The first complete reference to help equestrians make the changes needed to ensure social license and the ability to ride and compete horses for years to come.

Renowned wild horse ecologist and equine behaviorist Mary Ann Simonds provides a practical soup-to-nuts manual for understanding how horses think, feel, learn, communicate, and interact with each other and with humans. Integrating over 30 years of field research, identifying functional social behaviors in wild horses with her lifelong professional practice working with equestrians solving equine behavioral issues, Simonds helps readers gain a strong foundation into the emotional and cognitive lives of horses and explore various horse-human relationships. She provides numerous tools for assessing personalities, communicating with horses, and understanding how horses learn, with an emphasis on improving care and reducing stress in competitions and sports.

In three parts, each introduced by top researchers and scientists in the equestrian field, readers will:

Filled with hundreds of color-coded tips and beautiful photos, and backed by science, personal stories, and unique insights, readers have multiple ways to quickly find useful information and apply it to their own horse-human situations. Whether preparing for a horse show, working with young stock, riding on the trails, adopting a wild horse, running a rescue, or just hoping to improve your communication and relationships with all horses, this book is a catalyst for much-needed change in the equine industry.