3 comments about Braiding Manes & Tails: A Visual Guide to 30 Basic Braids.

1. very helpful and easy to understand book on braiding. Photos were clear and instructions easy to understand.



2. If you want to really learn the different ways to braid manes then this book is for you.



3. For the aesthetically inclined book lover, this is a must. It is spiral bound and beautifully composed with rich color, clear photographs and diagrams, and an easy to read format.
   My only criticism of the book was that there were no really intricate uncommon braids included. Growing up in the horse world, I have learned many braids, all of which are in this book. Unfortunately, there were no new braids for me to learn which seriously bummed me out. I'm not unhappy with my purchase though, as this is a clear and concise guide to braiding that I can use to teach students and friends.

5 comments about Riding Between the Worlds: Expanding Our Potential Through the Way of the Horse.

1. Riding between the worlds did exactly that, took you between the world of the horse and human. I finished the book in one sitting it was that engrossing to me. Thanks again for another wonderfully written book.



2. Required reading! She describes people she's healed and how the horses in her equine assisted psychotherapy help clients hearts to heal the way they did ours when we were kids. It also talks about the deep and painful losses of our horses that were taken from us. Other adults have had the exact same experiences that seem to symobolize our parents robot menatilty to take away our childhood.



3. I bought this book simply because Amazon advertised it to me and it had good reviews. It obviously makes a connection to certain type of people (presumably "extreme sensitives") but it didn't do much for me. I found it hard to work out who the author was actually writing for. She didn't provide insights to assist troubled people, so clearly you have to actually attend her therapy program to benefit from her knowledge. Nor did she detail what she does in her therapy with horses, so you are left wondering exactly what is happening in the round yard. I suppose if you are on the inside (ie part of the horse-assisted therapy community) this book will mean more to you than it did to me. I tried to have an open mind but sorry, I ended the book not feeling at all convinced that horses are somehow in tune with the real meaning of life just like yogis.



4. Though overall this book is too "new age" for my taste, I believe Ms. Kohanov probably does a tremendous amount of good pairing horses with people and solving inner or repressed emotional conflicts at her ranch in Tucson, and in the clinics she presents. I found the examples she sited very believable for both horse and person, and truly believe horses can heal emotional wounds. I very much agree "it is never JUST a horse!" Horses reveal our deepest secrets and conflicts, they sense these before we even can give them words. I liked, and I promptly employed, the technique of telling my horses things about my life that I believe make me similar to each one. The horse always listens, and the verbalization is good for both. This book adds understanding to our relationship with horses by making the reader more aware of what the horse "knows" or senses immediately about us, and thus makes us more open to the horse.



5. When I saw the beautiful cover of this book, and the intriguing title, I couldn't wait to read it. It promised mysteries and a wild ride into the unknown. Actually, the riding is transformative. The author overcomes a destructive marriage to find her way back to life through her interactions with some very wonderful, talented, compassionate and truly honest animals. A lifetime of fascination with, and interaction with horses leads her into an astonishing field of work, using members of her herd as therapy animals, in the treatment of trauma victims and people with emotional problems.
   
   There is so much to this book that resonates, for anyone who has ever ridden a horse, or wanted to, or just enjoys watching them. Some of the stories are just inspirational. There is a wonderful section in which her beloved mare, Rasa, prematurely foals, and a community of helpers keep the young horse warm with body heat and take turns milking his dam so he can nurse. What a fantastic story.
   
   Some of the horses are stories themselves. There's Noche, the abused horse, who is tender and kind with abuse victims. There is Merlin, a disturbed stallion, who finds love. There is Rasa, a powerful empath and spiritual guide.
   
   I kept waiting for the book to turn New Age-y, but it's not preachy at all. This is one woman's journey that touches and heals. I won't look at horses the same way again.

5 comments about Game Dog: Second Revised Edition.

1. Attention amateur dog trainers. Going to buy a Lab pup? Buy this book first and start off right. If you don't, you and the pup both loose. Richard Wolters sets the "high water" mark for all other training books and videos combined. You can leave everything else on the shelf. This stuff works. Wolters tailors his methods towards the amateur dog trainer/hunter for real world situations in the field with wild birds. He takes you from the 8th week of the pup's life through his last days on earth. He utilizes facts gathered from dog behaviorists and applies them to the development stages of a pup measured in precise numbers of days. Very easy to read and comprehend.



