No comments about It's Not Just About the Ribbons: It's About Enriching Riding (and Life) with a Winning Attitude.

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.

3 comments about Photographing and "Videoing" Horses Explained: Digital and Film: The Horse Owner's Manual for Improved Portraits, Schooling Tools, Sales and Promotions.

1. If you are a novice or beginner photographer this book will help you. If you are an advanced or professional photographer the book is no help. I recommend finding other equine photographers and asking their advice. Some of my best advice has come from clients, who already know what to look for in horse photography.



2. This book was a good overview of equine photography. I am an intermediate photographer with moderate horse knowledge. It was easy to understand and implement - even with my lower level skills. The pictures in the book were amazing! Most of the book covered photography, but the video part was very informative and simple to understand. I would definitely recommend this book if you are going to photograph or video horses even just for fun.



3. I am a fairly experienced photographer who has recently taken up horse show photography. I found this book very, very helpful--especially the sections on the particular phase of each gait which will result in the best photo. I purchased this and Lesli Groves' book, and found them to compliment each other--but if I could only buy one, it would be this one. Specifically, the 'troubleshooting' and 'planning the perfect shot' chapters are excellent; I am equally enthusiastic about the chapters he on computers, printers, and paper. The examples clearly explain the text. I learned a lot from this book, and my first photo practice session showed a significant improvement in my work.

5 comments about Mental Training for Peak Performance: Top Athletes Reveal the Mind Exercises They Use to Excel.

1. I found this book very interesting, because I do mental coaching for athletes and non-athletes. Ungerleider has written a very credible account of what it means to be an athlete under various kinds of pressures. The book is educational and entertaining as Ungerleider mentions several scientific studies and reveals the exercises used by many well-known athletes. Yet I think that someone with a restless mind might need more practical step-by-step advice on how to improve his/her concentration and stress management abilities.
   But I can easily recommend this to any athlete and others who are interested in managing their mind.



2. I read this book several years ago, and I think I received it as an incentive for continuing my subscription with Runner's World magazine. Although I've tried, I'm not sure the information in this book has helped my amateur performances. While the information in Mental Training is helpful, I think it lends itself more to the demands of professional athletic success. And though I continue to experiment with viusalization techniques (in all aspects of life), my practical expectations are now a bit more realistic.



3. I have read this book and others with the similar perspective. It's a quite applied volumen, but I prefer other with a theoretical+practical perspective... I have used it with my students, but I have needed other books...



4. A well researched and written book with some very sound advice. It covers relaxation, imaging and visualisation with practical examples of how to go about the processes. It also explains the relevance and the benefits an athlete can derive from using these techniques.



5. This book is a gold mine of information about the awesome power of visualization.

   It's filled with practical information and theories, with lots of PROOFS to scientifically validate the theories contained within. Highly Recommended.

   Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated

No comments about Ride with Confidence!.

4 comments about The Legendary California Hackamore & Stock Horse.

1. This book is excellent for both the novice and veteran horseperson. There are a few mistakes that the editor didn't catch (some spelling errors of people mentioned in the text), but overall a very attractive and informative book. This book has a deep personal meaning for me because in the late 1970's I was fortunate to have been a "student" of Bobby's at his ranch in Pleasant Grove, CA. Even as a young girl I admired Bobby's talent with horses and one should especially take note of how he uses his hands when he rides. As a horseperson I also tried to immitate his light touch on a horses' mouth. It's very fitting that the cover photograph is a picture of Bobby's hands!



2. This is the finest book I have seen produced that catalogs the greats of the Hackamore and Stock horse industry. Its got them all. The photos are stunning and the description of this kind of training is first class. Great book!



3. Bobby Ingersoll has written not only the perfect training manual for starting young horses, but a beautifully illustrated and informative coffee table book as well. He has given credit to the talented artists who braid these hackamores and what is unfortunately becoming a lost art. His soft and gentle style of starting the young colt through feel rather than demanding submission through force will benefit everyone who truly loves horses and strives to be a real horseman. His tribute to the true horsemen and horsewomen of past and present makes you want to just stand up and cheer. Bravo, Bobby Ingersoll!



4. Beautiful!! Beautiful!!
   
   
   The Mexican Traditions on starting green horses has been handed down from generation to generation. The Jaquima came first, with it the colt was taught to handle himself to perfection and bridling is the last step.
   
   Training horses is a serious business..., the Bible of training colt with Hackamore is Ed Connell book, but if you want to tune some details of your training with the hackamore, this it is the book that you need.
   
   The legendary California Hackamore and the stocke Horse is another great book with enormous tips and knowledge, beautiful pictures!!.
   
   Right Now I'm looking for the Benny Guitron DVD, the Master on training horses with Jaquima.
   
   El Vaquero Mexicano "El Charro" ---- The American Cowboy "The Gentleman".
   
