1 comments about Racehorse Breeding Theories.

1. A thoughtfully put together text covering many oft asked questions re breeding theory. Very readable and easy to understand for those with an interest and some background in the breeding industry. Sensible interpretation of a subject that can easily be smothered and complicated by folk-lore, tradition and a non-scientific approach.
   
   I found it easy to extrapolate to my particular interests, which involves breeding horses for other performance disciplines. I would recommend it to anyone interested in breeding horses, particularly those with an interest/background in TB pedigrees.

5 comments about Handicapping 101: Finding the Right Horses and Making the Right Bets.

1. This is a must-have book on horseracing handicapping. Don't be fooled by its title into thinking this book is only for beginnners - in fact it should become a handicapping classic. Over the last eight years, I have read many horseracing handicapping books - some good, some bad, but this is my clear favorite. Well-written, easy to understand, and it explains very well the four main handicapping factors - condition/form, class, overall speed, and pace. And, it provides guidelines on how these four factors are applied at the various class levels. The first time I applied the author's guidelines to a maiden claiming race I hit a 28-1 winner. From my experience, I am firmly convinced that successful horseracing handicapping long-term can not be achieved by a computer program or a mathematical method/system. But, you can achieve a positive ROI long-term by applying the handicapping guidelines set forth in this book and making value bets, not just betting on the likely winner in every race. Buy this book - it will pay for itself many times over - it sure has for me.



2. I used to be a recreational player. I would go Santa Anita once a year and spend anywhere from 20.00 to 100.00 dollars. I never won, except for an occasional place bet. I never understood the game to be honest with you, but it was purely enjoyable entertainment. I saw Brad Free's book advertised in the program, and ended up buying the book. I bought the book with the intentions of learning the bare basics of handicapping and to know how to read the charts in the paper.
   
   Well I got a lot more than that! As I was reading the book I wanted to try some of the things I learned and would go to the track often. Brad Free covers every aspect of handicapping. This is a book that is in your library and that you refer to often.
   
   The chapter "The Wagering Menu" was very enjoyable. I used his method on the Superfecta at Hollywood Park, and won 796.30. It was a great feeling. However I thought his Pick-4 techniques were confusing.
   
   I would have liked it better if there was an index. I hate thumbing through the book to find something in particular. Also a glossary would have been helpful, because sometimes I didn't have a clue what he was talking about with all the jargon, slang, and lingo that are used by horseplayers.



3. Handicapping 101. Is the best book for understanding what to look for in handicapping.



4. As an entry-level/novice handicapper wanting to learn everything I can, a friend of mine suggested Handicapping 101 as the opening read. He couldn't have been more on target.
   
   In reality, the title almost doesn't do the text justice, for it's far more than the "101"-level information you'd expect. While the four main areas of handicapping may be the starting points, they are explained in fine detail without sounding as if you are listening to a lecture or reading a thesis. Free mixes in just enough from his personal handicapping experiences (both successful and not) to add flavor to the text and to bring the information presented to life.
   
   This book alone will not make you into a professional horseplayer, and you shouldn't read it with that intent. But if you are like me and trying to learn, with an eye toward taking handicapping very seriously down the road - this is a must-read. What this book will do is:
   
   A) Enlighten you as to what you have been doing wrong when you were at the track "for fun." (read: not leaving with any money and calling the money you lost the "cost of entertainment)
   
   B) Give you enough information in an enjoyable text that will be much more knowledge than many others bring to the track on race day (as in, all those folks who in category A.)
   
   Absolutely worth it.



5. Brad Free's Handicapping 101 was the first book I read when I started to become involved in horse racing. This is a perfect guide for beginners and is probably the best book to get started with. Advanced players also could gain from scrubbing up on the basics, but for the most part, the advanced player will already be familiar with a majority of the ideas/topics in this book.

4 comments about The Winning Horseplayer: An Advanced Approach to Thoroughbred Handicapping and Betting.

1. Andrew Beyer revolutionized Thoroughbred handicapping in the 1970s with the introduction of the Beyer Speed Figure.
   
   Found in most racing forms, the speed figure gives the handicapper a guide to how the runner rates against others in the field that day no matter if they competed in races at different tracks and/or against a variety of levels of competition.
   
   In The Winning Horseplayer, Beyer takes his analysis to trip handicapping, which takes into account the type of journey a Thoroughbred has in a race, with a focus on being compromised due to any trouble in the start and turns, what path was taken around the track and if there was any stress due to the pace.
   