2. This is an old book but it is still the best system out there for training labs. Wolters has it together.



3. I liked this book to a cetain extent. I think this is a good book for someone who doesn't know a lot about a hunting dog. It's geared more towards starting with a puppy, but can be used with an older dog. I'd read it before I got the puppy so you know what to expect. It's a little light on specifics, but there are some there. Don't get too caught up with the time line because all dogs are different.



4. ive read 6 dog training books in the last month and this is the best and most precise so far...if you want a HUNTING DOG this is the book to use......



5. I used this book for training my Springer Spaniel. He is my constant companion because I can trust him to behave in all conditions. Why? I attribute it to early training using the methods in the book and good genetics, plus lots of time and love. I have heard dozens of times now that he is the "Best behaved dog" that folks have ever seen. READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR PUP. Then you'll get the full benefit of both. Follow the methods ad have the "Best trained dog" people have ever seen.

5 comments about Teach Your Horse Perfect Manners: How You Should Behave So Your Horse Does Too.

1. I myself am a beginner, and have found this book to be extremely helpful. Aside from boosting your confidence, Kelly Marks gives clear, consise intructions on how to best solve any given situation, granted that it is that kind of a problem. The illustrations are wonderful, and are very helpful if you are a visual learner. I very much appreciate this book.



2. I actually couldn't put this book down. It is so well written. I didn't realize until I had purchased the book that the author is a student of Monty Roberts. She carries forth his message as well as her own experiences in an informative yet entertaining way. I hope she branches out into DVD's, as well.



3. kind of elementary for what i was expecting, but i suppose it would be helpful to someone at that level - all in all it is a pretty good book



4. You do not need to be a horse whisperer, or even a cowboy to enjoy this book. With Ms. Marks as my guide, I was able to learn things about these animals I didn't know like: "Sometimes you can foresee a negative pattern starting up; for example, when you braid a horse, he realizes that he's going to a show and goes off his feed. If this is the case, change his routine to avoid any anxiety starting." Did you know this?
   
   What do you see when you see a horse? When I see a horse, I see an animal whose ancestors time and time again were the only creatures on earth standing between my ancestors and certain death. And I realize that I might not even be here if it were not for these majestic animals. I do what I can for them knowing that it is enough that I am of value to somebody today. Please support your local SPCA and Equine Rescue Services. Author, Bob Miller



5. I like this book and it has some interesting stories, but if you already participate in a program like Parelli, etc. (as I do) then there isn't really any new information. Buying the book is cheaper, but buying the Parelli DVD program gives you a lot more.
   
   If I wasn't doing Parelli, then this book would be a good start. It would be helpful if there was more trouble-shooting.

5 comments about The Cat Bible: Everything Your Cat Expects You to Know.

1. The Cat Bible reads like a text book and isn't something I see us keeping. I'd rather have a cat guide that was easier to read and proivded information in a cleaner manner.



2. While I've had cats before, this book is incredibly valuable. We just got a new kitten and found great info on training him with techniques we've never considered before. I recommend this for anyone getting a kitten regardless of your history of having cats.



3. I bought this book hoping to find good, practical advice about owning my first cat. Instead, I found the book to be extremely condescending and preachy. Rather than giving truly practical advice about cat-related matters, I was treated to Ms. Hotchner's personal diatribes on issues such as declawing, cat food, spaying/neutering, etc. I would have vastly prefered a more dispassionate discussion of the pros and cons of these issues rather than Ms. Hotchner's one-sided opinions.



4. Good but it lacks some schematic drawings of a cat's anatomy.
   
   Sandra



5. This is a handy-dandy guide to almost everything you need to know about your cat. It covers everything from kitten behavior to most common medical problems. If you're looking for a guide specifically on how to raise a kitten or what to do in a medical emergency, I'd go with something else. This is more of a guide on basic questions you might have for your cat. It covers a lot of areas , but nothing too terribly in depth. I recommend it for general feline questions.

5 comments about Complete Book of Dog Breeding.

1. Great book especially for novices! It gave you enough information to prepare for the birth, understand and know what to anticipate. We had 2 books handy while our chi gave birth to 6 puppies! Puppy birth is very similar to human birth in alot of ways. So, if you've been through child birth whether it's yourself or a loved one, the main thing is to remain calm and be there for your dog. They will appreciate you for it!



2. This book was of great help, particularly when our pups began to dehydrate after birth. There were only 2 things it did not prepare us for, having smaller than normal litters and the mother's nervous behavior affecting her care of such a small litter. According to the emergency vet on holiday call, there are breed specific behaviors which play into the mother's care and can interfere. My only wish was that I could have found a book more specific to my breed. As a general instruction manual, it was of great help. The two little pups are dear and are doing well now, 2 weeks later.



