Learn how to ride > Riding Lessons

• Getting the Most from Riding Lessons (Horse Wise Guide)

  Michael W. Smith

  Discusses leading, mounting, and walking a horse, learning to trot, canter, and jump, and riding in a field, and explains how to set and reach riding goals.  Intended to complement and reinforce the material and techniques taught in riding classes, this guide makes it easier for the rider to feel comfortable with horses and learn his or her way around the stable.  Smith helps readers feel confident and at ease with an instructor, and includes information about safety, horse behavior, basic riding lessons, and practicing.

• Complete Horse Riding Manual

  William Micklem

  This title is designed to help you to perfect your equestrian skills. It offers state-of-the-art technical photographic sequences combined with expert advice and should prove a useful text for both novices or seasoned riders. Whether you are a showjumper or a cross-country racer, the professional tips on mental and physical preparations contained within should ensure equestrian excellence.

• 100 Ways to Improve Your Riding: Common Faults and How to Cure Them

  Susan Mcbane

  This is an outstanding guide for anyone aiming for grace, balance and accuracy in their riding. Each of the 100 features includes a technique to work on and advice on what might go wrong and how to put it right. Over 100 photographs show common riding faults, such as tipping forward, weak lower leg position, heavy hands and incorrect application of the aids. Focus is also given to the right mental approach, rounding off this complete riding problem solver.

• Taking Up Riding as an Adult (Horse-Wise Guide)

  Diana Delmar

  Details the basics of selecting a lesson stable and instructor and offers tips on riding clothes, horse tack and supplies, safety, horse care and handling, and discusses various horse illnesses and ailments.

Learn how to ride > Cross Country

• Cross Country with Blyth Tait

  Blyth Tait

  In this obstacle-by-obstacle explanation of how to ride cross-country, there are over 200 specially taken sequence colour photographs alongside Blyth's revealing text.

• Jumping Cross-country Fences

  Jane Wallace; Jane Thelwall

  Advice on how to safely negotiate a variety of cross-country obstacles.

• Making the Time: An Expert Guide to Cross-Country

  Stuart Tinney

  A crucial element of eventing is that horse and rider complete the cross-country course within a set time ('the optimum time'). If the competitor takes longer, significant penalty points are awarded against him or her. Many eventers try to achieve the optimum time by taking unnecessary risks which, as Stuart Tinney explains, can be avoided if the correct training is carried out. Stuart Tinney, an Olympic gold medallist, completed the Sydney Olympic course easily within the optimum time, not through uncontrollable speed but accurate and controlled riding. This skill and the associated training and horse management are explained and demonstrated in the book, including: equipment for the horse and rider; walking the course; riding cross county safely and efficiently; training for cross country in the arena; horse fitness and management; and, horse types. This book will therefore be of interest to all eventers from introductory to advanced level.

Learn how to ride > Dressage

• Dressage with Kyra

  Kyra Kyrklund

  This well illustrated and diagramed book will become a handbook on its own.  Kyra Kyrklund's personal approach to training horses is refreshing yet easy to follow even by a novice trainer.  Without a great deal of detail, the important aspects of the rider's seat, legs and hands, as well as the use of the weight aids is clearly described.   She asks the rider to understand how to communicate with the horse clearly and directly. The exercises are clearly described both in text, diagrams and photographs. The correct way is shown in color, while the opposite may be shown in black and white.  It is easy to read and encourages the trainer/rider to approach riding and schooling in a positive manner.

• Dressage Tips and Training Solutions

  Petra Holzel, Wolfgang Holzel and Martin Plewa

  Very useful book for the novice rider right up to the advanced. Includes relaxation techniques for rider and horse, simple jumping exercises and explains the german training principles and how to achieve them. Illustrates solutions with very clear photos and diagrams. Meant as a reference book to use and look up a particular problem when riding, rather than reading from cover to cover. Shows the basics of dressage, working up to advanced movements such as piaffe and passage, pirouettes and changes. Also useful to use with young horses. A very informative and easy to use book, essential for any dressage enthusiast.

• 101 Dressage Exercises for Horse and Rider

  Jec Aristotle Ballou

  Dressage, the equestrian practice in which a horse makes highly precise movements in response to barely perceptible signals from the rider, has taken hold of equestrians worldwide. Participation rates have risen by 200 percent over the past twenty years, as baby-boomer riders have discovered dressage to be less strenuous and dangerous than jumping, yet offering the satisfaction of mastering techniques and the opportunity to compete and advance to higher levels of achievement. "101 Dressage Exercises For Horse and Rider", presented in Storey's highly visual "Read & Ride" format, features a full arena diagram and step-by-step instructions for each exercise. The exercises address all levels of riders, starting with the basics and moving up to manoeuvres developed by members of the U.S. Olympic team.  Training tips and masterly guidance make this an indispensable reference for all dressage riders.  Even Western riders interested in enhancing their performance will find these foundational exercises useful.  Dressage riders are information-hungry readers, often referred to as "the thinking horsemen."

• The Dressage Rider's Survival Guide: Memoirs of a Struggling Dressage Rider

  Margaret A. Odgers

  This is a very funny book. For those who loved Enter at A, Laughing, you are in for a real treat with this one! From the Foreword entitled A Guide to Apportioning Blame throughout such insightful topics as the use of aids, equipment, history, costs of the sport and physical fitness required - none of which are presented in a manner that would be recognized by readers of any other book on dressage - the reader is in for a laugh-out-loud treat.

Learn how to ride > Nervous riders

• Ride with Confidence!

