Best Equine Medicine Books of 2026

Horse Brain, Human Brain: The Neuroscience of Horsemanship by Janet Jones is an eye-opening book that explores how horses learn, think, perceive, and perform, and explains how to work with the horse’s brain instead of against it. Jones describes human and equine brains working together and discusses mental abilities from both human and horse perspectives. The book offers revolutionary ideas that should be considered by anyone who works with horses. Overall, Horse Brain, Human Brain is a game-changer that sheds new light on horsemanship, and provides valuable insights on how to communicate with horses on their terms instead of ours.

McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses is a comprehensive guide for vet tech students, covering every aspect of animal care, from small to large animals, birds, reptiles, and small mammals. The book offers step-by-step guidelines for performing various tasks and provides real-life scenarios to practice critical thinking and decision-making skills. With over 1,000 full-color photographs and line drawings, this illustrated guide prepares students for the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE®) and clinical practice. The inclusion of large animal care, pharmacology, pain management, restraint, and veterinary oncology chapters makes it a unique and valuable resource for vet tech students and professionals.

The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable, written by Juliette de Baïracli Levy, is a comprehensive guide to natural and organic cures for farm animals and holistic veterinary medicine. The book offers detailed directions for treating all farm animals with natural methods and emphasizes the importance of moving away from synthetic and artificial rearing and feeding methods. The author's argument for a return to natural and healthy farming practices becomes more urgent and relevant given the outbreaks of diseases caused by mechanized farming methods. Every farmer should have this book to avoid mistakes stemming from the unlimited use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides, antibiotics, and the like.

The Essential Hoof Book is a comprehensive guide to understanding horse feet, covering everything from anatomy to disease diagnosis and treatment. Written by top hoof experts, it combines the latest research with a hands-on approach, providing readers with the tools they need to assess hoof health and make informed decisions about care and management. With easy-to-follow language, over 400 full-color photographs, and do-it-yourself exercises, this book is perfect for horse owners and caretakers of all experience levels. The author’s emphasis on managing hooves rather than correcting them is a refreshing approach. Overall, The Essential Hoof Book is a valuable addition to any horse owner's bookshelf.

Physical Therapy for Horses: A Visual Course in Massage, Stretching, Rehabilitation, Anatomy, and Biomechanics by Helle Katrine Kleven is an excellent reference book for horse owners and professionals who want to ensure their horses' comfort and well-being. The book includes an introduction to the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, biomechanics basics, and practical how-to guidance in the most popular therapeutic modalities. It also covers cutting-edge alternatives that are currently gaining ground, such as fascia work, stretching, massage, stability and strengthening exercises, laser therapy, kinesiotaping, and much more. With over 300 color photos and illustrations, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in preventive and rehabilitative techniques for horses.

The book "55 Corrective Exercises for Horses" is a comprehensive guide to improving a horse's posture and movement through a series of mounted and unmounted exercises. Author Jec Aristotle Ballou breaks down the exercises into easily-digestible steps, making it accessible to all horse people regardless of their discipline. The book includes quality color photographs to explain the exercises, making it an integral collection that optimizes how the horse uses its body and helps ensure it stays sounder and healthier for more years of its life. Overall, this informative book provides practical instruction on keeping horses sound, healthy, and performing their best.

Beyond Horse Massage by Jim Masterson offers a unique method of equine bodywork that recognizes and follows the responses of the horse to touch to release tension in key junctions of the body that most affect performance. The book provides step-by-step instructions, photographs, anatomical explanations, and examples from Jim's practice to help deepen the reader's understanding. The "quick reference" section is particularly useful as it points the reader to exercises specifically suited to their particular discipline. Overall, Beyond Horse Massage is a must-have for horse lovers and guardians, as well as professional bodyworkers, and offers a breakthrough interactive method for alleviating soreness, strain, and tension in horses.

The Workbook for McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses is a comprehensive review tool designed to help veterinary technicians and nurses reinforce their understanding of animal care. The workbook offers a variety of engaging activities such as matching exercises, true-or-false and multiple-choice questions, photo quizzes, and case studies. It also includes drug dosage calculations, making it a useful resource for preparing for the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE®). The updated exercises reflect the new content in McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, 10th Edition. Overall, this workbook is an excellent resource for veterinary technicians and nurses seeking to improve their test scores and knowledge in the field.

Dr. Kellon's Guide to First Aid for Horses is a must-have reference book for horse owners. This book provides sound professional advice on emergency treatment for various conditions that horses may face. The book is color-coded and organized into specific types of problems or anatomical areas, making it easy to find relevant information quickly. Dr. Kellon includes lists of symptoms and their causes, instructions for home treatment, and checklists of first aid supplies necessary for emergencies. With its comprehensive coverage of life-threatening situations and conditions, this book gives horse owners the confidence to deal with any veterinary emergency. Overall, this book is an essential resource for any horse owner or caretaker.

Never Trust a Sneaky Pony: And Other Things They Didn't Teach Me in Vet School is a delightful book that will take readers on a journey through the life of a traveling horse doctor. Dr. Madison Seamans shares his real-life experiences as a large animal vet, racing to the aid of horses in distress. Seamans' playful yet serious writing style will make readers feel like they are right there with him, diagnosing and treating common equine medical problems. This book is a must-read for anyone who cares about animals and wants an up-close look at a well-lived rural life that is about as authentic as America gets.