Horse Sports

In The Horse God Built, best-selling equestrian writer Lawrence Scanlan has written a tribute to an exceptional man that is also a backroads journey to a corner of the racing world rarely visited. As a young black man growing up in South Carolina, Eddie Sweat struggled at several occupations before settling on the job he was born for - groom to North America's finest racehorses. As Secretariat's groom, loyal friend, and protector, Eddie understood the horse far better than anyone else.

Many horse trainers, even those who espouse the so-called natural horsemanship approach, take the position that horses who fail to obey a human's request are doing so as much out of perversity as ignorance. That's not Mark Rashid's view. In his words, "If we understand that horses can't separate the way they feel from the way they act, then we can start to see that unwanted behavior isn't bad behavior at all. More times than not, it's just the horse expressing the way he feels at that particular moment in time....

Let’s face it; we’re all struggling amateurs. Riding horses is hard, and getting good at riding a big, worried prey animal that is scared of the world can be tough. It can be easy to feel defeated or think that you will never amount to much as a rider. Thankfully, you are wrong about most of your assumptions with regard to what it takes to get good at riding. You just need to reframe the way that you look at your hours in the saddle. If you are beyond tired of hearing, “More leg!” or “More outside rein!” you’re not alone. Let me share some of my own hard-won discoveries and ...

Jeff Frazier is a racehorse trainer whose dream is about to come true. He has a thoroughbred with the talent and the ability to compete in some of the most prestigious races in the country. When the colt becomes the catalyst for murder, however, Jeff's dream becomes a nightmare. . A well-known jockey is killed and an innocent man is arrested. The fate of three families depends on finding the truth but with the trial date closing in, the killer's identity remains a mystery. In the close-knit community, however, some believe they have the answer and decide to dispense their own form of ...

Here is a compelling meditation from renowned horseman Mark Rashid on all the ways that the principles we apply in our dealings with fellow humans can apply to our relationships with our horses, and vice versa. Horsemanship Through Life is about awareness, learning, teaching, honesty, integrity, and much more. It is about more than tips or technique; it is about principles to live by. It is about taking ownership of and responsibility for our lives and relationships with horses and humans. It doesn t take long to listen to, but will be with you for life.

A revolutionary approach to the techniques of working with horses, by a renowned instructor. In Horses Never Lie, renowned horse trainer Mark Rashid challenges the conventional wisdom of "alpha leadership" and teaches the listener to become a "passive leader" - a counterpart to the kind of horse other members of a herd choose to associate with and to follow. Applying Rashid’s principles and techniques helps cultivate horse personalities that are responsive and dependable regardless of the rider.

In 1973, Secretariat, the greatest champion in horse-racing history, won the Triple Crown. The only horse to ever grace the covers of Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated in the same week, he also still holds the record for the fastest times in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. He was also the only non-human chosen as one of ESPN's "50 Greatest Athletes of the Century".

In this illuminating book, brain scientist and horsewoman Janet Jones describes human and equine brains working together. Using plain language, she explores the differences and similarities between equine and human ways of negotiating the world. Mental abilities—like seeing, learning, fearing, trusting, and focusing—are discussed from both human and horse perspectives. Throughout, true stories of horses and handlers attempting to understand each other—sometimes successfully, sometimes not—help to illustrate the principles.

Feisty Jenna Murphy doesn't give a whiff about an animal's pedigree. As the local horse masseuse, she knows she has the magic touch and is keen to help every animal in her small town, including her beloved pony, Peanut. Any extra money earned from her job at the Equine Center is earmarked for her younger sister. At least someone in their family is going to receive a college education. High-powered businessman Derek Burke's main goal is to fix his new company's financial woes. And the first thing on his agenda is to force employees to only look after thoroughbreds.

The popular and highly respected horse trainer Mark Rashid brings together Western and Eastern philosophies to demonstrate a seamless new incarnation of horse training. After years of helping "difficult" horses, Mark Rashid understands how to build the foundation of a horse's training and resolve any problems encountered along the way.

In A Good Horse Is Never a Bad Color, Mark Rashid continues to share his talent for training horses through communication rather than force. Rashid uses humorous, feel-good stories to relate his techniques of teaching horses by examining their view of the world. This book is a must-have for compassionate horse trainers and owners. Tales of Arabs, appaloosas, and paints - mistrusted and mistreated because of their breed - will give listeners a new perspective on these breeds and others.

Monty Roberts' father, a traditional horse trainer, had taught his son to dominate a horse in order to "break" it. But when he was 13, Monty made a discovery that changed his life. As he watched a mare tame a rebellious colt, Monty saw that she was speaking to it through eye and body movements. Astonished, Monty realized that he could train horses by using their language, speaking to them in ways that would form trust and understanding. Developing techniques based on what he learned from the horses around him, Monty embarked on a remarkable career - one that would bring him international fame as the real Horse Whisperer.

In The Faraway Horses, Buck Brannaman shares his renowned methods for horse training and provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Robert Redford's movie The Horse Whisperer, for which he was the technical adviser.

Lissa Bachner was born with a passion for horses and won her first blue ribbon at age five. Other awards would follow as a young rider, and for years Lissa trained with jumpers, tackling more difficult leaps, and working to perfect her ride. When blindness struck in her teens, it appeared her passion for riding would come to an end. How could she jump hurdles when she could barely navigate through her own home? But success, trust, and love came to Lissa when her trainer convinced her to buy a "diamond in the rough" from Germany.

Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail.

In what has been deemed perhaps the "Greatest Horse Racing Novel Ever Written" Favored to Win has garnered fans all over the world. First published in 2000, popularity of Favored to Win spawned the Winning Odds Series. Fans wanted more of Ben and Dawn and Tom and Randy and all of the other lovable and quirky characters at Meg's Meadows and Nottingham Downs. They wanted more of the way horse racing should be. When it all began, Dawn never meant to hurt anyone. She never meant to live a lie; she never meant to fall in love. Sometimes things just happen. As the mysteries and excitement of ...

When high school student Derrick Booker, the only Black student at a posh Orange County high school, is accused of killing his white girlfriend, private investigator Jim Knighthorse is hired to dig deeper into the case. It doesn't take long for Knighthorse to realize that not everything is as it seems at tranquil Huntington High. From a band director who preys on the innocent to a vice-principal with a secret agenda, Jim has his work cut out for him. Additionally, someone has hired a professional killer to keep Knighthorse permanently off the case. As the investigation continues, ...

It may surprise you to learn that there are over seven million horses in America - even more than when they were the only means of transportation - and nearly two million horse owners. Acclaimed journalist and avid equestrian Sarah Maslin Nir is one of them; she began riding horses when she was just two years old and hasn’t stopped since. Horse Crazy is a fascinating, funny, and moving love letter to these graceful animals and the people who - like her - are obsessed with them.

His winning percentage was well above Jordan’s shooting average or Woods’s domination of golf tournaments. And he sold products and drew spectators like no one had ever done. He was hands down the most famous athlete in America’s most popular spectator sport, and exactly one hundred years ago you would have been hard pressed to find anybody in the country who didn’t know his name. He was Dan Patch, and he was a racehorse.

After another painful breakup, animal communicator Elle Roberts' only focus in on her horses. At least with them, she never gets hurt. Traumatised by his childhood, slick corporate attorney Nicholas Sterling keeps everyone at a distance. But when he meets Elle – for the first time ever – he wants to let someone in. Something sparks between Elle and Nicholas. It’s more mystical than physical and she’s determined to heal the pain both Nicholas and his horse harbor. Their budding romance is immediately threatened by Nicholas' ex-girlfriend who isn't going down without a fight. All too ...