From the horsemen of Mongolia to the tribesmen of Morocco, this book contains 300 photographs documenting the way of life handed down in 11 different cultures. It concentrates on the relationship of the people with their horses, from work to celebrations and dressage, and was the inspiration for the recent BBC TV series Horse People with Alexandar Tolstoy.

This is a wonderful book, and every equine student should own a copy! It provides a clear, concise and comprehensive overview of the human-horse relationship, and is written in an engaging and accessible style. If I had to make a criticism however, it would be that there was a lack of bibliographic references for the factual information other than quotes, but as an introductory text it is certainly a good starting point.

Saddle fitting is without a doubt one of the most crucial aspects of any equestrian sport. A badly fitted saddle can cause a huge amount of discomfort for both horse and rider, resulting in poor performance.

An understanding of the inner workings of the horse’s hoof is essential for any horse owner, being a vital part of the animal, the root of many problems and a considerable maintenance cost. Van Nassau’s clear and comprehensive examination of this most important structure is therefore a much-needed volume in any horse owner’s library.