  Liz Et Al Morrison

  Practical and Inspirational Advice to Help You Deal with Your Fear and Enjoy Your Riding. In a sport as exciting as riding there are bound to be experiences that can leave you a little shaken, but visiting the stable yard needn't fill you with dread. This informative book explains how to rationalise your fear and work towards achieving personal goals - from handing your horse confidently to completing a cross country course or dressage test. Ride with Confidence! explores the possible origins of nervousness, both in the rider and horse, as well as positive action to enable everyone to get more from their riding. By gathering experts from all over the world this book will offer different approaches to alleviating fear and anxiety. So by reading one great book, riders will be able to devise their own 'confident riding system' and truly enjoy their riding.

• Build Complete Confidence with Horses: Beat Fear and Excuses and Attain Your Riding Goals

  Kelly Marks

  Whether the goal is as basic as gaining the courage to stroke a horse or as complex as winning a national championship, this guide offers time-tested advice for turning dreams such as these into reality. Through an easy-to-follow, confidence-inspiring approach, readers learn how to identify the source of their insecurities and master the techniques that will enable them to achieve their personal ambitions in everyday riding—be it feeling more calm and comfortable around horses; expanding their knowledge of the horse’s mindset and reaction; or learning what it takes to not only prepare for but win a competition.

Learn how to ride > Polo

• Playmaker Polo

  Elizabeth Firth

  "Playmaker Polo" provides both a wonderful introduction for newcomers to the game of polo and an in-depth guide to revision for those who wish to maintain or improve a level already achieved.   Many years of coaching experience have taught the author that giving people reasons and explanations for what they do increases the rate of their learning curve enormously.   Specific rationales for all aspects of the game of polo are given and developed throughout this book, accompanied by many true anecdotes and factual examples, which confirm the points being made.   Hugh Dawnay was the first person ever to put into writing the theories of being 'outside the horse' and 'making the pony follow the rider' and he has had incredible coaching success with these concepts, which are explored further in these pages.  The high quality photographs and diagrams will help the reader to enjoy, understand and apply the many lessons that are being taught.

• Visions of Polo

  Ian Currer, Rob Cruickshank

  Visions of Polo, is an outstanding new book paying photographic homage to the sport of Polo. Elizabeth Furth's superb photographs from around the world capture the speed, timing, precision and athleticism of players and ponies, in every possible mood from elation of winning to the despair of defeat and the moments of relaxation away from the polo field. Her expertise with the use of light, shade, angle and camera handling give the still-life photographs of tack and equipment a truly artistic quality. Includes fascinating interviews with polo players, patrons and umpires that confirm that polo is not just a sport but also a way of life for everyone involved with it. Visions of Polo will have a place on the bookshelf of every polo enthusiast.

Learn how to ride > Show Jumping

• Show Jumping Made Easy: The Way to Successful Show Jumping

  Clarissa L. Busch

  At some point, many riders will encounter the challenge of show jumping: to jump a course of fences in perfect harmony with your horse, measuring your skill against that of other riders - maybe even ending up in the placing. Success, however, does not just materialise from nowhere. This practical and thoughtfully illustrated book provides clear, precise advice on the necessary foundations for success, demonstrates what jumping training with progressive exercises looks like, and shows how typical difficulties can be overcome. Clarissa Busch is a riding instructor and well-known competition rider. In this book she not only imparts crucial insight to the training techniques of top show jumpers, but also offers many practical insider tips which will help prevent unnecessary errors. * It really is "made easy" - with expert text, and step-by-step illustrations. * In full colour throughout, with over 80 full colour photographs.

• Show Jumping for Fun or Glory

  Ernest Dillon; Helen Revington

  : A Training Manual for Successful Show Jumping at All Levels.  This book provides training advice for the show jumping horse and rider, whether starting from scratch or wishing to compete at higher levels.

• Celebrity Jumping Exercises

  Caroline Orme

  An ideal training guide with simple explanations of the different exercises and their aims. The contributors are all Olympic riders or trainers at the very top of eventing. Their achievements include World, European and Olympic medals, Badminton and numerous Burghley Horse Trial wins. It has commented sequential photographs and notes as to when to use the exercises, when not to and how to fix common problems. It also includes photographs of the celebrity riders and their training philosophies.

Learn how to ride > Western Riding

• Beginning Western Exercises

  Cherry Hill

  As you begin riding Western, use this handy comb bound pocket guide to help you in your arena work. The 10 lessons will help you learn the gaits, develop balance, find a steady rhythm, start transitions, begin bending work, and establish energetic forward movement. At the end of the 10 lessons, there is a test and scoresheet to help you or your instructor determine whether you are ready to move on to the next level.

• The Basics of Western Riding

  Charlene Strickland

  Covers all aspects of western riding from choosing a horse to tacking up, trail riding, conditioning, endurance riding, and showing.

• Intermediate Western Exercises

  Cherry Hill

  As you progress in your Western riding, use this guide. When you are ready to move on to the intermediate stage of Western riding, use this handy comb bound guide to help you hone your balance, perfect your use of the aids, continue transitions, master bending, start lateral work and begin collection. At the end of the 10 lessons, there is a test and scoresheet to help you or your instructor determine whether you are ready to move on to the next level.

• Advanced Western Exercises

  Cherry Hill

  Look here for help in advancing your Western riding skills. When you are ready to polish your horsemanship skills, use this guide to help you hone lateral work, master collection, perfect lead changes, fine-tune transitions and changes in direction. At the end of the 10 lessons, there is a test and scoresheet to help you or your instructor determine whether you are ready to move on to the next level.

Equestrian

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