   What has been perhaps the most subjective handicapping tool is given a firm foundation by Beyer, which can be utilized by horseplayers who take the time to take trip notes from replays of previous races.
   
   In an updated version of the book that was originally published in 1994, there are numerous case studies and witty anecdotes, along with a new preface penned by Beyer.
   
   This is not a book for beginners to handicapping races. But for those with experience - and are looking for a possible betting edge or simply a great read on handicapping - this is the winning ticket.



2. This book was a reissue of an old book with nothing new worth buying it again.



3. As a part-time horse player this book is just not a good fit. To benefit from everything this book offers you would have to be a full-time handicapper. There are some great hints and tips that can be pulled out for any horse player, but to truly implement everything involved in this book you would have to be at the track every day. Maybe when I retire and I can be at the track every day I can pull out this book and use it to pick winners all day long, but until that point just 2 stars.
   A great book for the part-time player is Brad Free's book Handicapping 101.



4. This is a great book on handicapping or punting as we call it in Australia. Sure it has been around for many years now but much of the wisdom contained in its pages has universal application especially in relation to 'trip handicapping'.
   
   Beyer has an always engaging writing style and the book is replete with anecdotes many of them humorous to underscore his assertions. Applying just a few of his pearls will surely increase your odds of beating the game.
   
   For my money one of the best books of its type I have ever read.

5 comments about Happy Horsemanship.

1. Having instructed students and trained horses for over 35 years, it's still tough to find books good enough to recommend to people trying to learn about them. THIS book does it with flying colors.

   Everything is in here: safety, compassion, how-to handle a horse and ride, along with why things are done the way they are. Presented in a fun & light-hearted way from the horse's point of view. Very understandable.

   Even though the book was written in '66 it is superior to and far more practical than the tomes being written today that confuse an experienced horseperson, let alone a novice. Whether riding English (as illustrated) or Western this book tells what needs to be known.

   I bought it for my 13 yo niece just starting with horses & have recommended it to adults who have spent years with horses.




2. The name of the book is Happy Horsemanship by Dorothy Henderson Pinch. The book is about how horses behave, how to control a horse, how to trot, stop, canter, gallop, jump, the tools used for taking care of a horse, the materials, you need to ride a horse, the different kinds of reins, what not to do, and how to take care of a horse.
   
   I think this book is great. I think this book would be great for a child that is learning how to ride.-Kristine



3. My husband and I were referred to this book by our riding instructor. We are both grown adults, but have no real horse experience. Even though this book seems to be geared toward children, it is very helpful for the adults who may not want to admit how little they know!!! This book answere all those questions you think may be too silly to ask your teacher! It's great for all ages!



4. I am a beginning adult rider and I absolutely loved this book, it is funny and helpful on all levels for beginners. I think all new riders should read it!



5. I received this book when I was 7 (I'm now 23) years old before starting lessons for the first time. It has remained one of my most beloved childhood memories and favorite book. A MUST have for all young riders and those who are young at heart!

5 comments about The Best of Thoroughbred Handicapping: Leading Ideas & Methods.

1. The beauty of James Quinn's updated anthology is not any one revelation that he brings to the table, but that he's synthesized so many voices and give you so many more angles to consider. Those of you who play regularly know how easy it is to identify the obvious chalk-- and how hard it is to get past the two or three "best on paper" types to get to live, mid-priced overlays. You know, the horses that are the difference between a minus day and a wildly profitable day.
   
   In addition, the fact that he has brought so many voices together on money management-- the topic I see the least amount of literature on-- alone makes this worthwhile.
   
   This isn't the type of book I'd toss to a novice, but it will make the intermediate player much more flexible and creative.



2. I have read the first edition of this title over and over and the latest version is only an improvement on a fine work. I agree that a lot of the information provided in the chapters in not in great depth, but it's difficult to take a 200 page book and condense it into a few pages. Quinn has done a great job of doing just that. And since the author provides information on the various sources, it gives the reader the opportunity to reach out to those sources if they have interest in the topic. This is definitely a great addition to any handicapper's library. I have had the opportunity to meet Quinn and he is just as wonderful a person as he is an author.



3. Drawing from so many experts in the field and publishing their original material makes for a great work. Of the dozen or so handicapping volumes I have, this is the one I refer to most often because every each aspect from handicapping factors to money management and tote watching is covered by a true expert in that field. What I discovered after reading this is that I started looking for volumes by the writers herein that contributed chapters of interest. It has introduced me to a lot of guys I would never have found without this book.



4. This book is outstanding, well written, insightful, and pulls together so many different angles on handicapping. The only problem is trying to digest all that is here. Excellent work.