3. We just had a litter and everything went great. There are nine healthy pups. We had to do the slinging thing with one pup, and with the illustrations and directions it worked and the pup is healthy. We didn't loose one!!!



4. I bought this book to help me get through breeding my two Yorkies. It was comprehensive and easy for the non-vet to understand. If I had a question, it had the answer.



5. Excellent book. My dog just delivered 8 healthy puppies. I had read the book several weeks earlier and kept reffering to it as the whelping approached. It directed me all through the process and I learned many things that helped me avoid what would have been costly mistakes.

5 comments about Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage: Designing and Managing Your Equine Facilities.

1. This is probably one of the first books you should buy when considering keeping your horse at home. It gives enough information to be helpful and to start making intelligent decisions about what you will need to keep your horse and improvements needed to your property.
   
   It's a great jumping off point that will let you know where to go from here and what aspects you will need to further explore. Worth the money as a basic manual.



2. This book is the best I've seen on building or buying a small equestrian property or horse farm. Warning - this is not the book for starting a horse business or operation, but it certainly covers all the bases from zoning issues, to how to lay out your property to handle weather situations and parts of the country. A really great guide book.



3. The book covers everything from horse behaviors, to feeding, and to horsekeeping. A very thorough book that covers many areas of owning a horse. Goes into enough detail for any horse owner keeping horses, even if they don't have acreage. I was impressed by how informative this book is, every horse owner should read it.



4. This book is a great resource for those wishing to build an equine facility - on any scale. However, this is not a guide book for horse ownership. If you board your horse somewhere, you do not need this book. If you are shopping for land and want to build your own horse place, then this book is perfect. If you are trying to figure out if your set up is safe and good for your horses, then get this book. If you are dedicated to making the best out of your land and your horse, then this book is the perfect resource, and it will help you decide if your land is right for horses or if horses are right for your land. Appropriate land use is important, and Cherry Hill shows how to incorporate horses into your land management practices - or is it incorporating good land management practices into your horsey haven? Her ideas and standards for barn design are also good industry standards. I highly recomend this book for architects and land planners who design equestrian homes/communities/barns.



5. This is a nice over view for a first time horese ownwer and acrage ownwer very informative.

5 comments about Complete Horse Care Manual.

1. A lot of information in this book. It covers just about everything. I was hoping for a little more information on feeding, but overall a good buy. One note: if you are looking for tack and riding info, this book focuses mostly on english riding. There is very little reference to western riding.



2. I bought this book for my daughter who just loves horses. She really enjoys having me read it to her and looking at the pictures. It is a good general reference book for people wanting to learn more about horses.



3. I found this book to be quite interesting, I bought it as a gift for a friend who is just getting in to horses, and looked it over before giving it. Although most of it is basic, it is not condescending towards the reader, and has many interesting facts. I even learned a few things, and have been a horse person for over 17 years. The photo's chosen to accompany the work are usually helpful, and overall this is an excellent book for someone getting started with horses.



4. This is a great book for first learning about horses, how to care for them, feeding, symptoms of illnesses, and it's simple to read and understand. It gives the basics for people who might want to own a horse for the first time so that you can know what to watch out for and take the best care of your horse. I'd recommend this book for first time horse owners, and for people working with horses for the first time. It's comprehensive and gives you a lot of great info.



5. This horse book was awesome! I will be taking riding lessons this summer and this book helped me get a head start on horse care, like grooming, feed, tack and much,much more! It's a great book for any horse lover even if you don't have or ride a horse. This book makes it a fun, simple way to learn about how to take care of a horse! This is one of my favorite horse care guides out of all of them!

5 comments about Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs: Small Doses for Small Animals.

1. For someone who is just learning about homeopathy in general, this book not only gave me a good introductory understanding of homeopathy overall for pets and people, but also gave me some great tips and helpful knowledge that I was able to put to use right away with my sick cat. I was able to find the best way to treat my cat with homeopathy with the help of this book and my vet.



2. I'm not wild about this book. While I'm sure there's some good information in here, I haven't found it yet. What I have found are opinions that I find difficult to swallow.
   
   For example:
   
   Don't vaccinate your pets. Hmm. I understand there might be reasons to stay away from vaccinating pets, as there are for not vaccinating children. However, I also understand that if I want to board my dog, or take him to the local dog park, or take him to the groomer, or have my vet come within ten feet of him, I need some evidence that this dog has, in fact, been vaccinated. I don't see a practical way around this in this book.
   
   He says vaccinations weaken the species by allowing weaker animals to survive. My neutered dogs aren't contributing to the gene pool anyway, so I don't understand this argument.
   
