Skin Horse

Somewhere in this great nation is Skin Horse, a top-secret government agency in charge of providing aid to America's nonhuman citizenry. Perpetually overworked and underpaid, these dedicated civil servants soldier on with a dedication exceeded only by their respective passions for heavy rifles, stylish footwear, and good sturdy squeaky toys. They're not our country's best, nor our country's brightest, but to all the lost and lonely creations of misguided science wandering the wild places of this country, they are a beacon of minimum-wage hope. This is one of their stories.

Poetry. Like a secret date with Lizzie Borden, these moody lyrics thrill as they incriminate. SKIN HORSE shows that history is a crime scene, and that crime is theatrical, rife with costumes, masks, hats, props, weapons, scripts, dialogue, wooden scenery and dreamlike reenactments. These poems are anachronistic yet uncannily alive, furtive yet frank like an incriminating note forgotten in an apron pocket. Cronk locks words together like a lace collar which flutters attractively even as it tightens at the reader's throat. She writes, "with velvet trim / in the whistle of seeing." She writes, "Is it too untoward to say Please Go Back to Normal Life?" She writes, "Gotta nest of woe a nest of wail / and pardon my tied-on prom." "If 'the wind cries Mary' sounds to you more like 'The ring pulsed Maria' then you have your ears tuned to Cronk's idiosyncratic sonics. You can't be overtly prepared for Cronk's directions, all you can do is gladly if a little hesitantly follow the paths her word combinations offer: 'Back in the city in chains........ trees typewritering....... I am indeed a nurse.' SKIN HORSE will stimulate some neurons to try some new actions, to scare up some gathering, to be thrilled to be amongst her magnifications." Dara Wier "Welcome to SKIN HORSE: Olivia Cronk's topographical map of a version of the world in which deformed humans squirm through the muck of a mutilated nature: a burning zone of mechanical, brain-dripping horrors, a degraded rendering of the extreme consequences of natural and corporal decay." Daniel Borzutzky"

When his owner grows too old to play with him any more, the Skin Horse is given to a children's hospital where a sick boy comes to love him.

The Velveteen Rabbit has delighted generations of readers, and we are all pleased when he joins the other rabbits. What happens to the other toys in the nursery? What about the Skin Horse? It turns out, the Fairy has very special plans for him!

Horse Sense provides an in-depth guide to horse care under conditions unique to Australia and New Zealand. It is written in an easy-to-read style to appeal to novices as well as experienced owners and covers all aspects of horse care and management. This new edition provides the latest information on new feeds and supplements, new techniques for gently breaking in young horses, handling difficult horses, safe riding, and treating injuries, diseases, worms and other pests. The book also incorporates the latest standards and guidelines for the welfare of horses. Features Illustrated with colour, black & white photographs and line drawings Covers all aspects of horse care and handling Includes advice on buying, selling and leasing horses Gives expert guidance on first aid, health and nutrition Discusses facilities for large and small properties Provides guidelines on transportation and welfare Looks at employment prospects and training in the horse industry

Illustrated in full color throughout, with more than 650 specially commissioned color photographs and diagrams, Complete Horse Care Manual is almost a Vet-in-Your-Pocket for horse owners, telling you how to provide regular care and attention for your horse, how to guard against health problems, and when the problem is serious enough to need professional attention. Providing the enthusiast with a sound understanding of how a horse functions, this manual clearly explains in non-technical terms the key elements of the horse's make-up, from legs and joints to teeth and jaws, from body systems to body language. Topics covered include the all-important but routine procedures such as clipping, trimming, and shoeing, to more vital subjects such as grazing requirements and nutritional needs. There are extremely useful 'Disorders' Fact Finder sections, there is advice on horse transport takes into account new research, and the latest information on equine passports and microchipping.