Written by an expert on horses, The Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies is a look at the fascinating world of horses. More than just a reference book, this is a lavishly illustrated and highly accessible encyclopedia telling every horse lover all they ever wanted to know about this most magnificent of animals. From the significance of the horse to the Ancient Greeks to the origination of the Shire horse and Caspian pony, everything from history and anatomy, breeds and breeding, and grooming and showing is covered,. The coverage of horse breeds gives detailed descriptions of the Shetland pony to the less common Dole Gudbrandsdal. 1,000 photographs combine with the text, enabling all breeds to be quickly and easily identified. There is a compendium of horse care which will provide horse owners and owners-to-be with all the information they ever need to know about keeping these extraordinary, beautiful, and intriguing animals. The encyclopedia is full of information and essential facts about the horse: did you know that the oldest ever recorded horse was Old Billy who lived to be 62 years old; or that the cowboy hat was invented by John B. Stetson in the Pennsylvania in the 1860s? Horse-owners and horse-lovers alike will find a wealth of essential information on the world of the horse in this all-encompassing encyclopedia.