Tuesday 20 March 2012

Author Spotlight - Stephenia McGee talks about natural horsemanship


In A Legacy of Lies, the hero works as a cow hand at a Montana ranch. He has this "way with horses" that the other cowboys don't understand. Jim has crazy training methods, but he gets some pretty crazy results, too. This aspect of my character really came from my own life experience. I have spent several years studying the art of natural horsemanship.

Natural horsemanship is essentially equine communication. By learning how a horse communicates, you can more effectively give cues and expect better responses.

The most important thing to know about horse communication is to understand two very basic equine characteristics. First, horses are prey animals. Humans are carnivores. This may seem inconsequential to us, but believe me, it makes a world of difference to a horse. If you approach a horse head-on, focused, and intense, most likely you will be chasing it all over the pasture. You look too much like a predator, and your horse feels too much like prey. It's his instinct to stay clear of you. Second, horses are herd animals. They have a very distinct herd pecking-order. If you can be the leader of the herd (yes, this is quite possible) then your horse might test you, but will always do as you ask. Learn to speak his body language, and he will follow your leadership.

Spend some time watching horses. Notice which one is the leader and how it controls the others. Ears back and a bite to the neck means "I am the dominate horse, and I want your front shoulders out of my way." By using this same idea, I can frown at my horses, tap her neck and she steps right out of my way.

That's a very basic overview of natural horsemanship. Read my story to see some really cool things that Jim can do with his horse, Ciervo. That part's not fiction. My mare Fancy and I do it all the time.

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"A Legacy of Lies is a compelling read to the very end! The chemistry between the characters is electrifying. I praise Stephenia McGee in her ability to draw you in and keep you wanting more!"

Jezika Stevens -- Reader

"An absolute page-turner. A Legacy of Lies is a book you won't want to put down. The reader is shown how we are all on a path chosen for us as each characters life intersects with the other. In her debut, Stephenia H. McGee truly delivers a heart-felt story of spiritual turmoil and redemption."

Jessica Lewis -- Reader

"A Legacy of Lies is a heart-warming tale of a man's search for forgiveness. A blend of Western Romance and Big City Intrigue, Stephenia H. McGee takes the parable of the prodigal son and creates a modern twist readers won't see coming until the final page."

Jennifer Lindsay, Editor and Writer

And here are some links to the book online:

Desert Breeze
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-273/A-Legacy-of-Lies/Detail.bok

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/A-Legacy-of-Lies-ebook/dp/B007K1LS58/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332042156&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-legacy-of-lies-stephenia-mcgee/1107713261?ean=2940014338950&itm=1&usri=stephenia+mcgee

All Romance eBooks
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-alegacyoflies-751693-149.html

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