   ¡Hermoso! ¡Hermoso!
   
   Al Hakma --- Jaquima --- Hackamore
   
   Las tradiciones mexicanas en iniciar caballos verdes son de generación en generación dentro de la tradicion oral. El Jaquima vino primero, el potro educado para llegar a la perfección por ultimo se embridaba.
   
   El entrenamiento de caballos es un negocio serio..., la biblia del entrenamiento de potros con Jaquima, es libro del Ed Connell, pero si usted desea afinar algunos detalles de su entrenamiento con la Jaquima, esto es el libro que usted necesita.
   
   Ahora estoy buscando el benny Guitron DVD, el amo en caballos del entrenamiento con Jaquima.
   
   "The Legendary California Hackamore and the stock horse", es otro gran libro con enormes consejos y conocimientos asi como hermosas fotografias!!.
   
   EL Vaquero Mexicano es "EL Charro" --- El vaquero Americano es "El Caballero".

1 comments about Racehorse Breeding Theories.

1. A thoughtfully put together text covering many oft asked questions re breeding theory. Very readable and easy to understand for those with an interest and some background in the breeding industry. Sensible interpretation of a subject that can easily be smothered and complicated by folk-lore, tradition and a non-scientific approach.
   
   I found it easy to extrapolate to my particular interests, which involves breeding horses for other performance disciplines. I would recommend it to anyone interested in breeding horses, particularly those with an interest/background in TB pedigrees.

3 comments about Training the Young Horse.

1. I highly respect Pippa Funnel, and this book is just wonderful. I have a young horse that I'm schooling and it helped me to understand just how important the basics are for a young horse, and how to go about introducing them to certain things. I especially found the jumping section very helpful. This book has big, glossy colour pictures throughout, and very easy to understand instructions which explain how to go about each new schooling exercise. It also shows what not to do, which is why I gave this book 4 stars and not 3. Showing what's wrong and the outcome of what could happen if approached wrong really sold this book to me, because there are many books out there which tell you what to do, but not how to recover when anything goes wrong.



2. There are a lot of pretty pictures in this book, with the occassional good piece of advice. However, to title the book "Training the Young Horse," you are allowing your readers to expect to get information about how to train a young horse. This book has as much information as a letter to the editor would. It's a joke.



3. How can you not be a fan of Rolex Grand Slam winner, Pippa Funnell - an inspiration to all riders. As you'll discover in this book, she's down to earth and modest about her success. She admits to being "a bit soppy with my horses"; but what that translates to is a genuine respect for the horse and a true understanding of partnership. Similar to the book by Jennie Loriston-Clarke, "The Young Horse, Breaking and Training" (see my review), this book covers a lot of material, but nonetheless provides a structured program for training the youngster and an excellent starting point for future reading into specific areas. It also gives trouble shooting advice for when things don't go as planned and is well illustrated with photographs. An enjoyable read, I highly recommend.

5 comments about The Foaling Primer: A Month-by-Month Guide to Raising a Healthy Foal.

1. Nice book to add to your library......nicely done and I'm glad I made the purchase.



2. This book covers a lot of things and has very thorough information. I bought a Morgan mare last year and had her bred; she had her first foal in May 2008. It was also my first foal as well. This book gave me a lot of valuable information on how to take care of a pregnant mare, a newborn foal, and a foal as it is growing. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who needs a good run down on how to raise a foal.



3. I have just purchased my first Foal at 2 weeks old (mom is at the same farm) and found this book has lots of information for the first timer (not sure it would be useful if you have any experience with foals). I found it gave me some great general knowledge of working with the little guys but still left me desiring lots more info. Will keep looking for another baby book but this one was a good start.



4. I am really enjoying this book. having my first foal is scarey for me and this book is making it easier.



5. As an old horsewoman attending her aged mare having her first foal, I was feeling in great need of advice and counsel. This book delivered it. We had everything in place well ahead of time, and the whole thing went like clockwork. I knew exactly when to rip the bag and when to assist with some gentle traction. I hope everyone is blessed with such a textbook delivery. But if you aren't, this primer should see you through until the vet comes.

1 comments about The Horse Training Problem Solver: Your questions answered about gaits, ground work, and attitude, in the arena and on the trail.

1. The excellent review this book garnered from George Morris made me buy it, and once I finished it I knew that George was right: horsewoman at every skill level can learn from Jahiel. Her diplomatic and sensible advice to the people who asked questions about challenges they have with their horses are straightforward and filled with her philosophy: Do what's best for the horse. From answers to riders who feel that their horses are "trying to pull a fast one" on them--she says horses don't do that--or riders who see horses struggling with a problem--she asks if the horse is in pain, or confused?--she comes right to the solution. If you see a horse at the stable grinning from jowl to jowl you're probably looking at a horse whose owner just got one of Jahiel's books.