The Horseman's Illustrated Dictionary

Full explanations of more than 1,000 terms and phrases used by horsemen past and present. Is your horse able to capriole? How can you tell whether he's suffering from thoroughpin? What does it mean if his mane - or your back - is roached? A complete compendium of equestrian terms, The Horseman's Illustrated Dictionary goes beyond simple words and phrases. In addition to providing easy-to-understand definitions of both esoteric and commonly used terms, Steven D. Price delves into their fascinating derivations. You'll learn, for example, that the name of the Percheron draft horse comes from the breed's origins in the La Perche area of Normandy, France; that "bishoping" - doctoring a horse's teeth to show a younger age - refers to an unscrupulous eighteenth-century dealer named Bishop; and that the "canter" gait is a shortened version of "Canterbury gallop," purportedly inspired by the pilgrims who rode to Canterbury at that pace. Entries for notable figures in the history of horsemanship include Xenophon, the fourth-century BC author of the first surviving riding and training manual, and Federico Caprilli, the man credited with the introduction of the forward-seat style of riding.
This richly illustrated dictionary is both a useful reference work and a lively panoramic view of horse-related words and phrases. It's the perfect gift for any "hippophile" (horse lover).