5. A lot of methods and ideas from previous books I've read. Not really impressed.
   
   Thanks, PSL King

5 comments about The United States Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship: Advanced Horsemanship B/HA/A Levels (The Howell Equestrian Library).

1. This is the third of a series of three volumes of the United States Pony Clubs' Manual of Horsemanship. While similar in scope to the British Horse Society's one-volume book of the same title, the USPC has taken the approach that the horseperson can read one volume when starting out, a second when they have assimilated a bit more, and finally this third volume when they feel like they know just about everything there is to know. I can promise you that no matter how much practical, useful information you had before you pick up this volume, you will put it down having acquired much more. While it is very readable, it is not a "page-turner". I found that I would read two to five pages, go off and think about it for a day or two, and come back again for more. If you liked the first two volumes in the series, you will like this one. If you approach this book without reading the first two volumes, you will probably find the book incomplete and coverage spotty. The book is written to match the Pony Club standards, and provides the necessary information to advance to the highest ratings -- remembering that the higher ratings in Pony Club build on the lower ones. It is hard to believe that anyone in America today could consider themselves a serious horseman without digesting this volume. Bravo to the USPC for the whole series!!



2. This book is very informitave and helped me alot. I am only a D-2 but it still answered alot of the questions I had. It covers everything from teaching horsemanship to jumping and yes even vet care. The jumping part helped me to understand alot of things that helped me train my horse. I recomend that you buy it.



3. This is a great follow-on to the first two volumes of the USPC manuals. Together, they are the best "curriculum" on horsemanship available, bar none. (I say that, owning 900 horse books! The three USPC Manuals are the most useful of all.) As another reviewer said, it's not "complete"--one should read the first two volumes, first, as, like the USPC Standards of Proficiency, the Manuals build upon each other. I am a long-time riding instructor (over 22 years), especially with the US Pony Clubs. The three-volumes of the USPC Manuals would be a solid foundation of a good equestrian library.



4. This book is great for learning about the body systems of a horse.It also briefly explains how to manage a stable with things such as how to make a stall have good drinage. It is the best book to get if you want to meet the requirements of Pony Club levels A, HA, or B. But I recommend getting this book only if you are at the advanced levels in riding and horsemanship because otherwise you will find that the book overwhelms you with information.I may suggest that people buying this book should consider buying Pony Club Manuals on levels C and D before or perhaps in addition to this manual.Overall, a good book for learning about the horse.



5. This book has helped me so much! I began reading and studying it at age 10 when I was still a C2, and throughout my ratings and progression it has answered my endless questions and supplemented the material from the D and C manuals. While the B, HA, and A manual is very informative, it should only be read by those who can thoroughly comprehend and extract inportant information from the text. I was always a very mature reader, but at times I even had to reread pages to be sure I understood correctly. This book has helped me through my B, HA, and just recently helped me pass my A, so this book is the best way to go to becoming a good rider!
   
   Thank you so much for making this Manual!
   Love,
   Anna

5 comments about THE BEST and Worst of Thoroughbred Racing.

1. I have a very large collection of books on thoroughbred racing. They cover the gamut from owners to breeders to trainers to jockeys to players. I thought I knew pretty much all there was to know about this sport and its athletes. This books was a pleasant surprise in that in the first twenty pages I found new information on horses I had read what I thought were complete biographies about. I would recommend this book to anyone new or old to this sport. It will give you an "inside" view of what these beautiful creatures go through on their journey to become champions.



2. I read Steve Davidowitz's "Professionals Guide" a few years ago and it ranks as one of my all-time favorite handicapping books. His latest release, "The Best and Worst", once again hits the mark as an excellent and informative read.
   
   "The Best and Worst" isn't a handicapping book but instead is more of a history lesson of thoroughbred horse racing as seen through the eyes of one of the sports best players. Davidowitz covers a vairety of topics such as "The Best Jockeys", "The Greatest Upsets", "The Worst Disqualifications", and many, many more. For the most part, Davidowitz examines each of these topics from his own vast experiences within the game and as a result he brings life to the discussion of each topic. Davidowitz doesn't give a stale account but many times is able to weave a fascinating personal story about an individual or an event.
   
   Davidowitz has a very friendly and easy-going writing style that allows the reader to immediately become immersed in the book. In "The Best and Worst", Davidowtiz doesn't claim that his rankings are the final authority on the subject of best jockeys, trainers, etc. Although to a reader with the knowledge of his considerable experience within the game, it is hard not to come to that conclusion.
   
