Customer Reviews

The Body Language of Horses: Revealing the Nature of Equine Needs, Wishes and Emotions and How Horses Communicate Them - For Owners, Breeders, ... All Other Horse Lovers Including Handicappers

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The title is misleading. Only 60 pages or so actually go into the "body language" of horses, and about half of that focuses on horses at the racetrack. The rest of the book attempts to cover how horses perceive the world, problem horses, and foal training. It was almost as if the authors did not have enough material for a whole book on horse body language. In their effort to be all-encompassing about various horse conditions (the happy horse, the cold horse, the submissive horse, the sour horse, the tired horse, the thirsty horse, etc.) they skimp on details and nuances as they devote only a brief paragraph (but sometimes a page or two) to each horse type. Perhaps one of the problems with the disjointed coverage stems from the backgrounds of the authors. Ainslie is a racetrack handicapper, Ledbetter is an equestrian. This pairing doesn't necessary work.

This book is probably okay for someone absolutely brand new to horses and unfamiliar with horse behavior. Word of caution to those readers though: don't blindly accept the authors' generalizations about horse body language as applying to all horses in all situations! The authors try to put into human terms the emotions the horse is experiencing. This is a dangerous perspective to take if you're new to horses. Instead, you should be trying to learn how to think like a horse. If you are really interested in horses and what makes them tick, find Moyra Williams' book "Horse Psychology." While Williams won't tell you a tail held high means the horse is happy or proud, her book will offer you much more insight.

I was rather disappointed with this book for several reasons. First and foremost, the bulk of the book does not, as the title would have us believe, focus on the body language of horses. A couple of chapters devote themselves to brief descriptions of horse behavior under different circumstances (when happy, angry, frightened, bored, tired, hot, cold, hungry, thirsty, etc.), but the largest sections of the book concern curing problem horses and training foals. At the end there is a chapter on observing the body language of racehorses in order to pick winners, and two appendices on how to buy a horse.

Not only does the book stray from it's purported topic, but the information that IS given about equine body language is so basic and obvious that any true horseperson would already know it, and any aspiring horseperson could learn it all in a matter of a few weeks spent around the creatures. Of course a nervous horse will work up a sweat, a bored horse will get mouthy, and a horse that is irritated by a fly will swish its tail and twitch its skin. There are really only two forseeable uses, in my mind, for this book. The first is as a reference for those who know next to nothing about horses and wish to learn. The second, a slightly different version of the first, is as a guide to non-equestrian racegoers in order to pick winning horses on which to place their bets (and this is not surefire or guaranteed in any way, since pre-race behavior is only one of many factors that determines the outcome of a race).

The book is also considerably old, and a bit dated. It was written and first published in 1980, more than two decades ago. While the basic behavior of horses hasn't changed in that time, much else in the horse world has, including attitudes toward the care and training of horses. There are now many more effecting training methods than those presented here, and one passage in the book even alarmed me. Though they pronounce it a "dubious last resort," the authors nevertheless included the following method for "[teaching] manners to a resistant horse":

". . . dramatic effects are obtained by striking the animal over the poll bone with a fragile wine bottle filled with a slush of sand and warm water. When the bottle breaks and the warm, moist substance dribbles down its head, the savage horse becomes a trembling wreck. A gestured threat to repeat the treatment is usually enough to terminate subsequent misbehavior" (pg. 49).

While this is the only place in the book where the authors propose such blatantly inappropriate methods, I nevertheless cannot give a vote of confidence to anyone that would condone striking an animal with a wine bottle to elicit compliance. In addition, the authors make a great many generalizations about equine behavior and do not allow much leeway for differences in personality. As any person who spends much time around horses knows, one can be vastly different from the next. I said earlier that this book had two conceivable uses, but even for those I would not recommend purchasing this book. There are other books out there on the behavior and training of horses that are more current, more accurate, and more effective.

For someone who is just learning about horses, as I am, this book is a gratifying shortcut. It tells what to expect, what to do and not do, and basically---how horses think, act, and react, and what their real needs are. I couldn't put it down...and thank the authors for being so thorough! I've observed some "veteran" horse persons whose horse-wisdom would be enhanced mightily if they read this book from cover to cover. Five stars!

Initially, I found the writing style irritating - it read like a list of individual symptoms and observations which seemed out of context and could only make sense when considering the whole environment. I put this book down and read another "A good horse is never a bad color". Armed with a better appreciation for horse psychology and behavior, I was able to appreciate this book properly, which provides specific examples and valuable additional insight into horse body language.

If you want to learn about the nuances of horse body language and behaviour Robert Vavra's "Such Is the Real Nature of Horses" will tell you much more than this book.

I very much enjoyed this book, and it has changed the way I interpret horse behavior. Also, if you enjoyed this book, try Monty Robert's book. He has a similar theory, and he goes a bit more in depth. I would love for the authors to write a sequel. I loved the book, and reccomend it highly.

Wow! There are 45 horses who are personal friends of mine, and after reading this book, I feel that I know them so much better now! I had already figured out many of their quirks and cute personality traits, and now I have a whole new insight. For example, now I understand that the reason Image is "attitudinal" is because his mama was lead mare when he was born, and he's not about to let anyone forget it. And Casanova is the "class clown" who, if he likes you, will entertain you for hours with his (sometimes annoying) antics like knocking the hat off my head, over and over again -- and if he doesn't like you, don't turn your back on him, or he'll nip you in the butt (but never hard), and by the time you turn around, he's looking the other way, as if to say, "Who did that? Not me!" There are stories in the book to match and top any I have to tell, including a senior horse who liked to play jokes on cows. It's a terrific read and very educational as well. If you are looking to buy a horse, there are tips for selecting one. And for those who enjoy horse racing, there are tips for betting on horses, based on observing their behavior before the race. There's something for everyone in this book.

I learned nothing about the body language of horses that I didnt already learn from being around them for 2 weeks.

I'm a young horse lover and I spend much more time reading and studying horses in books, magazines, and other sources of trustworthy media than I do actually experiencing these beautiful animals up close. Nor am I lucky enough to be able to regularly work with them. I recently received "The Body Language of Horses" and I have blazed through this small book and found that it is very informative, observant, and suitable towards an aspiring horsewoman or horseman. It gives out clear, though thick, digestible pieces of horse psychology and body language offering ways to understand and `connect' with the equine. I give it a rating of four stars out of five because there is further searching in different books about horse language I have yet to discover and the horses themselves.
Thanks!
Sarah

A must read for the handicapper who wants an edge. By understanding the horse itself you'll better understand why "crazy" things happen at the races. Spot longshots that are on their toes and ready to put in a good performance. Look at horses coming off the layoff and have a better understanding of if they are fit and ready. An insight into the mind of the horse - and if you can interpret what the horse may be thinking you can figure out if s/he wants to run! Don't go to the paddock or watch another post parade without reading this book first. It's given me an edge and can help you too!