Western Horseman has a recent addition to its book line, The Horseman’s Guide to Tack and Equipment by award-winning author Cynthia McFarland. The book subtitle—Form, Fit and Function—reflects the guiding principle in her new book: Horse gear must fit well to function best with the horse’s conformation and movement.
Fit, form, function = Best horse gear
Easy-to-reference chapters in The Horseman’s Guide to Tack and Equipment address everything from halter and lead to protective leg gear.
To that end McFarland has sought expertise from top industry professionals, including respected horsemen and makers and purveyors of Western tack and equipment. Roger Allgeier, Tom Balding, Martin Black, Craig Cameron, Chris Cox, Al Dunning, Scott Grosskopf, Benny Guitron, Tim Hansen, Mike Major, Ted Robinson, Les Vogt and Jeremiah Watt are among the many who share their knowledge about how tack can fit and function effectively for horse and rider.
Easy-to-reference chapters in The Horseman’s Guide to Tack and Equipment address everything from halter and lead to protective leg gear, and all points in between—bridles, bits, saddles, pads and more.
An industry expert weighs in on each particular piece of gear and how to adjust that equipment for general riding and/or specific activities. Sidebars throughout the book also address equipment care and “gotchyas,” the typical mistakes made in adjusting tack.
McFarland already has two Western Horseman books in print, Ride the Journey with Chris Cox and Cow-Horse Confidence with Martin Black. The Horseman’s Guide to Tack and Equipment, an 8 ½ by 11 soft-cover, has 190 pages and almost 200 color photos.
Western Horseman, established in 1936, is a monthly magazine covering ranching, Western horsemanship, rodeo and equine events, and cowboy culture. The magazine is a member of the Morris Equine Group, which includes Barrel Horse News, Horseman’s Yankee Pedlar, Quarter Horse News and HorseCity.com. The Morris Equine Group is owned by Morris Communications, a Georgia-based media company.