   If you are a die-hard horse racing fan and want to relive some of the great moments of the sport, you will enjoy this book. If you are a causal fan of the game, you will enjoy this book. And if you know nothing about horse racing at all but are interested in learning more about the sports history, I think you will enjoy this book.
   
   In the end, "The Best and Worst" is a wonderful account of many of the important events in horse racing history, most of which were experienced first hand by the author. Davidowitz has once again written a book that will stand alone on the book case of any horse racing fan.



3. As the writer will admit himself, this book is designed to get people thinking and starting their own debates. It's a great place to start in that respect. There is much here that leaves you nodding in agreement or shaking your head in disagreement, but either way racing fans will enjoy reading Davidowitz's opinions and stories behind them, then making your own judgements on the topics he opens. The book is a good read that will keep you jumping from chapter to chapter.



4. Author does a good job of relating to all the best and worst horses, owners, trainers and jockeys. Probably could have done a little more on the "worst" but all in all very well done. A good read!



5. another great read for anyone who is a horse racing fan and would like to know about the sport...

3 comments about Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments.

1. In this review of the top 100 moments of Thoroughbred racing you will find all of the captivating moments you would expect. However, you also get a glimpse into some other, less publicized events and how they have affected the game. The inaugural Breeder's Cup, for example, was much more important that I had imagined. The chapters are well written by educated and experienced individuals who make strong points for their 'moments.' This book can be at home on a coffee table, or in my bookshelf with 50 other horse books.



2. Compiled by the staff of Blood-Horse Publications, Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments is a nostalgic compilation of great instances in the history of the sport of kings. Each two-page spread of this trade paperback is devoted to memorable occasions ranging from Cigar's historic victory of the first Dubai World Cup, to the very first race call as conceived by George Schilling in the mid-20's, to the broadcast of Man o' War's funeral, each great moment is described in clear prose and illustrated with vintage black-and-white and color photographs. An enjoyable treasury and giftbook especially for horse racing enthusiasts.



3. My husband is an avid horse race lover and this book provided him with alot of enjoyment and facts. He thoroughly enjoyed it.

5 comments about Straightening the Crooked Horse.

1. I have spent thousands of dollars trying to figure out what was wrong with my horse. The best lameness vets just said it was a neurological problem and there was nothing I could do. No one could explain why my horse was doing what he was doing or what it was I was feeling. This book described my horse exactly from being left or right sided, to dragging his rear toes. I only wish they would have gone into more detail how to work with your horse on your own since I can't travel to Germany. Before you give up on your horse you have to read this book. I had my horses teeth done at an equine dental school and that was a big part of his problem causing neck pain. Best money I've spent on a book in a long time.



2. This book took 85 pages to tell you over and over that horses are crooked and need to be straightened. Then when you FINALLY get to the part that's supposed to tell you how, they say that every horse is different so they can't really tell you how! It never delivers on actually telling you what to try. The only two tips I gleened were "tip his head to the inside" and "poke his shoulder until it moves out". The photos were not helpful either. Clinton Anderson says the same thing in his groundwork videos, but actually shows you what to do. I ride dressage and read extensively, and this book seems nothing more than a promotional effort for the authors' stables in Germany. Save money and buy something else!



3. This book is more than a little difficult to read and understand, at times. However, making the effort is worth it, because it explains the background reasons for so many problems owners have with their horses. Whatever your horseriding background, learning to spot and rectify a horse's natural crookedness will improve his athleticism, obedience and working life. Scattered throughout the book are lunging and ridden exercises which will help to achieve that goal.
   
   Especially valuable in the book is a description of crookedness based on a description of the horse's "dominant leg", which I found much easier to get a grip on than standard terms such as "right-bend horse", "hollow left", etc, which can occasionally mean a different thing depending on who is using them!



4. After thousands of dollors spent on vets my horse still wasn't sound and there was no idea why after reading this book and using it my horse is now sound. this is a great book.



5. Way too intense for me to read straight through. Reading the book only convinced me that IF I thought I had a crooked horse, I'd have to find local professional help that I could afford. A little intimidating if you don't have the funds to ship a horse around.

1 comments about Handicapping 101: A Horse Racing Primer.

1. THE PERFECT INTRODUCTION TO THE ONLY SPORT WITH MORE STATISTICS THAN BASEBALL! THIS BOOK CAN HELP BOTH THE BETTOR WHO THINKS HE KNOWS IT ALL AS WELL AS THE BEGINNER TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE BETTING SYSTEM.
   WELL WRITTEN AND ENJOYABLE AS WELL AS INSTRUCTIVE.