2 comments about Essential Book of Horse Tack & Equipment.

1. Terrific for someone just getting into riding. Very complete and will take you from beginner to expert.



2. on various pieces of equipment, their use, how to fit them, when to use/not use them. Of course, as with all horsemen, there will be short sections you may disagree with. I did enjoy the section on saddles, but DO NOT buy this book if you are in need of a comprehensive overview of bits (which could fill its own book), as this is very brief in discussing the main types but does not really go into great detail.

2 comments about The Percheron Horse in America.

1. this book does a good job of telling the history of the percheron since their arrival in the United States. Very informative of the history of the club and the club's pupose. I wanted to learn more about the breed and I did.



2. I chanced upon this book while browsing for a title to donate to our small-town local library in memoriam for a deceased friend who was very active in old time farming displays with draft horses. (A practice we substitute for funeral flowers) Having grown up on the edge of the Percheron epoch in this country, I bought this book for myself. Upon reading it, I found a comprehensive history of the Percheron Horse that takes up where the previous history of the Percheron Horse leaves off. It's all here, the detailed story of the rise and fall of the glistening blacks, grays and dappled draft horses of yesterday. We find that the old gray mare certainly ain't what she used to be and how that all came about. We travel in time from the massive production of the American Percheron breeding movement in this country to the near extinction of the Association and the movement of their offices from the Chicago Stockyards to a small rural farm in Indiana, where the incubus of the Association survived. Then, the influx of interest in draft horses grew and the breed proliferated to the levels of today. The names which ring famous throughout the history of the breed, not only of the horses, but of the men and women who made the breed here in America are featured along with graphic illustrtions. This book is not only packed with the history of the Percheron horse in America, but is full of pictures from the beginning to the end pages which feature detailed timelines and chronological tables defining the rise, fall, and resurgence of the breed. If you are interested in horses, read this book. It will deepen your understanding of the majesty and dedication of breeding and change forever your ideas of the "old gray mare".

3 comments about An Anatomy of Riding.

1. This is the platinum standard for the spiral seat that is the biomechanical basis for dressage. The independent seat (spiral seat) is the origin of harmonious interaction between horse and rider.
   
   These two doctors offer clear explanations of why a rider's seat "goes with" the horse if the spiral seat is employed. They make careful distinctions between learning natural motions of gaits from the horse by relaxing in the positions they describe and then being able to "go with" or enhance the performance of the horse with that "knowledge of the body." Drawings are clear but unfortunuately, the photos are not of high quality: that is the only drawback of this wonderful book. The Schuszdziarra father and son pair are also authors of "Reitergesprache: Der Weg zum unabhängigen Sitz" (Conversations with Riders: The Way to An Independent Seat) currently only in German, which is a follow-up volume. If enough people in the English-speaking world request it, perhaps it can be translated into English. It would make a perfect addition to the original volume.
   
   As a dressage judge, actively competing rider and biologist, I wholeheartedly recommend this volume. Get it. Memorize it and never lock your hips with your gluteus maximus by turning out your toes. Practice its exercises to free your shoulders and hands from the actions of your lower body (independent seat). Your horse and you will be the more content for your efforts.



2. I had ridden for years and did not understand what I was doing wrong until I read this book. I am a surgeon so the anatomy was not difficult, but might be daunting for the uninitiated. It is invaluable. Now my trainer says "you are riding like we do". Many try to describe the correct way to ride but none succeed like this father/son physician team. Get a copy if you can...



3. This book put me in the ribbons in equitation classes on a backyard pinto, but it's not an easy book to read. This is a book about the ANATOMY of the human being as it affects riding. It took me about an hour a page. The authors are dressage riders and physicians, they do not dumb the subject down. There are pictures, but you must concentrate to learn. I can remember the moment I applied my understanding to the posting trot. My instructor exclaimed "Two years of lessons and you've finally got it!" I never told him it wasn't his lessons. For difficulty of language, this is an adult's book.

No comments about Just Ponies 2009 Calendar.

1 comments about Conformation (Threshold Picture Guides, No 19).

1. Lots of pictures and drawings to explain even to the youngest child or the most confused adult. The entire series is well done. Recommended.

5 comments about Overcoming the Fear of Riding.

