Learn to evaluate the fitness of any horse—in the stable and in the saddle

This guide helps horse owners, riders, and trainers at all levels learn how to assess any horse's fitness, strengths, and weaknesses. If you're buying a horse, this will help you pre-assess prospects before getting the complete veterinary examination. If you own a horse, these techniques will help you better understand your horse's aptitudes, customize a training program, identify signs of strain, and provide better care for your horse.

With step-by-step instructions and almost 200 photos and drawings showing the proper positioning and approach for each technique, you'll learn:

• Hand palpation skills, several basic massage movements, and simple stretching exercises

• A Riding Evaluation Program (REP) that helps you identify abnormalities in gaits, tight- muscle groups or sore joints, and more

• The Palpation Evaluation Program (PEP), in which you use your fingertips to pinpoint problems

• How to perform an assessment of the horse's musculoskeletal system, with twenty-five points on each side

Fitness Evaluation of the Horse teaches you to evaluate the soundness and fitness of a horse in a hands-on manner so that you can fine-tune your training program, improve your performance, and enhance your relationship with your horse.