"If you buy that horse, you're buying your daughter's death warrant," Jane Pohl's father was warned at the army barracks in the spring of 1941. But the potential that his teenage daughter Jane saw in the small, temperamental Thoroughbred was enough to convince him otherwise. Earlier that year, when Fitzrada arrived at the army base where Jane's family lived, the horse was stubborn, unpredictable, and dangerous. Any man who dared addle him up soon found himself face down in the dirt. Jane, excited to ride any horse and up for the challenge, had the most success with Fitz. She was patient and consistent, and the horse responded well at last, showing a great affinity for jumping. Then, inexplicably, a terrible riding accident resulted in serious injuries for both Jane and Fitz, and the army decide that it was time to destroy the horse. Heartbroken, Jane pleaded with her reluctant father: the only way to save Fitz was to buy him from the army. Jane Pohl's foresight proved to be correct. Jane and Fitz went on to take the Virginia show-jumping circuit by storm, winning 37 jumper and 6 hinter championships. At a time when women were rarely seen in jumping classes at horse shows and were not taken seriously by male competitors, Jane and Fitz helped to break down barriers against women riders competing in the Olympics. In 1946, Jane and Fitz found themselves at the Jumper Championship at the prestigious National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden-the highest jumping title in North America. The road there for horse and rider was a five-year test of faith, patience, and understanding friendship.

No matter which style of horseback riding we do, our foundation is the seat--the rider's lower-body position that permits communication and control with the horse. A good seat, to which every rider aspires, is the result of coordinating one's body with the horse at rest or in motion. And although the process is the first thing a rider learns, perfecting a good seat often takes many years of study and effort.
Although many instruction manuals delve into the subject, until now there has not been a book entirely devoted to developing a seat that is applicable to all styles of riding. In The Seamless Seat, veteran instructor Kathleen Schmitt begins with a discussion of how we learn in terms of creating an environment in which we can understand and then build a good seat. She goes on to show how human and equine anatomy interact, creating the "platform" that is fundamental to a secure seat. Elements of such approaches as Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the Alexander Technique are also discussed.
How the horse moves at the walk, trot, canter, and gallop, as well as its position at the halt and rein-back and its movement during transitions between gaits--all have a bearing on the rider's form and control. Those elements lead to the various types of seats: the passive, active, resisting, and unilateral, and when each one is appropriate. They in turn lead to the rider's leg and arm positions and the rein and auxiliary aids, all of which become optimally effective when the secure "seamless" seat has been achieved.
Whether your discipline is English or Western riding for pleasure or for competition, The Seamless Seat will make you a more educated and capable horseman.

"Going the distance" endurance riding is not just a sport. It is almost an addictive experience, where the fastest do not always come first. This Horse Guide contains a wealth of basic knowledge for all beginners wanting to know more about this fascinating discipline. - What is endurance riding? - Which riders does it suit? - - Which breeds of horse? - Basics - Maps & equipment - - Training - The endurance ride from A-Z - Tips - Checklists -

An advanced rider, whether professional horseman, Olympic athlete, or just a horse lover who has learned the fundamentals and go on to ride his or her own horse, in the author's view, "is someone who graps the idea of good horsemanship and puts a great deal of time and effort into developing his or her seat and position." Advanced English Riding is designed to helped riders develop those skills and to help them move on to the next level of riding. Author Sharon Biggs, whose credits also include The Original Horse Bible, shares her considerable experience in English riding in this Horse Illustrated Guide that goes beyond the fundamentals to refine the riding skills of hunter/jumper riders and dressage riders, from improving seat and position to advanced schooling techniques and participating successfully and joyfully in competitions. This book offers step-by-step instructions and great advice for all English riders looking to develop, improve, or refine their skills in the various aspects of this popular riding discipline. This extensive guide is divided into 15 chapters and covers the following topics: honing the seat and position, the half halt, riding within the gaits (transitions, stride adjustment, collection, extensions, etc.), riding figures, lateral work, cavalletti and group poles (for hunters, jumpers, and dressage), gridwork (incorporating placing poles and cavalletti), cross-country jumping, hunter courses, show jumping courses, advanced competition in dressage, eventing, hunters, and show jumping, and more