1. This was a great book. If you ride buy it now because you either have had a fall or may eventually have one and you will need to know how to get back on your horse and continue to enjoy the experience of riding. This books discusses the fear that I've experienced while the horse I was riding was enjoying itself by just being a horse. It gives very useful techniques on how to deal with the natural fears and concerns of being on top of an animal that at times has its own mind. The interviews with professional riders were very helpful and inspiring. The lessons learned can be applied to life in general. This book is not for those who pretend they don't get nervous at a full gallop but is definitely for those whose adreline surges during the excitement.



2. Wow! I really wish I had listened to the one reviewer that gave this book one star. It is definitely not as the title suggests. The entire book is about 200 pages that could be summed up in about 5. The author repeats herself so many times I was about to scream. Even the quotations by famous riders (which makes up about 80% of the book) were repeated many times. The book doesn't give you any good rational reason not to fear riding. And I agree with the other reviewer when they said that the book made them more afraid. It makes horses out to be super dangerous horrible beasts that we may have to use in order to achieve our goals. I got no sense of love for horses in this book. The main idea was that if our goal is to become a famous dressage rider then we have to use a horse to get there. And if one horse isn't good enough, "dump it" (exact term from the book), and get a new one. I can tell you right here the whole summary of the book without costing you a penny. Defeating negative thinking, imagining the best case scenario, and determining your goals. That's it. Don't waste your money on this book now because I just told you all there is to it in one sentence!



3. Topics include: understanding and using nervous energy, risk management, defeating irrational thinking, the importance of goal-setting, cultivating trust and minimizing fear, riding safety tips, ending with 18 personal case studies of different level riders with different types of fears as well as mental exercises to defeat those fears. The author's goal seems to be for anxious riders to trade their fear in for excitement and meet their riding goals with confidence. This book also features interviews with 12 top riders and how they positively use nervous energy as well as tips you can use. Whether you fear injury, embarrassment, and/or failure while riding, this book will give you the tools you need to conquer your fears and make your riding dreams come true!



4. I orignially saw this book & planned to buy it for a friend who has the fear of physical injury when she rides. As I glanced through the book I began to recognize that I had performance fears & that my fears were normal for competitive riders. The authors discuss the "mental" issues that all riders face & encourage riders to embrace their nervousness, focus it & use it to enhance performance. I plan to read this book at least 2 more times!!!



5. This book is great for those who tend to be overly hard on themselves or have developed unrealistic expectations which cause them to doubt if riding is something they can do any more. Some great names in riding, people with a world of experience, share these experiences and the wisdom they've gleaned from them, reassuring the reader that it's okay to have doubts, that difficult horses do exist (which is not always the rider's fault), and that the main point of riding is to enjoy the ride! A great aid for those who have high expectations but face difficult horses, or long layoffs from the saddle, or for those who are just starting out and are frustrated with the fact that they aren't perfect yet.

1 comments about Horses' Teeth and Their Problems: Prevention, Recognition, and Treatment.

1. Tons more information then I had expected. Very helpful and easy to learn. It will definitely help us with our horses. Recommended to all owners or stable employees. Good stuff!!

No comments about Foundation Mares.

1 comments about 101 Ranch Horse Tips: Techniques for Training the Working Cow Horse (101 Tips).

1. Patrick Hooks writes with the authority and credibility of a true horseman. The book is an easy read in a down-to-earth style and packed with really nifty information which you will use on a daily basis. It delivers "101 Ranch Horse Tips" and then a whole lot more about being a good horseman. An excellent and handy book.

1 comments about Schooling with Ground Poles: Flatwork Schooling for Every Horse and Rider.

1. I have gained a lot of enjoyment and made my schooling sessions far more interesting with the addition of poles and cavaletti. Other exercise based books (see my reviews) I've found really valuable. This book is more of a schooling guide. It starts with a discussion on tack, gaits, lungeing, mounting and the aids and is perhaps better suited to a novice rider. It then goes on to discuss how poles can complement your training - from transitions to improving gaits, rein back, leg yield and on to flying changes and preparation for piaffe and passage.
   It depends on what you are looking for. The first couple of chapters are best suited to a beginner or novice rider starting pole work. I found this book useful, but I had to pick through the text to pull out the exercises. I would prefer the format of quick reference guides like, "101 Arena Exercises" or "101 Jumping Exercises for Horse and Rider". Nonetheless, I did pull out some valuable exercises and training tips.