5 comments about Raise Your Hand if You Love Horses: Pat Parelli's Journey from Zero to Hero (Western Horseman Books).

1. i am a big fan of pat parelli.i enjoy most everything i've read from him and his wife linda.



2. I'm a Parelli student, and have been for many years now. I really enjoyed reading this book and learning the in-depth story behind Pat and his journey to *now*. You get a sense of his life when he chats during his demos and seminars, but this book, with pictures, really helped me understand the chronology of his life and experiences. It's a quick read, and for anyone involved in natural horsemanship, and Parelli specifically, I think this is an interesting and fun book.



3. Very interesting reading, especially if you've ever attended a Pat Parelli
   savvy clinic, or are familiar with his work. He basically trains people in
   horsemanship as opposed to training horses. The book describes in interesting fashion how he got to where he is today. More informative
   than educational. Would recommend if you're already a Parelli fan.



4. I have followed the Parelli training methods for a couple years, so this book was interesting.



5. This book is exactly what I had expected. Not a "how to" but rather a more in depth look at Pat Parelli himself. I highly recommend this book.

4 comments about Lessons in Lightness: The Art of Educating the Horse.

1. truely an exquisite book: like no one before, mark russell has illuminated old world classical training techniques and made them accessible and applicable in our every day horse training.
   
   and in between the lines of this thoughtfully presented material, mark reminds us why we have come to horses in the first place: utmost care for the horse's well being throughout the whole training process is evident in the constant search for relaxation and lightness (of and to the aids), and thus enjoyment in our dance with the horse.



2. this is a good book on training and the philosophy of training I Think one will find it useful regardless of disipline (English, Western, Racing, Dressage, Reining etc



3. If you've always thought there was more to riding than driving and restraining, if you've been searching for an instructor who could blend the best of classical dressage and natural horsemanship, then this book is your answer. The wording is concise and the exercises are understandable and practical for riders of all disciplines. Mark Russell's training is broken down into three phases for the reader. This system makes the material easily understood by the human and ultimately the horse. Importance is placed on working the horse "in hand" through various schooling exercises, then the ridden exercises are covered. Some topics include lateral work, the half-halt, transitions, and flying changes. In addition, there is a valuable chapter on body mechanics of the horse and rider. Mr. Russell gives the reader a systematic program for suppling and strengthening the horse. Throughout, emphasis is placed on teaching the horse to balance himself effectively. I have successfully applied techniques found in this book and am certain, when followed faithfully, Mark Russell's methods will produce a relaxed horse with supple gaits, light to the aids and happy in his work. Note: Some reviews have listed this book as written by Bettina Drummond. The authorship is correctly "Mark Russell with Andrea W. Steele", Ms. Drummond supplies the Foreward.



4. The Horsemans Yankee Pedlar says a must read for any discipline. For more info see mouseholefarm.com or markrusselltraining.com

4 comments about Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement.

1. This book is very complete with information and diagrams for all parts of the horse and how they move. Well written and a great resource to refer back to. Lots of detail on muscle groups and what they do. If you are interested in bio-mechanics, this works! I do lots of ground work with dressage horses and rehab for injured and arthritic horses. This resource is particularly helpful for me.



2. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to fully understand the basic gaits, movement and conformation of the horse. There is information on the natural gaits of the horse and how a rider can enhance or hinder the horse's movement and balance. The format will assist both novices and advanced equestrians. It is written in easy-to-understand language. The information is also very accessible simply by browsing through the illustrations. This book would be a great addition to any horse enthusiast's library.



3. Yes, Ms. Harris did the sketches. Her sketches really capture the movement of the horse and enables you to breakdown the gaits and jumping actions to see what is really happening. Utterly fascinating!



4. An excellent presentation of the elements of balance in the horse's movement at various gaits. The illustrations (Did Ms Harris do them?) are grand and support the text very well. It is an excellent resource.

5 comments about That Winning Feeling!: Program Your Mind for Peak Performance.

1. This is a must-read for any equestrian who needs to train mind as much as body. It is written with humor, clarity and an insider's understanding of how learning to give the proper mental aids to our brain is even harder than mastering the proper cues our legs and hands give the horse.



