Natural Methods for Equine Health and Performance, Second Edition, presents a concise overview of a natural approach to horse care and management for the 21st century.Mary Bromiley has an excellent reputation for achieving results using natural methods for muscle re-education. This book will be useful to anyone who owns or routinely works with horses.Provides advice on natural horsemanship, contrasting the natural and domestic habitats.Covers a range of holistic methods of treatment, including acupuncture, massage, herbalism and homeopathy.Discusses developmental interaction between a horse and humans.Contains expanded coverage of physical development and nutritional requirements.Includes clear explanations of how and why schooling exercises used by the ClassicalSchool improve a horse's flexibility and performance.

Every equestrian wants to know: what is the difference between the horse that 'dances' when you are on him, and the one that doesn't? According to Visconte Simon Cocozza, trainer and examiner for the La Fédération Française d'Equitation (FFE), it all comes down to the horse's posture. The horse's ability to use the powerful mechanisms already built into his body relies not upon the strength we can see on the outside but the strength on the inside. This invisible and complex arrangement of internal 'core' muscles control the horse's posture, suppleness, and agility. Their good condition is the key to the dance.Equine core muscles are very difficult to isolate with the traditional training techniques common to horse sports. However, by examining what we do with the human body when faced with a weak core, we can find new methods for conditioning these areas of the equine body. Visconte Cocozza has taken principles of the human practice of yoga and used them to develop novel ways of reaching deep within the horse's body and gently 'unlocking' areas that may be a little "rusty" while at the same time improving core fitness.In Core Conditioning for Horses, he provides step-by-step instruction explaining easy mounted exercises that enhance the horse's posture, and boost his confidence in his body and movement, making him easier to ride, and ultimately, the dance partner you've always imagined.

This is a compact, spiral bound manual containing practical advice on the raising of orphan foals from birth to weaning, written by someone with over 30 years of equine stud farm experience. The language is simple and much of the information is presented in point form making it easy to read through and create a mental checklist of what is needed and how to get organised for each step and process. Being prepared is half of the battle and the author has carefully listed the equipment and facilities needed to undertake whichever rearing route is taken.The author starts with why you might have to consider hand rearing or fostering and what to be on the look out for in a newborn or very young foal. The choice made will depend on many factors and the chapters on both fostering and handrearing outline the pros and cons of each option so that the reader acquires a good understanding of what will be involved. There is excellent advice on handling the foal and trying to ensure that it develops ‘normal’ horse behaviour if it is handreared – they can all too quickly become humanised and badly behaved.There is no baffling science but reassuring reference to the need to take professional veterinary advice if needed.This book covers all of the basics and more and would be an excellent addition to the reading material for stud managers and stud employees plus the amateur breeder who wants to ensure they have access to some sensible, practical advice on rearing a foal when things haven’t gone to plan. Vets and vet students will also find it useful if they are unfamiliar with these situations.

Completely updated and revised, the third edition of this essential textbook describes the basic genetics of the horse including coat colour, parentage, medical and population genetics, cytogenetics, performance, breeding systems and genetic conservation, as well as the many recent advances in genomics.

New for the third edition:

• More information on genomics and biology have been included.
• There are two additional chapters on genetics with respect to infectious diseases and reproduction.
• Expanded sections on quantitative genetics and genomic selection provide comprehensive coverage.
• Many new figures further illustrate key points in the text.
• Redesigned in colour throughout and keeping the popular features of previous editions

This authoritative text remains one of the key sources of information for basic genetic principles and their specific applications to the horse, and is essential for students of equine studies, animal breeding and veterinary science, as well as horse breeders and owners.

Authors: Ernest Bailey, Samantha A. Brooks.

The author, a natural hoof-care exponent, provides straightforward, impartial advice on making the transition from shod to barefoot, and discusses the importance of diet and exercise in the maintenance of healthy hooves. She describes different kinds of trim and offers guidance on choosing a hoof-care professional. Barefoot boots are discussed in detail, along with how to choose and fit them. At least one case study is included with each chapter and there are helpful notes on troubleshooting.

The equine hoof is a complex marvel of natural engineering, built to withstand tremendous forces and able to adapt to an astonishing range of environmental conditions. It also changes daily-for better or for worse-in response to external and internal factors. Few horse owners have the opportunity to acquire a deep understanding of the hoof, which limits their ability to advocate on their horses' behalf and make informed decisions about hoof care and management. This book is the first resource of its kind to combine the most current and useful information available, gleaned from the research and wisdom of top hoof experts around the world, with a unique 'hands-on' approach. The authors provide basic terms and anatomy, clearly illustrate the differences between healthy and unhealthy feet, discuss biomechanics and management concerns, and cover the causes, treatments, and prevention of commonly encountered problems, including laminitis, white line disease, and thrush. Along the way, readers are given activities to help them better analyse and understand the most important aspects of equine hoof health, such as hoof balance, depth of sole, and point of breakover. Easy-to-follow language, over 400 full-colour photographs, and do-it-yourself exercises promise to empower horse owners and caretakers of all experience levels with the tools they need to accurately assess hoof health and keep their horses as sound and happy as possible.

A thoroughly updated edition of this essential reference guide for physiotherapists and physical therapists, looking to apply the proven benefits of physiotherapy to the treatment of companion and performance animals.Seven new chapters provide greatly expanded coverage of practical treatment and rehabilitationIncludes reviews of different physiotherapy techniques, drawing on both human and animal literatureDiscusses approaches in small animal medicine as well as for elite equine athletesProvides applied evidence-based clinical reasoning model, with case examplesNow in full colour with many more illustrations

This ground-breaking book explores the issues surrounding barefoot horses in the UK and looks in detail at how to improve overall hoof health, in both shod and barefoot horses. The book offers a practical, hands-on advice on achieving barefoot performance in a variety of disciplines - from eventing and hunting to endurance - focussing on the essential elements for healthy hooves: diet, environment, exercise and trimming or shoeing. In addition, the book has step-by step advice on rehabilitating problem hooves with case studies of horses with a range of issues, from navicular or tendon damage to metabolic disorders like laminitis and insulin resistance. The authors have successfully ridden and competed their own horses barefoot for many years and have helped many hundreds of their clients' horses work successfully without shoes.