Emma Ford

A kid-friendly introduction to safe and proper horse care from the best in the business. Whether taking their first lessons, handling horses when visiting friends, or enjoying the challenges of first-pony ownership, children need to learn more than just how to ride. When it comes to horses, the most important lessons begin on the ground, not only to keep all involved safe, but also to ensure the fair and proper care of the horse so that he remains healthy and happy. This highly illustrated, easy-to-use book is the most complete and correct guide available for horse-crazy kids and their families to learn basic horsemanship standards and responsibly apply them in the barn, in the arena, at home, and at competitions. Professional grooms and authors of the bestsellers World-Class Grooming for Horses and World-Class Braiding-Manes and Tails, Cat Hill and Emma Ford are both lifelong horsewomen who have managed barns and strings of horses for top riders in all disciplines, including Olympians and World Champions. They travel the country teaching clinics in proper horsemanship and grooming to aspiring young riders. Now they have put their wealth of experience in these pages with over 700 professional color photos and clear, numbered steps that teach readers: Catching, leading, and handling Daily grooming Tacking up Post-riding or lesson care Tack cleaning Barn chores Packing for shows and competitions Bathing, clipping, and braiding And more! With cool tips and tricks theyve learned over the years, and an emphasis on safety and detail without detracting from the fun of being around horses, Hill and Ford have created an instant classica much-needed resource that will not only encourage young readers to become complete horse people as well as riders, it will preserve and pass along the management skills honed over a lifetime in barns held to the highest standards. Hands down, this book is the must-have starter kit for every young rider. Ages 8-12.

A handy quick-reference with step-by-step color photos and easy-to-follow instructions from two top professional grooms.Braiding a horses mane kind of comes with the territorywho can resist playing with all that hair? While it may begin as a downtime activity on a rainy afternoon or fun with friends after riding lessons, braiding takes on a life of its own when it comes to competition. Professional grooms and others who braid on the show circuit can make a living doing just that when they have the skills to do it fast and do it well.Professional grooms Cat Hill and Emma Ford, co-authors of the bestsellingWorld-Class Grooming for Horses,have braided thousands of horses for a variety of disciplines over the course of their esteemed careers in the equestrian industry. Now theyve highlighted those skills in a book conceived to be a helpful barn companionone you can take with you and keep in your tack trunk, providing a go-to reference whenever you need it. Chock full of full-color photographs that illustrate every step of the process, readers learn techniques for:Braiding downa nice, tight, smooth braid is the key to a sophisticated finish.Using thread, yarn, or rubber bands.Properly finishing and removing braids to avoid hair damage.Button braids two ways.Hunter braids.Running braids.Unpulled manes and long manes.Braiding forelocks.With their expertise, top-tier standards, and trademark clarity as professionals who have made teaching their trade an integral part of their lives, Hill and Ford provide everything you need to know to turn a horse out with professional polish, ready to impress the judges and wow the crowds.

When owning, training, riding, and showing horses, there is a certain look to which one aspires. Often it is set by the horses seen on television, at special events, in public performances, and in top competition around the globe. World-class turnout a horse in peak condition, perfectly coiffed and luminous with good health, outfitted with gleaming and well-fit tack appropriate for his sportliterally takes your breath away. And while it can certainly play a significant role in a competitive riders success, it is just as appealing to have any horse groomed to the nines, whether hes headed for an afternoon lesson or just out on the trail.But achieving this superior look is not just about clean tack, shiny brass, spotless stockings, or the perfect braids. The most important steps are found in the day-to-day, nitty-gritty of grooming and caring for the horse; noticing something not-quite-right about the way the horse looks or moves before it becomes something wrong; brushing and combing and trimming a little every day so the horses skin and coat remain healthy and he always has a neat appearance. It is knowing how to prepare a horse properly for training sessions on the flat or over fences, and cool him down appropriately afterward. Its protecting his body from injury, whether at work or play, and treating it when necessary.No one knows how to do all of this better than those working as professional grooms in the barns of the worlds top riders and trainers. It is the responsibility of these elite experts to keep their four-legged charges happy, healthy, and primed for peak performancein body and mind. Now, two of the best professional grooms in the business share their trade secrets, with over 1200 color photographs demonstrating how to clean the horse from nose to tail; wrap, clip, braid, and ship him; prepare him for or present him in various English competitive scenarios; and care for him after work or showing so he is rested and ready to do it all again. This book is everything you need to know from the pros: The ultimate modern-day guide for all riders who want their horses to look and feel their best.

La guía ilustrada más completa para cuidar de los caballos Cuando de caballos se trata, los niños deben aprender más que solo ?cómo montar?. Las lecciones más importantes empiezan pie a tierra, no solo para mantener seguros a todos los implicados, sino tambien para garantizar el cuidado justo y adecuado del caballo, de manera que este siempre sano y feliz. Las autoras, Cat Hill y Emma Ford, llevan toda la vida entre caballos y han dirigido cuadras de primer nivel en todas las disciplinas. En las paginas de este libro han plasmado sus extensos conocimientos y experiencia, con mas de 700 fotografias en color y pasos claros numerados que enseñan destrezas indispensables como: coger, llevar de la mano y manejar un caballo; limpiar y preparar a un caballo para montarlo; cuidar del caballo despues de montar o dar una clase; limpiar el equipo; las tareas de la cuadra; preparar todo el material para un concurso; duchar, esquilar y trenzar, y ¡mucho mas!

Una guía de referencia para tener siempre a mano. Las trenzas pueden culminar o estropear el duro trabajo de presentar adecuadamente a un caballo. Las mozas de cuadra profesionales Cat Hill y Emma Ford, que han trenzado a miles de caballos durante sus dilatadas carreras, presentan estas habilidades en un libro concebido como un util compañero de cuadra. Muestran los pasos basicos para hacer unas buenas trenzas y, una vez dominada la tecnica de las trenzas sin recoger, cambiar facilmente de trenzas hunter a trenzas de completo y a trenzas de doma clasica; y tambien como aplicar unos cuantos estilos nuevos para lograr trenzas mas tradicionales en caballos con crines largas. El trenzado de crines y colas es una practica que, ademas de mejorar el aspecto del caballo, tambien mejorara nuestro vinculo con el, haciendole sentir que es una actividad divertida y no sufrida. Todo ello hace de este libro una obra de referencia a la que acudir siempre que se necesite.