Synopses & Reviews
Ask someone who works with horses how best to communicate with a balky colt and she will tell you that horses do not respond to human cajoling. To be successful the human must understand and work with, not against, the horse’s instincts, needs, and fears. When a trainer resorts to human teaching methods — reasoning, begging, bribing, even hugging and kissing — the horse will become confused and unable to respond appropriately. But if horses are treated respectfully with methods they understand, everyone involved — animal and human — will be happier, safer, and more productive.
Horse trainer and instructor Cherry Hill believes that every human/horse relationship benefits from a greater human understanding of what motivates horses, how they experience the world, what makes them happy, and what worries them. Journey through the equine mind with Hill as she explores all that makes a horse tick. How do his basic needs dictate his behavior and mood? What touches and tastes appeal to his senses? How does his “flight or fight” instinct dictate his response to sudden movements?
Hill offers interactive experiments — fun for both horse and human — that bear out her findings on horse behavior. And her final chapter presents simple training methods that draw from the insights and information presented throughout the book.
Review
"…an eye opener…Hill's book is the essential handbook - not too technical yet seriously written from her 30 years of experience."
Review
"Any horse owner, from beginner to advanced, will find information of value in this book. The author's tone is authoritative without being condescending, and the layout makes it easy to grasp nuggets of knowledge even at a glance."
Horse & Rider, March 2007
"If more of us read this book, there might be a lot less whip-cracking, bolting, and biting in our daily lives. BOTTOM LINE: Your horse suggests you pick this one up."
Horseman's Yankee Pedlar, January 2007
"Hill first guides the reader through the physical, mental, evolutionary and social processes that lead to common equine behavioral traits. She then relates how that knowledge can be applied practically and routinely at the barn to create an effective partnership between horse and human...In short, a multitude of considerations ultimately affect how well a human communicates with his or her horse when mastering new skills and Hill capably addresses them all with insights she's gained from her lifetime of equestrian experience."
Western Horseman, January 2007
"Each chapter is packed with specific, sensible, and useful information on every aspect of the horse from the physical to the mental and from the emotional to the social."
America's Bridle and Bit, August 2006
"Packed with fascinating facts, it draws you in to the horse's world before you know it."
Knight Equestrian Books
Synopsis
In this fascinating best seller, Cherry Hill explores the way horses think and how it affects their behavior. Explaining why certain smells and sounds appeal to your horse s sensibility and what sets off his sudden movements, Hill stresses how recognizing the thought processes behind your horse s actions can help you communicate effectively and develop a trusting relationship based on mutual respect."
Synopsis
Horse trainer and instructor Cherry Hill believes that every human/horse relationship benefits from a greater human understanding of what motivates horses, how they experience the world, what makes them happy, and what worries them. Journey through the equine mind with Hill as she explores what makes a horse tick. How do his basic needs dictate his behavior and mood? What touches and tastes appeal to his senses? How does his “flight or fight” instinct dictate his response to sudden movements? If horses are treated respectfully with methods they understand, everyone involved — animal and human — will be happier, safer, and more productive.
Synopsis
What's Your Horse Telling You?
Equine behavior makes perfect sense when you understand a horse's survival instincts and fears and know what makes him feel calm and confident. As noted horsewoman Cherry Hill describes your horse's basic needs, routines, and responses to sights, smells, sounds, and touch, you will learn to anticipate his reactions and adjust your training methods accordingly. Your lasting reward will be a solid relationship with a curious, trusting, adaptable, and eager-to-please equine companion.
About the Author
Cherry Hill is an internationally known instructor, horse-trainer, breeder, and judge for several national breed organizations. She has taught university-level courses in horse management and training in the United States and Canada. Cherry has also written over 500 articles for-numerous horse publications and gives seminars for horsemen and writers. Cherry is the author of a plethora of books helpful in the horse world, including 101 Arena Exercises--for which she received the Colorado Authors' League Top Hand Award for Specialty Writing in 1996. Her other Storey titles include 101 Horsemanship &Equitation Patterns, From the Center of the Ring, Horse Handling and Grooming, Horse Health Care, and Your Pony, Your Horse. One of Cherry's most recent books is Stablekeeping, a guide to creating a safe, healthy and efficient living environment for your horse. She has also written Trailering Your Horse, a helpful book on how to prepare for safe traveling. A concise, talented writer, Cherry has won numerous writing awards--among the most recent include the First Place in Editorial Excellence in Service to the Reader from American Horse Publications in 1993, and the 1994 Journalism Award from The American Farmers Association. Cherry has also authored Storey's popular Arena Pocket Guides, six handy ring-side manuals teaching successive English and Western skills. These series titles are: Beginning English Exercises, Intermediate English Exercises, Advanced English Exercises, Beginning Western Exercises, Intermediate Western Exercises, and Advanced Western Exercises. Cherry rides year-round in the Colorado mountains and in her arena where she enjoys the logical approach to training offered by dressage. She breeds and trains horses at her Colorado ranch with her husband, equestrian illustrator and photographer Richard Klimesh.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Becoming The Horse
Why Think Like a Horse? * What a Horse Needs * What Horses Don't Like * Humans and Horses * How to Become Part Horse
Chapter 2: The Horse's Senses
Vision * Hearing * Smell and Taste * Touch * Reflexes * Proprioceptive Sense
Chapter 3: The Physical Horse
Seasonal Changes * Digestive System * Skeletal System * Hoof Growth
Chapter 4: The Nature of the Horse
Bonding * Pecking Order * The Battle of the Sexes * Horse Play * Curiosity or the Investigative Behavior * The Nomadic Lifestyle
Chapter 5: Routines
The Horse's Biological Clock * Shelter * Self-Preservation
Chapter 6: Good Behavior, "Bad" Behavior
The Spirit of the Horse * Temperament and Attitude * Natural Horsekeeping * Domestication Pressures
Chapter 7: Horse Timelines
Life-Stage Characteristics * Development Timelines
Chapter 8: Communication
Reading a Horse's Body Language * The Subtleties * Vocal Language * How to Communicate with Your Horse * Voice Commands
Chapter 9: Learning
The Brain * Mental Processes * Learning Principles * Behavior Modification * Behavior Modification Techniques * Repetition * Shaping
Chapter 10: Training
Training Philosophy * Training Goals * Physical Development * Content of a Training Session * A Typical Training Session
Epilogue
Glossary
Recommended Reading
Index