Horses

by Kate Reddick

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Genres: Reference, Horses, Animals

Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Kate Reddick's Horses is perhaps more than a bit dated (seeing that it was published in 1976) and although extensive, not really all that intensive and overly detailed, it still is and remains a simply wonderful and informative general, basic introduction to world horse and pony breeds for an older child or a teenager (and most appreciatively, the accompanying photographs are for the most part all in full colour, which is not necessarily the status quo, as many similar such horse breed reference guides tend to feature mostly black and white offerings). Now I purchased a copy of Horses through my school (in 1980, when I was fourteen years old) and I then kept reading it until it literally fell apart (so much so that I actually ended up having to repeatedly glue and tape the pages together, until finally, one of our new kittens gave Horses the inevitable but still very much regretted final coup de grace). And yes, I especially have always liked (and still very much continue to appreciate in my recently purchased replacement copy of Horses) the clear and concise information regarding the evolution and domestication of horses, namely that the author, that Kate Reddick presents and features enough scientifically sound material and details for a solid general overview, but always uses simple wording and expressions not too complex for especially younger readers to easily grasp, to without too much difficulty understand. And indeed, in my humble opinion, this little gem is truly a must for young horse enthusiasts (but unfortunately, Horses is also no longer in current print and thus rather difficult to obtain, but it is defnitely more than well worth the search and the effort of the search).

[Foxtower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of my three horse books I find this one valuable because there are photos of just about every breed imaginable. It's organized into small ponies, "light" horses, and the coolest horses, the Heavy horses! Fun to peruse and it helps me appreciate the horses I meet along the way by understanding what they are bred for.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

A treasured book from childhood, with my original 1976 copy still having a place on my bookshelf. I loved looking at this book, and treasured it even after I got my first horse as a young teen.

[Ingrid Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is mostly a photography book with a bit of information in it. It still sits on my shelf - it was among the first books I bought myself as I began my own "library". It is not a must-have book, but is has nice photos and is great for any horse addict (like me).

[Fishface · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful reference book of just about every breed of horse out there. I forget whether it includes the wild horses as well. Lovely photos. Perfect gift for your 12-year-old daughter.

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Photographs of horse breeds from around the world. Gorgeous.

[Zachary Littrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's be honest: the purpose of this book is to look at the pretty pictures of horses, and that's totally a-okay. They're beautiful animals.


With over 100 horse breeds including ponies, light horses, and draft horses, Reddick covers each horse's physical characteristics, personality, main use, and the origin of their breed -- and of course, at least one photo of that particular magnificent beast.

My main disappointment is the way info is presented (but it is a scholastic book, so I give it some slack). There is a glossary (and handy horse anatomy diagram) to cover some terms, but it would be nice if Reddick paused to go over how the heck a horse can be 'frugal.' There's an interesting narrative going on in the background about how governments and families manage the breeds, and how the breeds go in and out of fashion (this book is from 1976, so I reckon the state of horse affairs has only continued to change), but it's hardly touched on. And the same info is repeated for numerous horses, almost word for word. Maybe instead of alphabetical order, the horses could've been listed more in terms of regions, lineage, etc...anything that would be more streamlined and interesting. As is, it's mostly a bare-bones reference and picture book.

But it's nice to look at, and is full of useful information (at least, for the time). It's a good coffee table book, or to gift to a kid fascinated by horses.

[Foxtower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of my three horse books I find this one valuable because there are photos of just about every breed imaginable. It's organized into small ponies, "light" horses, and the coolest horses, the Heavy horses! Fun to peruse and it helps me appreciate the horses I meet along the way by understanding what they are bred for.