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Complete Horse Care Manual

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Gallop your way to successful horse care with this comprehensive manual. Comprehensive, fully illustrated and up-to-date, "Complete Horse Care Manual" is a thoroughbred guide to horse care. An excellent working relationship with your horse is based on understanding and communication. These lie at the heart of this practical guide. From day-to-day upkeep, stabling, and grooming, to nursing a sick horse and first-aid techniques, this accessible handbook will appeal to all horse lovers. With over 650 specially commissioned photographs and diagrams, step-by-step sequences tell you all you need to know about caring for your horse. A detailed guide to ailments allows you to recognize common problems and deal with them efficiently. Practical suggestions for daily, monthly, and annual routines will ensure you keep your horse healthy and comfortable throughout the year.

216 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

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188 people want to read

About the author

Colin Vogel

17 books1 follower

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5 stars
111 (44%)
4 stars
84 (34%)
3 stars
41 (16%)
2 stars
8 (3%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Kathrynn.
1,185 reviews
March 18, 2008
Extremely basic horse care book with lots of visuals--emphasis on "lots and extremely." Even has pictures of how to spread out the hay with a pitchfork. Great book for someone that knows absolutely nothing about equine management and care; excellent book for young adult, too!

This is a large, hardcover book that contains:

Chapter 1 is Looking at the Horse
- Development, types of horses, colors and markings, equine senses, body language....

Chapter 2 is General Care
- Owning, handling, leading, checking feet, shoeing, grooming, clipping, transporting....

Chapter 3 is Turning Your Horse Out
- Fields, gates, water, shelter, poisonous plants, catching....

Chapter 4 is The Stabled Horse
- Bedding materials, how to muck out a stall...

Chapter 5 is Food and Water
- How to feed and water, nutritional needs, hay...

Chapter 6 is The Sick or Injured Horse
- Lameness, foot, joint and leg disorders, eye, nose and mouth disorders, internal parasites...

Chapter 7 is Tack and Clothing
- Saddles, girths, bridles, bits, fitting tack, putting on a saddle, putting on a bridle, cleaning tack, blankets...

Chapter 8 is Hints and Tips
- Buying and Keeping a Horse
Profile Image for Жепка.
6 reviews1 follower
August 22, 2023
A beautifully illustrated introduction of the basic concepts about the horse and horse care for a beginner rider 🐴🌟
Profile Image for Amanda  up North.
981 reviews31 followers
Read
December 17, 2020
Our youngest son has been trying to convince us to get a horse. It's been his "life's dream" but the intensity of his mission has increased over the past several months.
I read this as reference and to share with him as he does his homework on all things horse-ownership related.
It is just what the title says it is, a horse care manual, but I'd say it's more basic than complete.
Profile Image for Sarah Toton.
218 reviews
July 28, 2019
Pretty basic but a good overview.

Would recommend for beginnners, will not read again.
Profile Image for Ava Yeates.
7 reviews
May 20, 2025
Very basic but covers everything well. Great for experienced equestrians and beginner equestrians too, would recommend.
Thanks for reading ♥️
Profile Image for Rosa Beagle.
13 reviews
April 8, 2023
Slightly outdated now, but at the time it was published would have been very good. Jam packed with information. Two ponies I know are in it which is amazing!
Profile Image for Lydia.
1,126 reviews49 followers
July 27, 2022
An overarching exploration of the horse, horse care, what you need to work with/care for horses and some basic horse world information. Some of the veterinary care information is a little dated and Mr. Vogel is based in the UK, so some of the terms are not the same as what we use in the USA (for instance: what they call "horse rugs" we call "horse blankets"; most of these terms you can figure out from the context, however, if you then go to a USA based stable and call them "rugs" you may get a blank stare).

This book has a special place in my heart, it is one of the first horse care books I picked up when I first developed an interest in horses and I found it perfect at the time. There is a lot of information about a lot of topics, but it rarely dives super deep into anything, instead encouraging the reader to field further questions to knowledgeable professionals (vets, trainers, instructors, owners, etc. and includes a good guide in the back for how to get in touch with horse professionals/organizations). For the young enthusiast who dreams of owning their own horse one day, this book has good information and doesn't sugar coat the amount of time and energy you will need to put into this creature to achieve any goals.

Content notes: No issues; there are some vet care pictures of nasty wounds, but usually also include "after" pictures where the horse has been treated if not healed. As noted earlier, some of the information is a little dated (topics I can think of off hand are water temperatures for recently worked horses, de-worming schedules and blanket styles (considering this version is almost 30 years old that's not bad!)), but having knowledgeable stable staff/vet will set you straight on these changes and is honestly encouraging because it means the horse world is still devoting time and energy to horse care.

Profile Image for Ann Keller.
Author 31 books112 followers
June 15, 2011
Colin Vogel, a leading authority on horse care, presents the reader with a fine manual for the beginning and intermediate equestrian. Mr. Vogel illustrates basic horse behavior and anatomy, providing vital tips on controlling your horse, essential hoof care, clipping, transporting your horse and preparing for a show, tack, as well as everyone’s favorite task, mucking out a stall.

Especially important is the back of the book, detailing foot and leg disorders, parasites, tips on when it’s time to call a veterinarian, first aid for injuries and nursing care, as well as foaling and year round care of your horse. The Complete Horse Care Manual is a must for the library of any novice or intermediate equestrian.
7 reviews
September 5, 2011
It is a very good book if you want to learn about horses. It teaches you all the differnt kinds of diseases and sickness they can get, and how to take care of them. It is nonfiction It has more then 200 pages. it is easy to read. It's has alot of information about horses.
Profile Image for Maria.
118 reviews
October 5, 2018
Well-illustrated and straight-forward introduction to all aspects of taking care of a horse. Anyone wanting to get a horse should definitely read this book first. Nothing much on riding--this is really just focused on taking care of the horse.
Profile Image for Claire.
73 reviews
February 4, 2010
I don't know what to rate a non fiction book but it does have many facts so that's good!
Profile Image for Michelle.
3,778 reviews32 followers
December 8, 2010
I may have read an earlier version, but it had too much horse anatomy and basic horse information. A good disease and first aid section, though.
Profile Image for Trina.
115 reviews
October 14, 2011
Useful in my quest to educate myself on horses and riding.
Profile Image for Staci .
462 reviews18 followers
June 10, 2013
So much great stuff, I actually would have liked even more comprehensive, I would have liked 100 more pages.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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