2. This is the first book I ever bought on how to use your mind when riding - in fact, I own TWO copies, for some unknown reason. They have different covers, and a slightly different subtitle, so that may be what threw me. The inside of my older book is all marked up with highlighter, and it's a familiar friend.
   
   Jane Savoie, if you are not familiar with her, is an Olympic competitor. It takes strong mental focus, and lots of determination to reach that kind of a goal. She wasn't a talented rider when she started her quest, nor did she have the best horses, but she didn't allow that to stop her.
   
   Instead she chose to learn how to leverage every opportunity - even if that was just the opportunity to watch a top rider.
   
   Jane learned that the things you say to yourself are absolutely vital to your attitude - and that your attitude is vital to your success. You can learn to use it to your advantage, or you can allow it to use you. You can be the master - or the slave.
   
   Jane gives many, many examples of people who used their mind to overcome all kinds of hardships, and she also gives many exercises to use to help you do just that.
   
   You don't need to be "talented", and you don't need "the best" horse/tack/support team/etc - all you need is the desire to do the best you possibly can with what you have available.?"Talent" is highly over-rated. It's not the most talented rider that wins; it's the most DRIVEN one.
   
   This book has helped me immensely with my riding, by showing me examples of people overcoming things that "should" have completely stopped their riding careers, and by giving me practical exercises to help me create an awesome relationship with my horse. I highly recommend that you give it a read, mark it up, take notes, and see what it will do for you.
   
   Happy Trails!
   Patricia Reszetylo
   AcceleratedLearning4Equestrians.



3. That Winning Feeling is not about getting blue ribbons or pushing your horse despite how the horse may feel. It is about doing your personal best in your own personal situation. In her introduction Jane Savoie states it clearly: "To win--let us understand--is not necessarily limited to bringing home the blue ribbon. It is developing your potential and using it for a purpose that makes you happy. It is leaving your all-too-familiar comfort zone and striving for more than you thought you could achieve. It is putting forth the kind of effort that makes you proud to sign your name to your work." And, in the last 30 pages of the book when she does speak specifically about competitions, the author says: "After the performance, you can always feel victorious about your personal milestones. Perhaps this was the first show where your horse didn't buck at the canter depart. ... Ot maybe this is the first competition where you didn't feel nauseated before your ride. ... Don't let anyone--least of all yourself--dictate any limits. The joys of competition with your partner are to be fully experienced and savored." Thus, this book is about helping you do your best with your partner, your horse. It is not about winning blue ribbons or achieving Olympic status. It is a realistic, down-to-earth, practical and effective psychocybernetic approach for helping achieve you and your horse's best no matter what your goals are.



4. I am not a dressage rider, yet I found this book to be completley inspiring! It taught me so many things that myself nor my trainer could ever instill in me. 2 years ago I was a Multi National champion on my horse HL Karavan+/ and I truly believe that this book lead me there. before a class I would read selected passages from my trainer, and I went in the ring with a sense of accomplishment even before the class was finished. I would reccomend this book to any athlete who has ever doubted his or her abilities. I can not express what Jane Savoie's writing has done to improve my sportsmanship, and riding skills.



5. I found this book borderline offensive. It typifies for me the mindset of so many competitive dressage riders for whom the horse, however much they say they "love" him, is no more than a fancy piece of sports equipment. "Winning" is everything, or so it seems. Dressage is supposed to be about the horse, not the rider. Certainly not about "winning." What has happened to this sport? How have we become so terribly lost? I regret the popularity of this kind of "dressage" writing and it makes me wish more riders knew there is another world of riding out there, where the horse is the best and only judge of our riding, and competitive kudos or "doing a movement" are not the measure of success.

5 comments about 101 Longeing and Longlining Exercises.

1. This is a very good book for beginning training a young horse, because it haves a lot of simple exercises that could be done with an untrained horse. It begins with simple exercises and continues with exercises that are harder and harder.
   It is a very good book because with every exercise it explains how to do it and every other thing that horse can do and how to correct this.
   I find this book very useful for me and my horse. I found out what I did wrong and what I have to do to correct this.
   I strongly recommend this book for every one how want to learn more about how to work a horse in hand and for they how don't have a trainer.



2. Only new to the horse training realm and this book with it's well laid out structure and diagrams has been invaluable. It is also easy enough for my 12 year old daughter to understand and use.



