3 Review(s)

How intelligent are horses? Why do they toss their heads, and what makes them paw the ground? Why do they swish their tails, and what makes them flare their nostrils? In Illustrated Horsewatching Desmond Morris gets out to answer these and numerous other questions of consuming interest to horse-lovers. As a zoologist and a lifelong student of animal behaviour, Desond Morris approaches the horse world in an unusual way, dealing with topics often ignored in the equine literature. In addition to examining the details of horse behaviour he answers a wealth of fascinating cultural and sociological questions, such as why horseshoes bring good luck, why we (at least in this country) don't eat horses, why jockeys are allowed to whip their mounts, and why we call a bad dream a nightmare. Desmond Morris even applies his zoological mind, and his superb writing skills, to the all-important question why some horses run faster than others.