Foreword

Since the end of World War II the "horse business" has enjoyed boom years. There have been many reasons for this, I believe. Most Americans were in somewhat better financial circumstances; we had a little more free or leisure time on our hands; there was a swing toward urban and rural living, away from the crowded big cities; and the country as a whole enjoyed a sort of "western holiday" through television, movies, musicals, and advertising.

Riding clubs sprouted and flourished, organized trail rides bloomed, and horse shows blossomed as never before. Stall facilities at country fairs, state fairs, and even major livestock shows had to be enlarged, even though many of these facilities were built during the so-called "horse era."

Dude and guest ranches were in clover, and riding stables were scouring the country looking for gentle horses to handle the ever-growing riding classes. Manufacturers of western wear and gear saw the wave coming and dug in to meet the demands. Even the automobile, which supposedly sounded the death knell for Old Dobbin, is now pulling a sleek trailer, hauling the horse to distant places for shows, sales, rides, race tracks, and rodeos.

It wasn't all sunny, however. With the roses there are always some thorns. There was a shortage of horseshoers and large-animal veterinarians and, while there has been much scurrying and activity in these fields, the shortage still exists.

The biggest problem, though, was education. Almost a whole generation had given more thought to horsepower than to horses and when their children got horses and ponies there were many questions and few answers. In too many cases there were no answers or partial answers or, in the worst cases, wrong answers. Moreover, this shortage of knowledge and information still exists, even though there has been much scurrying and activity to get the questions answered.

This book will help to fill that gap. It will be a salvation to parents in answering the multitude of questions brought forth by the young riders in their family; and the parents, too, will profit. Anyone with a horse will be happy to have such a book in his library. To a horse owner the answer to one single problem—on care, feeding, breaking, training, riding gear, equipment, or facilities—is well worth the price of this or any book.

This book represents far more than the time it takes to sit down and write it. The information and answers contained in it are the results of many years spent with horses and riders, and the training and instruction of both.

Dick Spencer III, editor
The Western Horseman Magazine
Colorado Springs, Colorado

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