The Kid's Guide to Horsemanship and Grooming: Everything You Need to Know to Care for Horses While Staying Safe and Having Fun

A kid-friendly introduction to safe and proper horse care from the best in the business.

Whether taking their first lessons, handling horses when visiting friends, or enjoying the challenges of first-pony ownership, children need to learn more than just "how to ride." When it comes to horses, the most important lessons begin on the ground, not only to keep all involved safe, but also to ensure the fair and proper care of the horse so that he remains healthy and happy. This highly illustrated, easy-to-use book is the most complete and correct guide available for horse-crazy kids and their families to learn basic horsemanship standards and responsibly apply them in the barn, in the arena, at home, and at competitions.

Professional grooms and authors of the bestsellers World-Class Grooming for Horses and World-Class Braiding-Manes and Tails, Cat Hill and Emma Ford are both lifelong horsewomen who have managed barns and strings of horses for top riders in all disciplines, including Olympians and World Champions. They travel the country teaching clinics in proper horsemanship and grooming to aspiring young riders. Now they have put their wealth of experience in these pages with over 700 professional color photos and clear, numbered steps that teach readers:

• Catching, leading, and handling
• Daily grooming
• Tacking up
• Post-riding or lesson care
• Tack cleaning
• Barn chores
• Packing for shows and competitions
• Bathing, clipping, and braiding
• And more!

With cool tips and tricks they've learned over the years, and an emphasis on safety and detail without detracting from the fun of being around horses, Hill and Ford have created an instant classic--a much-needed resource that will not only encourage young readers to become complete "horse people" as well as "riders," it will preserve and pass along the management skills honed over a lifetime in barns held to the highest standards. Hands down, this book is the must-have starter kit for every young rider. Ages 8-12.

Cat Hill grew up in upstate New York on a working farm. Her first clear memory is of the day her parents got her a pony for her fifth birthday. She grew up on that pony, and the pony was followed by a series of Arabian show horses. In college, Cat started riding show hunters with the intercollegiate horse show team at SUNY Geneseo. After receiving her degree, she followed her love of horses to Ireland to be a working student at Mullingar Equestrian Centre, an hour northwest of Dublin. Quickly promoted to barn manager, she spent half a year working with show jumpers and eventers. Upon returning to the United States, Cat spent time as a working student for a top Grand Prix dressage rider, a winter working the Winter Equestrian Festival for a Grand Prix show jumping rider, and moved on to manage a AA hunter barn. From there she worked for eventer Craig Thompson, learning the ropes of grooming at events, before being hired to manage top competitor Mara DePuy's barn. After leaving DePuy to move closer to family, Cat began freelancing as a groom in every discipline, as well as teaching lower-level riders in dressage, jumping, and eventing. Over the years, she has worked at almost every type of equine competition, from the local fair to the Pan American Games.

Emma Ford originated from North Devon, England, and was raised in the hunt field with her dad as Master of the Foxhounds and surrounded by horses. She grew up in the Pony Club system, receiving her "B" designation and culminating with jumping at the Horse of the Year Show in 1991. After completing her BS at the University of Wales, she moved to the United States to follow her passion for horses. Emma managed Adrienne Iorio's Advanced event horses for seven years outside of Boston, Massachusetts, then moved on to Phillip Dutton's barn in West Grove, Pennsylvania. She has groomed at almost every four-star event in the world and has been a member of the US Eventing Team at multiple Olympic, World, and Pan American Games. Over the years, in addition to eventing, Emma has had the opportunity to turn horses out at many upper-level show-jumping competitions, including the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, as well as work for a promising young dressage rider at many upper level dressage shows (www.worldclassgrooming.com).