3. I can never get enough of books with exercises that challenge both my horse and I. This book is one that every Equestrian should have, whether for training purposes or just getting back in shape. Half of the Exercises are really basic and a waste for an intermediate to advanced rider, but then again I guess all horses can use a few lessons in the refresher courses. The last 30 Exercises focus on long lining which I use on all my younger horses. They advance from driving a horse in a yin yang pattern to change direction to Figure 8s and Lazy 8s (just a flatten figure 8). Eventually the horse graduates to haunches in and shoulders in. I find that even more advanced school masters benefit from these exercises.



4. Spice up your ground work with this educational guide and develop a better relationship with your horse in the process. There are often days when we perhaps don't have the time to ride, but instead of just longeing around on the circle we could be more constructive - this book can help you. I find this book particulary useful when starting young horses.



5. I thought this book is very helpful in teaching people to use the longline.

No comments about The New Ride with Your Mind Clinic: Rider Biomechanics-Basics to Brillance.

5 comments about Horse Conformation: Structure, Soundness, and Performance.

1. If you are interested in getting a well described picture of the author's idea of good conformation, you will probably be dissatisfied with this book. As an example, on page 200 (paperback) figure 8-20, the explanation of a profile of the rear portion of a horse says, " If the croup and thigh are fairly long, the hindquarters have a triangular shape." Certainly drawing straight lines between three points (the point of the hip to the point of the buttock to the stifle) forms a triangle. In order to be of any value however, it is important that the type triangle formed be named (possibly an equilateral triangle?).
   
   The point I would like to make is that the book seems to be thrown together from different sources in what, to me, seems a slipshod manner. Some areas are helpful, but overall, in my opinion, the lack of attention to detail by either the author or the editor, or both is problematic.
   
   An example of a book on the subject, which I think was prepared to be truly useful, is "The Horse Conformation Handbook" by Heather Smith Thomas.



2. I purchased several of these books to use as gifts for my horsey friends. Each one loved it. It's loaded with useful information and is well written. I highly recommend it.



3. This is probably the best conformation book I have ever owned. It is detailed and has more information than I will ever need. The pictures are very informative and really help with understanding what is written.



4. I thought this book was great it has a ton of info.



5. This is a great book for the beginner or the expert horseman! Explains in detail not only a horse's conformation but also the skeletal, muscle and nerve structure. Even better there are TONS of awesome photos and drawings.
   I am very happy with this book and would reccomend it to anyone interested in learning more about horses!

5 comments about Complete Holistic Care and Healing for Horses: The Owner's Veterinary Guide to Alternative Methods and Remedies.

1. This book serves as a wonderful reference for the health of my equines. It gives very descriptive things that can be done. Recently when my warmblood foundered, I found the suggestions very helpful and empowering. I got to implement some of them right away and therefore made my girl more comfortable in this hard situation. I highly recommend this book as it takes the mystery out of many different approaches of equine care and gives one the opportunity to make informed, well thought out choices.



2. I own the hardback edition of this book and am very pleased the paperback edition has arrived. Sent it to a good friend looking for the pressure points of the horse, which Mary does a great job of showing in the sketches provided. This is the best alternative medicine book I have found for the horse.



3. I bought this book for my girlfriend and she said that if she didn't have it she never would have passed some of her college classes last quarter.



4. As I am coming into more holistic approaches to life, I have found this book to be a Bible!! As it covers so many topics, giving guidance to directions for all of us, I can easily understand the value of this book!! Amust for all readers who want to keep their Equine healthy and sound --Naturally!!



5. This comprehensive volume addresses dozens of concerns for the horse owner, covering traditional and alternative health practices. The book is very complete in covering the health care options in two sections.The first part dealing with health care is an overview of traditional and holistic options. The final section of the volume is a comprehensive listing (with photos) of typical horse ailments with specific recommendations for each one. The entire book is written in a style easily understandable by the novice, but not too simplistic for the experienced horse owner. Photos and very complete appendices round out the coverage for this topic. Additionally, Brennan includes a comprehensive horse management section which is equally impressive in its scope, covering topics such as diet, grooming, tack and trailering.This book is truly a "must have" for the concerned horse owner.

