Heart of a Hoofbeat

by Margaret Evans

Price: $29.95, Softcover

Click here to read our HORSEjournals.com book review.

When were horses domesticated? Do domestic horses behave like wild horses? Why do they band together? Do they have a leader, play, make friends and watch out for each other? What is a dominant mare? What is a bachelor band? Are they smart, can they solve problems and remember tasks? Why do we value them so much?

HEART OF A HOOFBEAT sets out to answer these and other questions about the natural behaviour of domestic horses. The book explores our historic and mystic fascination with them and how we are learning that horses can be valuable contributors to the health of natural habitats.

The heart of the book is about the natural instincts and behaviour of domestic horses. Through anecdotal stories, personal observation and research, the book explores how domestic horses socialize in hierarchical bands and interact not only among themselves but with their environment similar to how wild horses behave. The book documents their physical qualities, how they communicate through body language, their intelligence and the rich tapestry of their emotions.