O.K., horse person, it’s time to test your know-how. Ready?
- What’s the total range of vision of a horse?
- What’s the difference between a dun and a buckskin?
- Which does a horse hear better–lower or higher frequency sounds?
- How long does it take a horse to digest food?
- What are the signs of protein deficiency in a horse?
- When should you call the vet for your horse?
If you don’t know the answers, then it’s time to get Equine Science—Basic Knowledge for Horse People of All Ages by Jean T. Griffiths, an extension horse specialist at the Department of Animal Science at Cornell University. It’s on sale right now on HorseBooksEtc.com for $19.95, which is a savings of $5.
It’s all the horse basics in one book, including the history of the horse, the fine points of color (do you know the difference between a dun and a grulla, a tobiano and an overo?), how horses see, smell and hear (which helps you understand them better) and how to spot equine disease.
The section in Equine Science on when to call the vet will more than pay for the book, because if you’re like me and just about every horse owner I know, you’ve spent more time than you cared to fretting over that decision.
Equine Science has 232 pages that are packed full of the answers to all these questions and more. This book covers everything that a horse owner needs to know in one very handy book:
Chapter 1: The Origin of the Horse
Chapter 2: Equine/Horse Basics
Chapter 3: Basic Coat Colors
Chapter 4: Senses of the Horse
Chapter 5: The Gaits of the Horse
Chapter 6: Equine Genetics
Chapter 7: Equine Nutrition
Chapter 8: Health and Diseases
Chapter 9: Equine Anatomy
That last book chapter on equine anatomy includes very handy charts of every part of a horse’s body, including muscles, ligaments, hooves, and teeth. It even shows you how to tell a horse’s age by their teeth.
Equine Science is one of the most complete horse books you could want–its topics also include behavior, dentistry, deworming, feeding, first aid, grooming, hoof care and vaccinations–and yet it’s not bulky. Buy one for yourself and one for any of your horse friends who are new to this horse world.
Then they can treat you to dinner with the money they saved by not needlessly calling the vet, because they knew better.