well as extant breeds from across the globe. Each entry details the breed’s origin and background, size, appearance, chief use, and status (rare versus common). A list of breed associations and government departments that supplied data and photographs for the encyclopedia has been fully updated for this edition. With its breadth and depth of coverage, as well as 530 black-and-white and 32 color illustrations, the encyclopedia continues to be a standard international reference.

This book is designed for all those who love horses. Tracing the evolution of equines, this guide also explains the difference between horses and ponies, looks at how different breeds evolved or were selectively developed, and examines equine anatomy and behavior. Packed with 250 vivid full-color photographs of more than 100 horse-breeds, it uses a systematic approach from Dorling Kindersley and the Smithsonian Institution to train readers of all experience levels to identify and appreciate the wide variety of horses in the world. A visual identity key helps you recognize different horse breeds, and guides you to the correct entry based on what you see and observe. Each entry combines a concise description with annotated photographs to highlight the main characteristics and distinguishing features of the breed, with details on coloring, country or region of origin, breed history, and how the breed has been used in the human world. A concise glossary provides instant interpretation of equine terms. The clear visuals and distinctive facts are accompanied by expert prose from author Elwyn Hartley Edwards, former editor of Riding magazine and former consulting editor to Horse and Hound. The book is a clear, concise, comprehensive, and indispensable identification guide for beginners and established equine enthusiasts alike.

An invaluable guide for the horse owner or horse lover, this illustrated directory features color photographs of major breeds for identification, sections on rare breeds, as well as detailed and practical information on the care, training, breeding, and showing of horses. This hardcover reference is a comprehensive visual directory of the officially recognized world horse breeds. It includes coimprehensive coverage of lesser-known breeds, and full-color identification photographs are accompanied by information on key features of the breed. Also, contains the at-a-glance information boxes highlight height range and ancestry.