Book Review: Horse Lover's Daily Companion, by Audrey Pavia

The 320-page, hard-cover book is a daily delight for equestrians and horse enthusiasts, from its photo-insert cover to the topical index in the back. Filled with 125 artistic full-color equine photographs (most taken by professional cameraman Tom Sapp), Horse Lover's Daily Companion: 365 Days of Tips and Inspiration for Living a Joyful Life with Your Horse is a super gift idea for a horse lover.

Equestrians and horse lovers generally enjoy learning about equines and how to care for them. Horse Lover's Daily Companion: 365 Days of Tips and Inspiration for Living a Joyful Life with Your Horse overflows with practical and positive ideas for horse management, training and enjoyment.

Equestrian Enthusiasm and Essentials

Author Audrey Pavia has organized Horse Lover's Daily Companion: 365 Days of Tips and Inspiration for Living a Joyful Life with Your Horse into regular daily categories for a year's worth of brief, but instructional and inspiring, horse-related readings.

Monday readings focus on specific breeds of horses: Akhal-Tekes, Andalusians, Appaloosas, Arabians, Cleveland Bays, Connemaras, Fell Ponies, Freesians, Hackneys, Mustangs, Paso Finos, Saddlebreds, Thoroughbreds, Trakehners, Warmbloods and many more.

Tuesday entries offer information about all sorts of equestrian disciplines, from trail riding to team penning, from cattle drives to mounted treasure hunts and from driving to dressage.

Wednesday pages detail intriguing facts from horse history. Audrey Pavia has included profiles of famous horses from history and literature, such as Black Beauty, Comanche, Flicka, Idaho Gem, Man o' War, Napoleon's Marengo, Sea Biscuit and Xenophon.

Thursday sessions provide helpful how-to's for smart stabling of horses. Pages spell out advice for horse breeding, caring for horse pastures, catching runaway horses, choosing bits, finding equine insurance, maintaining horseback riding arenas, preventing biting, equestrian tack cleaning, and other horse management concerns.

Friday writings describe equine health and horse care. Items explain horse acupuncture, arthritis care, chiropractic treatments, dietary concerns, equine influenza, equine strangles, gastric ulcers, horse hoof care, thrush and more.

Saturday and Sunday sections zero in on ways to foster the horse and human relationship. Audrey Pavia has penned instructions for finding equestrian trainers, great grooming and equine bathing, horse record keeping, in-hand grazing, learning lunging, practicing trailer loading, pre-ride stretching, riding vacations and other equestrian activities.

The book also includes an extensive two-page list of resources, including breed registries, medical associations equestrian associations and recommended reading.

Horse Lover's Daily Companion: 365 Days of Tips and Inspiration for Living a Joyful Life with Your Horse, published by Quarry Books in September 2009, retails for $19.99 ($24.99 in Canada). The book is available from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, Borders.com, Buy.com and other merchants.

About the Author: Audrey Pavia

Audrey Pavia, a former Horse Illustrated editor, is the author of many horse books, including Appaloosa Spirit, Horseback Riding for Dummies, Horse Health & Nutrition for Dummies, Horses for Dummies, Paint Spirit, Trail Riding: A Complete Guide, The Ultimate Horse Lover and Why Do Horses Sleep Standing Up? Audrey Pavia has published articles in Appaloosa Journal, Equestrian Retailer, Equine Veterinary Management, Horses USA, Paint Horse Journal, Quarter Horses USA, Trail Rider, USDF Connection, Western Horseman and elsewhere.