Welcome to the Horseman's Handbook: Horse Ownership, Care & Enjoyment! Horseman's Handbook Book Title

by Joe B. Armstrong

Cattleman, Horseman & PhD

Book Trailer courtesy of ©Spirit & Nature Productions

About the Author

Joe B. Armstrong is an 86-year-old active horseman and stockman. At 21 years of age, he received his AQHA Judge’s Card with the privilege of being able to “judge any size show”. His entire life has been spent with people, horses, and cattle. His enjoyment is in helping people who need and want to be helped. Horseman’s Handbook is his first book.

Drawing on 7 decades of professional experience gathered around the world as an international judge, educator, breeder, coach, consultant and competitor, Armstrong shares his lifelong passion and knowledge of horses in a practical and concise manner that is accessible to readers of all experience levels.

Joe is a NMSU College of Agriculture Professor Emeritus and has been recognized for his contributions to the horse industry as a DQHA Hall of Fame Honoree, New Mexico 4-H Hall of Fame Honoree, New Mexico FFA Honorary State Farmer, and NMQHA Man of the Year. His life and and distinguished career was featured in Western Horseman magazine in September 2018.

He owns and operates Armstrong Equine Service with his family in La Mesa, NM, and enjoys riding and showing his gelding, Rankins Reminic. They are qualified and will be competing in Ranch Riding at the 2023 AQHA World Show.

Book Preview

Foreword by B.F. Yeates

B.F. YEATES
Texas A&M Extension Horse Specialist Emeritus
AQHA Hall of Fame Honoree
Texas Tech Rodeo Hall of Fame

WOW! What a book that my friend and former co-worker Joe Armstrong has put together. This book captures a lifetime of knowledge and experience with horses, both professional and private. Joe has lived what he is writing about. He has addressed the knowledge and skills that horse owners need with great illustrations to provide a better understanding.

 

In my lifetime, I’ve observed many great horsemen practicing their profession in a lot of different ways. Many have been successful. There are few who will take the time to share with others, and even fewer who can share in a way that can be easily understood. Joe is one of these rare individuals.

 

This is a book about horses – one of God’s great Creations for man to use in all his endeavors – and I feel compelled to point out that the Bible mentions horses 188 times. America was built with horsepower before mechanization became a reality. While still used in some agricultural enterprises, the great growth of the horse industry has been for recreational and human development purposes. Joe has put together a Handbook for today’s horse owners that is easy and enjoyable reading but could also serve as a reference in college classes.

 

Joe and I met and developed a long time friendship through our careers in developing horse programs at the college level – Joe at New Mexico State in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and myself at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. We met at AQHA and other horse breed judging clinics, and each of us developed and managed horse judging programs, horsemanship schools and state 4-H horse shows. We were in the early days of formal education about horses and shared stories and experiences. We also shared the experiences of raising our children with horses. I developed a great respect for Joe, and the times we spent visiting and working in mutual programs are cherished.

 

Joe Armstrong has spent a career living with horses and, as an educator, has greatly contributed to the growth of the horse industry. He has put together a great handbook that is well illustrated and is a combination of both scientific and practical information that can be used as a reference throughout the horse industry. I strongly recommend this Handbook to current and future horse owners.

 

Thank you, Joe, for putting this book together. The practice of using “Thumb Rules” to highlight important truths is unique and helpful. Each time I review a section, I find another “pearl of information” that I had originally overlooked. The following pages contain valuable knowledge that could only come from a lifetime of experiences.

      — B.F. Yeates

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