Participating in a first horse show can be a daunting experience. From how to register to the mystery of what judges look for, there is so much to learn and - until now - no one book to go to for answers. With Showing for Beginners, judge Hallie McEvoy acts as a friendly and highly informed guide for the beginning hunter seat rider. She explains the requirements and customs for both horse and rider, show-ring etiquette, showing lingo - all the while debunking myths and offering sound advice on safety, finding the right trainer, and even buying a show horse. And, most important, she stresses the value of relaxing and having fun. (6 X 9, 176 pages, b&w photos, illustrations)

Foxhunting is in Melvin Poe's blood. As a child, he hunted with hounds owned by his grandfather and father in Rappahannock County, Virginia, and he became the professional huntsman for the Old Dominion Hounds for 16 seasons and the Orange County Hunt for 27 years. He is now, at age 82, in his eleventh year as huntsman for the Bath County Hounds. In 1979, Melvin was featured in the film documentary "Thoughts on Hunting. "Author Peter Winants, a lifelong foxhunter, has been the field master at Bath County since the founding of the hunt in 1992. His book ably captures the essence of one of the most legendary and colorful characters in American foxhunting. In addition to Melvin's upbringing, chapters deal with breeding and training foxhounds, his techniques in finding and hunting foxes and the strategies that have led to immense success through the years at hound shows. The final chapter, "Thanks, Melvin," has testimonials from a number of prominent foxhunters who have enjoyed sport with Melvin, including Benjamin H. Hardaway III, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Senator John W. Warner. Foxhunting With Melvin Poe is must reading for foxhunters and anyone who enjoys the countryside and nature.

A t some point in every rider's life, the notion arises that being an instructor would be a rewarding career, whether it's giving "up-down" lessons to novices at the stable or producing national and even world-class champions. Offering authoritative and realistic advice, addressing such critical issues as: Deciding whether you have the personality, horsemanship, and teaching skills to become an instructor. Finding an entry-level job, including assessing the facility's approach to education and involvement in horse sports. Getting along with the owner/manager and fellow instructors.. Coping with show-ring issues at home and at the competition, and developing a relationship with show management, judges, and other professionals. Deciding to move on, including the pros and cons of opening your own teaching/training facility. Packed with entertaining and informative true-life adventures (including "war stories") from well-known hunter/jumper, Western, dressage, and eventing trainers, this is an invaluable guide.

Balance, impulsion, responsiveness - these hallmarks of a well schooled horse are the goals of dressage, a French word for training. Although a dressage education is often done with an eye toward preparing horse and rider for competition, this systematic approach also serves to improve virtually every horse, regardless of discipline or potential. "101 Dressage Tips" offers suggestions for achieving this goal, together with ways to recognize and solve basic and advanced horse and rider problems encountered along the way. With advice on selecting a horse, stable, and trainer, buying tack and other equipment, taking lessons and clinics, and preparing for and taking part in dressage competitions, "101 Dressage Tips" provides practical and encouraging advice for riders at all levels.

With a clear and down-to-earth approach from top trainer, Tina Sederholm, this book provides the building blocks that will enable you to reach your riding goals. Based on the systematic training approach used by her father Lars Sederholm uniting classical horsemanship with the demands of the competition world, Tina Sederholm introduces a series of exercises to help riders of all levels improve their skills. Set out in an easy to follow way, each exercise starts in its simplest form and progresses to more advanced versions making this book ideal for both novice and experienced riders alike. Packed full of stunning photographs, this book provides the theory and the practical exercises to achieve 'all-round horsemanship'.

Drawing on centuries of European practice, The Elements of Dressage will help any reader perfect the union between horse and rider. Dressage has been around since the time of the ancient Greeks, but reached its heights in Europe, and particularly in Germany. The German approach is now the preferred method in most countries, and the author has been teaching it for more than fifty years.There are ten principal elements in the German method, and they include: relaxation, regularity, freedom, contact, straightness, and Durchlassigkeit.Both beginning and advanced trainers and riders will learn why the ten elements exist, how to develop them in a horse, and even when not to use them. Starting with the basics, and moving on towards the most subtle aspects, The Elements of Dressage is the complete guide to the art of training and riding a horse. (7 x 9 3/4, 128 pages, diagrams)Kurd Albrecht von Ziegner has operated an internationally renowned riding school in Mechtersen, Germany, south of Hamburg, since 1971. Trained as an officer in the cavalry school in Hannover, he became a leading NATO officer in the 1950s and took over, among other things, the construction of the Turkish cavalry school in Ankara. He is also one of the most prominent and successful dressage trainers in the United States, where he developed a new judging system, the Prix St. James. Winner of the German Rider Cross in Gold, the author shares insights from more than fifty years of training. He is also the author of many articles and books, including The Basics: A Guideline for Successful Training.

