"Never before have horse care guidelines been so easy to follow."
Horseman's Yankee Pedlar, Bookshelf, May 2008

Cherry Hill, author of numerous horse books, has put together a valuable collection of horse care information, almanac-style. This book is unique in the way it presents horse care information: as a month-by-month guide. So you can keep it on hand for reference, and see what suggestions and tips Hill has for you that month.

The detail in this almanac is impressive. A huge number of topics are covered, and they are effectively structured using charts, lists, and diagrams. Hill hits all the major seasonal topics, such as breeding, blanketing and poisonous plants, plus topics you may not expect, like Africanized honeybees and branding. At times it's confusing to find information, because there are several horse care topics that don't belong only in one month (this would include topics like trailering, selling a horse, or natural feeding). So, additional searching may be required if you want to find these more general topics. In addition to the hefty dose of seasonal horse care tips, the almanac includes interesting tidbits on horse history, vocabulary and even horse movies! There are plentiful drawings on every page, which helps to illustrate the horse care tips, and there are tabs on the edges of the pages, color-coded by season.

BOTTOM LINE: Never before have horse care guidelines been so easy to follow..

"Prayer answered." Horse & Rider, Sneak Peek, April 2008
by Juli Thorson

This could be one of the most useful references in your horse care library. The subtitle alone explains why: "The Essential Month by Month Guide for Everyone Who Keeps or Cares for Horses."

Season by season, climate to climate, Hill addresses the issues that affect horses and their caretakers. She provides calendar-appropriate tips, recipes, reference charts, to do lists, and recurring reminders. Result? A book that tames much of the guesswork and gotta-remember-to's that go along with having horses.

I have a gardener's reference tome that serves a similar function, and often wished I had something similar for my other lifestyle passion. Prayer answered!

"Good horsekeeping seal of approval." By The Denver Post, 1/05/2008 08:17:30

This sensible book by author Cherry Hill ("How to Think Like a Horse" and more than two dozen other titles) covers more ground than a Triple Crown winner.

Chapters are arranged by month, discussing seasonal issues likely to affect horses and their caretakers, along with a recommended monthly movie and assorted facts. For finicky horses reluctant to drink water except at home, Hill advises swirling a peppermint candy cane in the water pail, a trick that coaxes a "reluctant drinker" into sucking it up.

"... an enjoyable read."
WESTERN HORSEMAN, Western Horsemanship Notebook, March 2008

SUBTITLED "THE ESSENTIAL MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE for Everyone Who Keeps or Cares for Horses," trainer, instructor and "horsekeeping authority" Cherry Hill's latest work is a comprehensive guide to nearly 250 horsemanagement topics.

The 576-page paperback volume is divided into five sections--late winter, spring, summer, fall and early winter--with a chapter for each month of the year. Within each chapter, Hill addresses horsekeeping topics of seasonal importance, everything from cold-weather feed rules and springtime manure management, to estrous cycles, arena designs and hunting-season safety.

Seasonal reminders, to-do lists, and useful sidebars and charts add to the book's educational value. Each chapter even includes a "Spanish word of the month." Insightful pull quotes, stand-alone tips, scores of illustrations and a reader-friendly, eye-pleasing design make the volume an enjoyable read.

"... an indispensable resource ...", BOOKPAGE, December 2007
By Deanna Larson (Nashville)

Owning a few horses is a common city-dweller fantasy, but learning to care for livestock can come with a steep learning curve for those not raised in the country. Cherry Hill's Horsekeeping Almanac: The Essential Month-by-Month Guide for Every Horse Owner puts a metaphoric arm around novices on the way to the barn.

Hill, who runs Long Tail Ranch in northern Colorado, covers every aspect of horse ownership, broken down into tasks for each month and season, including buying, conditioning and feeding a horse, lifting a hoof and calling the vet, dealing with muddy pastures and electric fencing, stable flies, flooding, trailer loading and foaling, and setting up the tack room and farm office. Add illustrations and fascinating sidebars on horse history and trivia and you have an indispensable resource for any new or aspiring horse howner.

"Best New Horse Reference on the Market", November 1, 2007
By Toni Leland (Ohio)

In my opinion, this is the best new horse reference on the market, and of special value to new owners, regardless of whether their horses are 16 hands or 30 inches. The author's unique approach to caring for our horses year-round is so logical, one wonders why it wasn't written earlier!

A wealth of information is offered in easy-on-the-eyes layout and color scheme, with charming illustrations throughout. The book is organized by season for temperate climate regions, with additional suggestions for adjusting the information for other climate conditions. An innovative "five-season" plan covers Late Winter (January-February), Spring (March-April-May), Summer (June-July-August), Fall (September-October), and Early Winter (November-December).

Everything and anything a horse owner needs to know or do is included. Upcoming January, for instance, gives information and details about the following: performing a late winter visual examination of your horse; horses and weather; setting up records for the coming year; checking feet and preparing for the farrier; cold weather feeding rules and suggestions; calculating your horse's weight; dealing with winter predators; parasite control; care of teeth; winter grooming; pasture & fence maintenance; sanitation and manure management; tractor maintenance; tack inspection and care; income tax overview; and, preparing for foaling season.

Who guessed so much needed to be done in January?

Scattered throughout these 576 information-packed pages are tidbits about wildlife, horse movies, ranch recipes, language trivia, and historical horsekeeping. The author includes sidebars with tips for living comfortably with horses. "Horse Sense and Safety" includes recommendations for moving around horses: "Either walk around a horse well out of kicking range or move around the horse by staying close, with your hand on his hindquarters to let him know you are there. Never walk under or step over the tie rope." The book has a full index, website resources for horse owners, and a list of recommended reading.

If I still owned horses, this book would be my constant companion!

5 stars from Amazon "The information is timeless."
B. Honeycutt, Bigfork Montana

This is a great armchair/tackroom reference full of tips and information on caring for horses. It is a real help in getting organized. A 'must' for the new horse owner or someone getting back into horsekeeping. It's also a fun, interesting, and easy read for those in-between times while waiting for the coffee to perk or just taking a break. The information is timeless.