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The Thinking Horse Breeder – signed Paperback copies can be ordered here at a discount, if you live in Australia.

If you live outside Australia, you will need to order off Amazon in your own country, for faster delivery.

Hard Copies and ebooks can only be ordered off Amazon, due to Amazon requirements.

Read the Exciting reviews from:

Horse Talk NZ

The Regional

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About The Book

If you think horse breeding is a way to make some easy money, then don’t read this book. Set yourself up to succeed in your passion for horses. How would you go about establishing a horse stud? Are you breeding horses but want to take it to the next level? Do you want to make better choices, breed better horses, improve your results? It can be a lonely journey without someone to learn from, to show you how to lessen the mistakes along the way, and to steer you in the right direction. The Thinking Horse Breeder is a step by step, treasure trove of practical information for those who want to thrive and succeed doing what they love.

This book discusses selection of foundation stock, planning matings, breeding methods, genetic diseases, conformation and temperament, foaling down, young horse training, common problems, financials, promotion, photography and ethical considerations, in an easy-to-read, authentic style. Each chapter can be read and re-read for new insights. It will challenge your thinking and give you the art, science and tools for success. Everything you need to know is here in a simple, non-technical format based on the author’s experiences and reflections over 50+ years. For aspiring or serious established breeders alike, this will be an invaluable guide to be read over and over, so you too can master the inevitable challenges and be successful.

The Thinking Horse Breeder will:

  • Define what makes a successful breeder and how you too can be successful
  • Provide you with a wealth of information on breeding methods, care and training
  • Accelerate your goals to breed better horses and improve results.
  • Guide you to the next level in breeding horses
  • Explore and challenge your beliefs on responsible breeding
  • Give you the art, science and tools for success.

About the Author

Photo by Kanga

Jeanette Gower has been breeding Australian Stock Horses for over 50 years in South Australia under the Chalani prefix. Together with her daughter Kim and husband Andy, the stud has enjoyed considerable success Australia wide. Jeanette taught adult Equine Studies for 19 years and has written numerous articles for equine magazines. In 1999 she wrote the widely acclaimed book Horse Colour Explained. She continues her no-holds-barred, practical approach, reflecting on her own experiences. She challenges the reader to think seriously about goals, methods and responsibilities of horse breeding to make the best decisions possible and succeed in the industry.

Contact the Author

Testimonials

There is so much information squeezed into this book. Punchy, provocative, and exciting to read too.

Kathleen Fisher (Appaloosa Breeder)

Fantastic job! I rarely work with someone who has such a succinct style. I hardly had to change anything. For me, success is that you have written a beautiful, important book. Kudos!

Maria K Grace (Editor)

Your book is a really fine collection of your experiences with horse breeding. The book will stand on its own quite nicely as a practical guide to people interested in breeding.

Andrew McLean (Human-Elephant Learning)

Jeanette writes passionately about the topic. I look forward to reading it.

Dr Melissa Newell (Vet)

I loved the chapter on Photography.

While I have been aware that social media has meant that photographs and videos are a big part of marketing, I am not a photographer, and this need for good photographs has become a real cause of frustration.
However now, after reading the information about photography I am feeling confident. Applying the hints and direction from that chapter, it should be possible for me to start taking some good photographs. I particularly liked the hints on having 3 people, and on making sure the horse is not leaning back or forwards. The advice on the stride position, in action shots was fantastic.

Thank you, for making the information so easy to understand.
I look forward to reading the rest of the book.

Janelle Groeneveld (ASH & QH breeder) Janara Stud

Jeanette Gower has been a well-known and respected breeder in South Australia for several decades. She has been a regular contributor to magazines and lectured on various horse husbandry topics for as long as I remember, attending her lectures myself as a teenager. Her first book, Horse Colour Explained, was the first book on equine colour genetics published in Australia that brought the topic in a simple and easy to understand format to the average horse owner. During the book’s research stages in early days of email, I remember assisting Jeanette in her correspondence with genetics experts overseas, and it was fascinating to be a part of those exchanges.

Now, she has created a concise and informative guide, using her 40 years’ experience as a successful horse breeder to present a thought-provoking information source for newer breeders wanting to plan for the future. The book is not a “how to” guide on horse breeding or handling, but rather presents an overview of all the topics and scenarios that a breeder should consider when setting up or expanding a horse stud with longevity in mind. It allows a new breeder the freedom to do things their own way, while encouraging them to think, plan and to make informed decisions on how to create their own successful breeding operation.

Katherine Evans (Lipizzaner breeder) Halado Park

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Also by Jeanette Gower:

Horse Colour Explained

This book was a classic of its time, and is now a collector’s item.
Only a few copies remain.

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