Horse Behavioural problems books

[danielb]

Can anyone recommend me any good books for helping me to understand and help horse's with behavioural problems?

Cheers,

DanielB

[Lovecat]

I'm a big fan of 'Perfect Manners - how to behave so your horse will too' by Kelly Marks :D I've been lucky insofar as I haven't had any major issues yet with my own horse, but it came in very useful for the temperamental school horse that I used to share!

[Tootsie4U]

The key to fixing behavior problems is understanding horse behavior and how humans influence it ;)

I recommend any books that will help you do so. (John Lyons, Monty Roberts, etc.)

[Kerry's Partner]

For behavioural problems and to begin the learning curve toward partnership I'd recommend Mike Peace. However, I'd also recommend that to learn how to deal with behavioural problems (like experts do) you need to be able to learn how to differentiate between apparent bad behaviour because of pain/distress etc so the root cause is dealt with before retraining begins!!

Sandra

[kirrel]

I dont think shes very well known, or specifically written books just about behavioural problems. But I think any book by Lucy Rees helps in the understanding of horses and why they do what they do!
Shes written - The Horses Mind, Understanding Your Pony and others.
I really do reccomend reading them as I think her explanations of behaviour are spot on!! :)

[Tootsie4U]

Isnt Mark Rashid a behavioralist?

[Harry Hobbes]

danielb,

Behaviors in any animal are rooted in its instincts, as determined by its genetic evolution, and as affected in each individual horse by its environment (i.e., experiences).

For an excellent primer on the gene-driven instincts of the horse, and how environmental factors affect behavior, try:

Understanding The Ancient Secrets Of The Horse's Mind, by Dr. Robert M. Miller, DVM. ISBN 0-929346-65-3.

The trainers listed in the prior posts above, are mostly training and correcting equine behaviors based on the principles that Dr. Miller elucidates.

Best regards,
Harry

[Kerry's Partner]

Harry I don't think the trainers in the posts are all quoting from the same hymn book at all. Well they may be or they may not be but I think that is something they should comment upon themselves.

I have studied evolution and never read the book you quote - evolution and, in fact, animal (as well as human) behaviour is, as I'm sure you know VERY complex - and the nature/nurture debate has never ever reached a conclusion anything like one person has got it sussed - and no one else has!!

Sorry to disagree. I obviously don't disagree with your recommended reading, just with how you have dismissed the other recommendations.

[Harry Hobbes]

Dismissed?

Who dismissed?

[Kerry's Partner]

The only one of Mark Rashid's books I read was totally ace in my opinion - for the life of me I can't remember it's title. I think it's something like: "If horses were colours" but I'm sure I'm way off being correct here. It was a book I borrowed from Sue Carnell so I'm sure Sue can give the correct title.

It is an appropriately humbling and enlightening read - and it is VERY easy to read too.

Sandra

[Dizzy]

'A Good Horse is Never a Bad Colour', and agree its a very good book, well worth a read. As KP says its also very easy to read, I couldn't put it down.