By Judy Van Put
SULLIVAN COUNTY — December 3, 2002 – Here it is the third of December already — and the season for heavy-duty gift shopping! Everyone likes to give someone a gift that is appreciated — and for those horsemen and women on your list, here are some tried-and-true suggestions garnered from friends and relatives who have been on both the giving and receiving end.
Books are always a good gift. There are many new ones on the market but try to tailor your choices to the disciplines your friend or relative is interested in: for example, someone who is into roping or barrel racing might not appreciate an in-depth study of Hunt Seat Equitation, and vice versa. Many books cross all disciplines, and are a welcome addition to anyone's library.
Some new offerings include "Horse & Rider's Hand-On Horse Care," The Complete Book of Equine First Aid, by Karen E.N. Hayes, DVM, MS; "Hands On Senior Horse Care," The Complete Book of Senior Equine Management & First Aid, by Karen E.N. Hayes, DVM, MS; "David and Karen O'Connor's Basic Horsemanship," Volumes 1, 2 and 3. These series are also available on videotape, as are a number of other horse books.
For someone considering building a barn or facility, "Horse Housing," How to Plan, Build and Remodel Barns and Sheds, by Richard Klimesh and Cherry Hill, contains 17 plans, lots of photos and an extensive glossary of building terms.
The pleasure reader will enjoy "Straight From the Heart II," More True Stories of Remarkable Encounters with Once-in-a-Lifetime Horses. In celebration of EQUUS' 25th anniversary, the editors of EQUUS magazine have compiled a new selection of the best True Tales. The American Youth Horse Council publishes a book titled "AYHC Horse Industry Handbook," A Guide to Equine Care and Management. This book is a tremendous resource book written by experts and professionals nationwide, and is used widely for youth competitions, as well as a "must have" for adult horsemen. It contains information from selecting your first horse through care and training and management of an equine business.
All of the above listed books may be ordered from www.TheEquine Collection.com or by calling 1-800-952-5813.
A subscription to a horse magazine is a gift that lasts all year — and each month is "given" again. Some of the popular offerings include Western Horseman, Equus, Horse & Rider, Horse Illustrated and Young Rider.
A membership in an organization, such as the New York State Horse Council, is also a great gift. For the year 2003, at the members' request, membership includes Equisure $1,000,000 Excess Equine Personal Liability Insurance through USAEq and Saddle Partners of America for each general member. Membership benefits include quarterly NYSHC newsletters, discounted advertising fees for members, free annual copy of the NYSHC Horseman's Directory, half-price subscription rate ($7.50) to the Northeast Equine Journal, and much more. You become part of a 20,000 membership joined for the welfare of horses.
The Web site is www.nyshc.org and is updated frequently with lots of information on current events in the horse world. For membership information, call Gail Nardozzi, Membership Chairman, at 942-0420, or e-mail at minekcir@aol.com or send dues ($55 general individual membership, includes $1M individual liability insurance) to NYSHC Membership Office, c/o Gail Nardozzi, 28 Minerick Drive, Stony Point, N.Y. 10980.
Please see next week's Horse Talk column for more Christmas gift ideas.