Learn how to ride with the ease and grace of a professional with this brilliant system of riding. This title includes a simple explanation of bio-mechanics will allow any rider to move as one with their horse. It gives the rider a gentle but powerful influence over their horse ensuring he co-operates rather than resists. This approach to riding requires less effort from the rider, is less stressful for the horse and reduces tension allowing easier training, increased trust and better performance. It presents the classical system in a clear and logical way ensuring beginners and the more experienced can pick up the techniques quickly and gain the benefits.

Drawing on the theories of the old masters of dressage, Lessons in Lightness: The Art of Educating the Horse shows how both horse and rider can greatly benefit from traditional dressage techniques and exercises. Written by a thirty-year veteran horse trainer, this is the only book that takes the core elements of classical dressage and applies them as the basis for good general horsemanship today.
With this step-by-step program, both horse and rider learn from each other. The rider is taught to focus on subtle nuances of communication, while the horse develops gymnastically so he can respond correctly to the aids. Once the horse masters the basic exercises, the rider not only has a very ridable horse but one that can perform and advance in almost any discipline for which it is suited - from dressage and show jumping to Western pleasure and performance riding.
Inside you'll learn:
How to teach the horse to release inner tension
How to develop the horse gymnastically to facilitate relaxation, create flexibility, and build strength
How to enhance the horse's true and natural gaits
How to school the horse in hand and how to ride all the lateral movements
How to build engagement for advanced work
No other single source in the marketplace today provides the level of detail that readers will find in this book.

Every parent hopes to experience the thrill of seeing a child discover an activity she loves, and then watching as that interest unfolds into a lifelong passion. But when a child adores horses above all, these joys are often dampened by anxiety, especially when the parent knows little about riding. The questions can be overwhelming: How does one begin to find a qualified riding instructor? Just how expensive is this hobby? And most important will my child be safe?
Parents searching for answers will find relief in "A Parent s Guide to Riding Lessons," by Elise Gaston Chand. A former horse-crazy child born to horse-clueless parents, Chand is today both an accomplished horsewoman and the mother of a horse-crazy daughter. Her vantage point allows her to get to the heart of parents concerns, then offer the information, instruction, and peace of mind that they desperately need.
With its engaging "been there" voice, "A Parent s Guide to Riding Lessons" combines the instant appeal of an impulse purchase with the practicality and depth of content of a thorough guide. Parents will snap up the book for its clear, reassuring voice, then refer back to it often for its quality answers and information.
"A Parent s Guide to Riding Lessons" gives busy parents an overview of horseback riding and lesson progression. It translates the strange language of horse enthusiasts, explains horse show etiquette, and addresses specific ways that parents can help children stay safe in and out of the barn. Along the way it offers practical advice, tips, and step-by-step guidance through an array of challenges that parents can expect to face."

On horseback, the positioning and balance of the rider is of paramount importance. But how do they learn the correct seat? Often riders are forced into a posture which they are unable to master due to physical problems alone. The consequence is tension in the rider and tension in the horse. This guide describes with the help of numerous exercises how the rider can find his or her own individual path to a balanced seat and to a better communication with the horse: - Thoughts before mounting - Exercises on the stationery horse - Anatomy - - Criteria for the correct seat - The feeling of balance: legs and buttocks - - The dynamic horse - The relaxed horse - Communicating with the horse's back - - The feeling for motion: the walk, the trot, the canter - Using the seat - - Light aids: weight aids, leg aids, mental aids, rein aids, full halt, half-halt - The author of this guide is a GP, a physiotherapist and an expert riding teacher; she also runs a surgery for hippogenic training * Essential reading for anyone, adult or youngster, who is learning to ride or who already rides and wishes to know more. * Beautifully illustrated, simple and easy-to-follow book.

The most thrilling tales of equestrian adventure ever written! Throughout history, horses have been our partners in struggle and in triumph. They have carried the doctor swiftly to the door of a dying mother and galloped across vast distances of the American West bringing mail to the settlers. Horses today are our companions in sport, dashing to the finish line or leaping impossibly high fences for the sheer glory of the win. Horses also lurk in the mists of ancient myth and legend. Illustrating these dramatic moments are the most exciting horse stories from human history, both fact and fiction, and they are written by notable authors.

