The World According to Horses: How They Run, See, and Think [Hardcover]

Stephen Budiansky (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

How horses experience the world-and how we know it.

"People have been training and riding horses for thousands of years without the help of science. But how much richer and deeper can our appreciation of these wonderful animals be if we do understand some of the 'whys' about them."

What do horses mean when they neigh, nicker, and snort? When a horse refuses to jump a fence, what is it seeing? How can a horse's bones tell us whether people rode it or ate it? In clear, engaging prose, Stephen Budiansky takes us inside the world as horses experience it and explains how we came to these insights. A horse lover's treat and a great introduction to science in one exciting read, illustrated with ten black and white photographs and ten line drawings.
Stephen Budiansky, owner of a horse farm and author of a highly successful adult horse book, The Nature of Horses, combines his fascination with horses with his passion for scientific discovery to give young readers the perfect bridge from loving horses to appreciating science.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9-This examination of equine behavior, intelligence, and evolution is based on Budiansky's adult title, The Nature of Horses (Free Pr., 1997). Each chapter begins with a narrative story and concludes with a section that details how recent scientific studies have led us to certain conclusions about this creature. The information is not available in any other book for this audience, and will delight readers with an interest in animals and/or science. Black-and-white photographs and drawings illustrate the text. Libraries in communities with a strong interest in horses will want to purchase this title.
Lisa Falk, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Budiansky draws from his adult book The Nature of Horses (1997) in this volume for young people. Although the stated topic is why horses do what they do, Budiansky shares his enthusiasm and curiosity not just about horses but also about the ongoing process of scientific inquiry and discovery. Each chapter is divided into two parts. The first discusses an aspect of equine physiology, evolution, behavior, or psychology, such as horses' vision, the sounds they make, or their intelligence. The second takes one bit of knowledge from the previous discussion and explains the questions and experiments through which scientists have arrived at current thinking on the subject. Photographs, drawings, and diagrams illustrate the book. The author's solid research, good writing, and obvious love for the subject combine to make this an excellent choice for horse fans and an intriguing book for others as well. Carolyn Phelan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805060545
• ISBN-13: 978-0805060546
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,020,655 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stephen Budiansky is a writer, historian, and journalist, the author of 14 books about military and intelligence history, science, and the natural world. He is a former editor and writer at U.S. News & World Report and The Atlantic and the former Washington Editor of the scientific journal Nature. He lives on a small farm in northern Virginia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not just for kids, April 14, 2006

By 

Darling Poor - See all my reviews

This review is from: The World According to Horses: How They Run, See, and Think (Hardcover)

I didn't realize this was intended for children until I had brought it home, as the exterior cover does not so indicate. However, I did enjoy it and it increased my understanding of my own horse's behavior. Good for parents who want to introduce their children to scientific study and how a researcher can make definitive statements based upon uncovered facts. However, probably better for older children, 12 and up, unless they are already well-read and have a broad vocabulary.

Darling Poor, the Horses Editor at BellaOnline

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fascinating read about the horses mind........, April 1, 2001

By 

Paul M. Hesser "book guy" (Exton, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The World According to Horses: How They Run, See, and Think (Hardcover)

I came upon this book while looking for ones for my children. As a rider, I am always interested in knowing more about whats going on inside the horses head. The author is a horse owner and a researcher as well and really keys into the senses of a horse and why they are so important to him. I would think any child over the age of 11 or 12 who loves horses and wants a better understanding of them would enjoy this book. It is an easy read and has references for further reading and a glossary on horse terms. Enjoyable book for older children.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Facts about horses in layman's terms., February 20, 2006

By 

G. Ramsey "Love Horses" (Pearl City, HI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The World According to Horses: How They Run, See, and Think (Hardcover)

The book is simple to read and easy to understand. It gives you the basics with study back up to the author's statements. Not what I was looking for but easy to read and informative.