Horse Housekeeping

October 1, 2005
The Kordas -Michael, the editor in chief of Simon & Schuster, previously wrote "Horse People: Scenes from the Riding Life", and wife Margaret is a championship three-day event rider -together have written a charming, fact-filled book about keeping a horse at home. Speaking from 25 years of personal experience, they include information on barn design, pastures, fencing, exercise routines, feed, healthcare, essential equipment, and hiring and managing people to work. They also address issues like whether to allow guests to ride, pointing out that show horses are seldom suitable for inexperienced riders; such a match-up could result in harm to either the horse or the rider. If there is a downside to reading the book, it is that having done so, only the brave and extremely industrious would undertake such a complicated and labor-intensive enterprise. Recommended for most public libraries, especially where riding is popular. -Patsy E. Gray, Huntsville P.L., AL

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2005
The two sides of the human relationship with horses are reflected in a new book celebrating the practical and the spiritual. As Margaret and Michael Korda point out, before World War I, practically everyone knew at least the rudiments of horse care, and horses were everywhere. Now most people ride at a stable, and the idea of a backyard horse is an exotic one. For those with the space and the desire to bring their horses home, the Kordas have produced a useful guide to housing backyard horses. Written in an anecdotal style, and full of stories about their own farm, the authors share the triumphs as well as the pitfalls of keeping horses. One of the main things the authors stress is the fact that horse keepers in the long run will not save much money, but will be doing things in the way that they want. A nice addition to the other horse-care books in the collection. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)