It is no longer enough for equestrian students to be adept solely with grooming tools and saddle soap - communications skills in the form of presentation of lecturettes are now an important part of exam syllabuses. This book contains a series of lectures covering the stable management syllabus of the BHS stages I and II examinaitons. Each lecture is presented complete with preparation notes, full text and clear diagrams, some of which can be photocopied and used as a teaching aid. In addition the author has calculated the length of time each lecture takes and this, together with the chapter on lecturing techniques, will prove important for both students and practising instructors.

One of the fastest-growing divisions of the breed horse show world is the Hunter Under Saddle, in which horses exhibit the athletic and comfortable gaits that characterize the ideal foxhunting mount. This comprehensive guide to training and showing horses in this discipline takes the reader from assessing the potential of a young horse's conformation and movement, to training and exhibiting the animal in terms of what constitutes a ribbon-winning performance. The book also addresses the differences between these show hunters and those of the "English" hunter world, as well as such training considerations as re-schooling an older horse. Throughout the book, the author stresses the importance of giving horses a solid foundation that will benefit them not only in the Hunter Under Saddle division but elsewhere in the show arena. Whether you ride a horse that shows exclusively in the Hunter Under Saddle division or one that also takes part in Western classes, this book should teach you everything you need to know to get to the winner's circle.

This revised and updated version of Reiner Klimke's classic book on cavalletti work now has an extended section on gymnastic jumping by the author's daughter, Ingrid Klimke. First published over 30 years ago, the original information on schooling horses over cavalletti is still valid today but the book also encompasses the changing face and requirements of the modern sport horse. (6 1/2 X 9 1/2, 144 pages, color photos, illustrations, diagrams)

"Everyday I keep on learning," says renowned horseman George Morris. "Every horse I ride, every student I teach, every clinic I give, every class I watch, every book or article I read, every conversation I have teaches me something." Morris has now accrued more than 70 incredible years of riding, training, and horsemanship experience, gleaned from the very best in the equestrian industry, all around the world. Here, he aims to share what he feels are the key points of all that he has learned over the course of his illustrious life with horses. "Looking back on my life, the luck I've had, the shoulders I've been able to stand on..." he says, "that is why I am writing this book: to just try, just try, to pass it on!" Readers will find Morris's trademarks: swift to the point, with an emphasis on clarity, he highlights the finer points of the equestrian life and the responsibilities he feels it bears. He moves deftly between topics, touching on rider position and competency; horse training and schooling (both on the flat and over fences); caring for the horse properly, with empathy and the intention to do right by his nature; and ultimately, competing the horse successfully while keeping him sound, willing, and comfortable in his work. With an in-depth introductory section on stable management contributed by John Madden, and featuring a visual feast of over 300 gorgeous images--many of them starring acclaimed international show jumper Beezie Madden--this is a one-of-a-kind reference from an equestrian force without parallel.

Find guidance on how to perform a range of schooling exercises in a variety of disciplines. This comprehensive and visual guide gives novice and experienced horse riders alike all the basics they need to get the best from their horses. Exercises such as teaching the horse to flex properly when riding circles and how to change pace without resistance are shown in specially photographed step-by-step sequences. Troubleshooting panels tell readers which mistakes to watch out for and how to put them right. There are also gridwork exercises and advice on using polework to help readers vary a horse's lessons and improve a rider's own position. A final section on Western riding techniques will show how to perform the basic tests required in reining classes, or introduce new ideas to those wishing to cross-train their horses in this growing equestrian field.

In easy-to-follow steps, this book takes first-time and novice riders through the requisite paces from the simplest notions to the more sophisticated concepts of equine psychology and communication.

Klaus Schoneich and Gabriele Rachen-Schoneich attribute ninety-five per cent of all problems in the sport or leisure horse's way of going to its natural, intrinsic crookedness, and to the fact that, in training, little or no importance is attached to straightness. Crookedness has a negative effect on the horse's health, performance and behaviour. Thanks to a system of straightness training devised by the authors, the horse's basic way of going can be corrected in a relatively short time. This book describes in detail, and with clear illustrations, the whole process of correcting crookedness, and includes work both on the lunge and under saddle. The book addresses: How the horse moves - anatomical and physiological aspects; Crookedness - where does it originate? what makes it worse?; effects of crookedness on the horse's health, performance and behaviour; and, crookedness and its correction.