   Then there's the thing about feeding your dog only raw meat, because dogs in the wild don't have someone cooking for them. Okay, fine. Dogs in the wild don't have veterinarians, nor do they sleep on a human's couch. If we're going to take this thought to its logical conclusion, we shouldn't have pets at all. And if we should have pets, why on earth would I want to risk their getting infected with E. coli? Or does this raw meat thing assume that I kill it myself rather than buy it?
   
   He says that a lot of meanness in dogs comes from the rabies vaccine. He cites no studies, offers no data, just says that from what he's seen, this is true. I'm sure I don't see anywhere near as many dogs as the author, but come on, I have yet to see a dog made mean by vaccines. Show me a reproducible study.
   
   There may be some valuable information in this book, but it's colored by these unsupported "facts", so it's hard to tell what's good information and what's not. There are better books on the subject. Buy one of them.



3. It's good for reference. A little difficult to self diagnois your pet and not always easy to find the treatment for a specific problem in the book.



4. AFTER REVIEWING OTHER BOOKS & BUYING ANOTHER BOOK (that was poorly written) I WAS RELIEVED TO READ THIS. HOMEOPATHIC CARE FOR CATS & DOGS GETS RIGHT TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER. INDEX IS GREAT, NICE LISTING OF HOMEOPATHIC SUPPLIERS THERE PHONE, FAX & WEB SITES ( I had wondered where to get supplies but that answered it for me.) YOU ONLY RECEIVE NEEDED INFORMATION. NICE GUIDE FOLLOWS WITH EASY TO FIND REMEDIES. INCLUDES INFO ON HOW TO DECIDE YOUR ANIMAL NEEDS HOMEOPATHY OR IS IT TIME TO SEE THE VETERINARIAN. IT'S NICE TO KNOW YOUR LIMITS. I PROMISE YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK.



5. I purchased this book along with 3 others to educate myself as to various diets and medical care of my pets. I found this one so far to list anything about heartworms in cats. I live in Oklahoma and we have a lot of mosquitoes and have had 2 dogs that contracted heartworm but we've never had a cat contract it and we've had cats live to be 14, 16, and 20 years. I had my suspicions about the necessity of giving heartworm medication to a cat and Dr. Hamilton pretty well answered my questions about it in two sentences on page 332, "This is a serious disease that primarily affects dogs (it is rare in cats, despite claims by the preventive manufacturers)." and, "I do not recommend their use (preventives) in cats, as the incidence does not warrant the drug use in my opinion." Overall, I found it's a very professional yet understandable book for those of us who wish to take care of our beloved pets through more natural means.

2 comments about Animals in Spirit: Our faithful companions' transition to the afterlife.

1. This book is helping me cope with the loss of my cat. It explains so well why animals choose their passing, why they are here in our relationships, and best yet that they are still around us after passing.



2. Penelope Smith's most recent book, "Animals in Spirit", is a beautiful, heartfelt, and sensitive guide to animals' perspectives on the death and dying process, as well their experiences in the spiritual dimension after leaving the physical body. In sharing her communications with her own animal companions, those of her clients, and in the wonderful contributions of experiences from many other animal communicators and their clients, Penelope addresses the experience of death from the animals' viewpoints, and also sensitively discusses the grief process for the animals' human companions. I especially loved the section on reincarnation, and the various ways that animals may choose to return to their people in a different body. This book made me laugh, cry, and rejoice at the variety and depth of animal wisdom concerning death. It opened my heart to deeper places of love and trust that love never dies, and to the knowledge that the energy of the connection with our animal friends is eternal.
   
   I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has loved and lost an animal. There is a wonderful exercise for helping people to connect with the spirits of their animal friends who have died, as well as a beautiful grief and memorial ritual contributed by animal communicator Barbara Janelle. Throughout, the heartwarming communications from the animals to their human friends assures us that death is most often a natural transition for animals to a different state of being, without the fear and cultural baggage that we humans so often associate with it. In this, the animals are our teachers, as they show us how to accept the death process as a part of the eternal continuum of life.
   
   My favorite passage in the book is at the very end, in a poetic inspiration that came through Penelope, which states, in part: "Flow with spirit, ever-changing in its guises. See the wildflowers bloom and die and give their seeds to the Earth. Nothing ever really dies or fades. Everything dissolves into unity and flows into another sea or shower or puff of air". As I experience the love and connection with my own animal friends, both in form and in spirit, I am so grateful for all that the animals have to teach us about love, life, and death.