I have been involved with animals all my life. I had a pet sitting service for people on vacation when I was twelve. As the years evolved I became more involved with animals, taking in abandoned and abused dogs and cats. I taught basic horse back riding lessons for a couple of years. I trained my own horses. I took care of a cattle and sheep ranch when the owners went on vacation. I took care of a large boarding stable 25 plus horses over a few years when the owners went on vacation. I also worked for a livestock auction company.

I grew up in a military family, we moved every few years. I rode horses everywhere I lived, riding with friends and at riding stables. I fell in love with horses when I was 5 years old and rode a donkey in Holland. I was able to purchase my first horse in 1974 and she was with me until she passed away at the age of 26 in 1996. I still have her son, who is now 27 years old.

I think that developing a close friendship with a horse is one of the greatest gifts one can have.

A horse is an expensive investment not only in money and time, but also emotionally not only for you but also for the horse. The horse wants stability, peace, calmness and someone to love in his life. He also wants a friend he can do things with. He doesn’t like moving from owner to owner when people get tired of him or have purchased a horse beyond their abilities.

I originally wrote this book for horses and their new owners in the late 80’s because I had heard of and seen so many people receive bad advice when looking for a horse. I have seen sellers try to pass off a horse that should never have been sold to first time owners or used for a mount for children. Many people do not take the time to look at several different horses or educate themselves with lessons prior to looking for a horse. Based on very little information they buy the wrong horse, just because they want a horse so badly. Usually they end up wishing they had never purchased the horse. If they had taken riding lessons, researched the pros and cons of horse ownership and how to buy a horse prior to the actual purchasing, they would have had a great experience

I also wrote this book because too many people seem to think they can treat horses like they do cars. A horse unlike a car does not have unlimited energy and a horse can be severely injured from attempting to do the commands given to him. He can have psychological problems from mistreatment. He feels fear, pain, rejection and happiness just as we do. They are not something to be thrown away or abandon when one tires of them. People tend to forget that a horse is a living breathing creature and should be treated with respect. They take a lot of time, attention and love and these facts need to be taken into consideration before you buy a horse.

Shortly after I wrote this book, I was involved in an automobile accident that totally changed my life and that of my animals. I could no longer care for my horse. He had to be placed in a boarding stable. After several years of intense physical therapy, I have been able to start getting back to some of the things I love. In 2005 I expanded the chapter on boarding stables and have revised some of the other chapters due to the experiences that my horse “Cok” and I have gone through.