From: gpaa29@udcf.glasgow.ac.uk (F.Burton)
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Subject: Re: body language
Date: 22 Jul 92 10:10:49 GMT
Organization: Glasgow University Computing Service


Searching my database of horse books for subject="behaviour" produces:

 "Understanding Your Pony" by Lucy Rees (Stanley Paul, 1991)
 ISBN 009174217X
 Behaviour; horse psychology

 "Understanding Nervousness in Horse and Rider" by Moyra Williams 
 (J.A.Allen, 1990)
 ISBN 0851315305
 Behaviour; horse psychology

 "Horsewatching" by Desmond Morris (Jonathan Cape, 1988)
 ISBN 0224025953
 Behaviour; general

 "Understanding Horses" by Garda Langley (David & Charles, 1988)
 ISBN 0715394169
 Behaviour; horse psychology

 "The Behaviour of Horses" by Marthe Kiley-Worthington (J.A.Allen, 1987)
 ISBN 0851313973
 Behaviour; horse psychology

 "The Body Language of Horses" by Tom Ainslie & Bonnie Ledbetter 
 (W.H.Allen, 1987)
 ISBN 0491032455
 Behaviour; horse psychology

 "Cabal: The life of a New Forest pony" by Jan Taylor (Squirrel Press, 1986)
 ISBN 0958909601
 Natural history; behaviour

 "The Horse's Mind" by Lucy Rees (Stanley Paul, 1984)
 ISBN 009153660X
 Behaviour; horse psychology

 "Horse Behaviour" by George Waring (Noyes Publications, 1983)
 ISBN 0815509278
 Behaviour; natural history

 "Such Is The Real Nature Of Horses" by Robert Vavra (Collins, 1979)
 ISBN 0002165341
 Photography; behaviour

 "Talking With Horses" by Henry Blake (Coronet, 1976)
 ISBN 0340208074
 Behaviour; horse psychology

 "Horse Psychology" by Moyra Williams (J.A.Allen, 1976)
 ISBN 0851312381
 Behaviour; horse psychology

 "The Language of the Horse" by Michael Shaeffer (Kaye & Ward, 1975)
 ISBN 0668037628
 Behaviour; horse psychology

 "The Behaviour and Social Organization of the New Forest Ponies" 
 by Stephanie J.Tyler (Animal Behaviour Jounal Monographs, 1972)
 ISBN -
 Behaviour; natural history


Two books I haven't read yet, but which I have ordered from the US are:

 "Imprint Training of the Newborn Foal" by R.Miller (Western Horseman, ??)
 ISBN 0911647228

 "Lyons on Horses" by John Lyons (Doubleday, ??)
 ISBN 038541398X

My favourite author is Lucy Rees. Her books are very readable.
Also, I like her attitude to horses and their training. "Understanding
Your Pony" is pitched more towards the younger reader, but is full of
wisdom nonetheless.

I hope this bibliography is useful. If anyone knows of any horse behaviour
books not in the list, please let me know -- as you can see this is a
subject which interests me greatly. Of course, no amount of reading about
the subject could substitute for the 18 or so years I've had observing
and interacting with these wonderful animals.

It is easy to write stuff like "ears pointing forward mean x, ears back
mean y", but horse body language is much more subtle than that.
I doubt whether it is possible to put into words *all* that goes on
when horses and people communicate -- probably because that language
is so non-verbal anyway.

--
Francis Burton      Physiology, Glasgow University, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland.
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