Evidence-Based Horsemanship

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Most horsemen agree that timing, feel, and balance are the holy trinity of horsemanship. They are also key elements of this book. The timing couldn’t be better. We are in the midst of a revival of interest in horsemanship. People are hungry for factual information and intelligent conversation. The feel of the book is genuinely refreshing and original. It is unpretentious, straight forward and informative. The balance is brilliant: scientific facts and the empirical evidence to support those facts assembled by two highly respected professionals in their respective disciplines.-RANDY RIEMAN

From the Publisher

Randy Rieman on Evidence-Based Horsemanship

Most horsemen agree that timing, feel, and balance are the holy trinity of horsemanship. They are also key elements of this book. The timing couldn’t be better. We are in the midst of a revival of interest in horsemanship.

From Chapter Three of Evidence-Based Horsemanship

Horses are motor sensory creatures. Their brains tell us so. The brain area in which sensations are processed is referred to as the somatic sensory cortex. If we consider the somatic sensory cortex as a map, its largest areas would represent the most sensitive body areas because these brain areas are most densely-packed with sensory nerves….

Key Senses of a Horse

Vibrissae

This photo is of horses not only smelling each other but feeling each other with the muzzle area to get a better sense and to get to know each other better. We can see the horse on the left is more confident by his head being in a more natural position, and the horse on the right not showing as much confidence by reaching out with its nose reserving the opportunity to retract if it felt threatened.

Vision

An eye wide open with wrinkles above it and with the eyelid blinking rapidly could indicate an alert horse interested in something and be a positive sign for us, or it could indicate a frightened horse that could be a negative sign for us. But taking into account what the ears, muzzle, and other indicators may tell us, we can determine what the horse may be thinking.

Hearing

Here is a horse utilizing his sense of hearing by his ears being forward, his head elevated and at an angle that gives his eyes the best visibility. It means he’s interested but not threatened by what he’s focusing on because his muzzle area is not tight and his nostrils are not wide open.

Smell

The large round nostril means the horse is taking in all the air it can. It could be for one of two reasons: the horse has exhausted its oxygen supply in which case the lips would be relaxed as this photo indicates. The other reason would be that the horse may not be exhausted but is taking in large quantities of air, analyzing through its sense of smell something it may be threatened by.

Dr. Stephen Peters

Dr. Stephen Peters is a Neuroscientist specializing in brain functioning. As a horse brain researcher, he has given numerous Equine Brain Science seminars/presentations throughout the U.S. and Canada and performed many horse brain dissections for students. He is the co-author with Martin Black of Evidence-Based Horsemanship.

An evidence-based approach to horsemanship involves assessing and integrating scientific findings to inform decisions and create best practices in horsemanship. Scientific findings in the neurofunctioning of the horses’s brain and its application will increase one’s ability to understand and read horses.

Martin Black

Martin Black has spent his lifetime ranching, riding, training horses, starting young horses, working cows and roping in the Great Basin tradition. He is the co-author with Dr. Stephen Peters of Evidence-Based Horsemanship.

Martin Black shares his knowledge and experience with anyone serious about improving themselves and their horses. He has helped everyone from recreational riders to top horse-trainers in cutting, reining and racing, cowboys, cow-horse competitors, ropers, show-jumpers, and eventers. Everyone can improve their horsemanship by learning how to be more effective presenting themselves to their horse and learning to understand how the horse perceives them as an individual. Martin will build confidence in the horse and rider and take you to the next level, whatever that might be.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wasteland Press; Illustrated edition (November 6, 2018)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 122 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1600476856
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1600476853
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.31 x 9 inches