5 comments about The Revolution in Horsemanship: And What It Means to Mankind.

1. This is a book that is superbly written. Dr. Miller has really put it all together in this one book. I LOVED this book so much; I bought the paperback, read it then gave it to my friend & bought me the hardcover one. This is a book to always have on the shelf ready to read again & again!



2. I became interested in this book because it was recommended by an Olympic gold medalist. Not a bad recommendation, since it is a Western oriented book.



3. While this book contains plenty of useful and interesting facts concerning
   natural horsemanship, for someone who's already into it, it can be somewhat tedious reading. Not something I couldn't put down until I
   was done. I'm going to think twice about purchasing the followup book.
   
   Jim L



4. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. It really covers ground. It is educational, very well researched and written with such knowledge and passion that even the chapters that from the title seemed like "the same old stuff" , were interesting. I could not put it down!!
   I bought extra ones to give as holiday gifts for my friends and they too loved it, whether they were interested in horses or not.
   This book is an interesting and refreshing new point of view, that will help people to understand the prey/ predator relationship between horse and a human seeing it though the horses eyes. It is a journey through the history of the horse and a human as partners which offers hope for horses today, but more so makes the reader realise how much hope the horse today offers people all over the world.
   A book you can go back to and read over and over, each time getting more out of it.



5. A very interesting history of the Natural Horsemanship 'movement'. The books works it's way through an overview and then looks at a large number of the most well known proponents.
   
   I think that the title was much grander than the content. The content of course only looked at NH or perhaps what should be more correctly called cowboy horsemanship. Although, this has indeed been a very significant change in horse training in recent times, there was no effort in the book to look outside of the US.
   
   For instance, no information on positive reinforcement, the re-emergence of 'classical dressage' or the european contributions to horsemanship. There was also no real discussion about how the general increase in availability of knowledge has made people more aware of issues and training techniques nor information on the scientific research into animal intelligence and learning that is making changes to our views on animals and horses and driving this search for 'new' methods.
   
   The most interesting aspect of the book was perhaps the history of the trainers themselves vs their 'marketing'. Fascinating to see how so many people with little or no horse knowledge can suddenly invent themselves as gurus...

5 comments about Ride the Right Horse: Understanding the Core Equine Personalities & How to Work with Them.

1. This was a really fun book to read and I found myself using horses I know and have worked with as examples of the different personalities. Really interesting and entertaining along with some practical info. I highly recommend this book to all



2. I got this book because of the articles in Dressage Today. I really love the case studies and the training tips. I was quickly able to pick out all three of my own horses and get ideas on how to improve their training. The book is easy to read straight through or once you know your horses type to go straight to the parts that apply to them. I highly recommend it.



3. When I heard that Yvonne was going to write a book, I eagerly awaited its release. I have watched and competed against Yvonne on the Arabian circuit and admired she and Kim's ability to work with the horses under such 'non-traditional'(for the horses anyway) circumstances at Arabian Nights in Orlando. The horses seem very well adjusted to their jobs - and I just LOVE the show!! Aside from her USDF competition achievements mentioned in another review, working with these performance horses gives her more than enough credibility all by itself.
   The book is very insightful and, while I feel as if I have been aware of the innate differences in personalities of the horses I have been involved with, this has given me a fun way to categorize them all over again. Considering your horses' personality can be such a tremendous asset to the overall training process that shouldn't be ignored. This is an educational and fun way to think it through!!
   I haven't finished the book yet - but, I can't wait to learn and think more about how an INTJ like me can best fit with my seemingly Social/Challenging 1/2 Arab yearling and my Aloof/Social Arab stallion.
   Thanks for a great read Yvonne!!



4. I read this book in one sitting, and refer to it again and again. Yvonne Barteau has written a unique contribution to the equine genre. It helped me understand my mare, whom I have dubbed "social/challenging" under most circumstances and "challenging/social" when she is in heat! Barteau's extensive equine experience as a United States Dressage Federation medalist and competition dressage trainer gives her undisputed credibility. This is the perfect book for equine enthusiasts who believe they already have read everything written about horse training.



5. This was a fun book. It gives some nice insights into different horse personalities and how best to interact with each. I didn't think there were any profound insights, but it was fun and it made me think of my horses in a slightly different way.