With the popularity of the cob rising year by year, it's time to extol the virtues of this humble hero of the horse world. Cobs Can! is an instructional training book specifically geared to cob riders who want to improve their flatwork and jumping. Using kind and gentle training methods that work with (not against) the typical cob's nature and build, Omar Rabia shows that it's perfectly possible to train these wonderful creatures to advanced levels. The book includes lateral work in walk, trot and canter, as well as piaffe, passage and Spanish walk. There are tips on jumping and exercises to improve technique. Most of all the book is a celebration of achievement, of what's possible when the versatile cob and a thoughtful rider combine their efforts - proving that cobs really can!

Are your dressage scores as high as you expect them to be? Are you good at riding, but not so good at competing? This book offers coaching on all aspects of preparing for and riding in dressage tests up to Medium level. There are instructions on how to ride all the test movements correctly, along with advice on the practical matters of choosing when and where to compete, learning and practising tests, having your horse and all your equipment organised, and then having a clear routine to follow once you arrive at the show. Best of all, the author explains how to master the art of competing, including presenting your horse in such a way that any training issues are not obvious to the eye - especially that of the judge.

Not Quite a Horsewoman" has, since its publication in 1982, delighted thousands of aspirant riders and horse owners. Now in its third edition and embellished with even more delightful cartoons by Anne Pilgrim, it will entertain a new generation of horse lovers as Caroline Akrill reveals the frequent disasters and the occasional triumphs of her long association with a string of equine characters. Ambitions and aspirations fall by the wayside as she tells the story of her leading rein pony, the saga of her show hack and the tale of her season as a hunting columnist. She remembers her first stable yard where she was exploited by her own working pupils, her brief career as a dealer operating from a small village pub, and the agonies of professionally producing show ponies as their owners waited at the ring-side with their livery cheques still unwritten. Engagingly witty, endearingly frank, sometimes surprising, but always amusing, Caroline Akrill regards the horse from the safety of the stable door and scrutinises him with candour and affection.

At last a book that demystifies the communication system between rider and horse. Equestrian sports physiologist Eckart Meyners, and Hannes Muller, head instructor for the German National Riding School, show how good riding is a three-dimensional dialogue. Beginning with a thorough explanation of the classical training scale and a six-step program to build balance and rhythm, Meyners and Muller go on to three basic riding techniques -the flexing technique, the bending technique, and the half-halt technique, which they believe to be the foundation for all training. These are the primary skills for riding in dialogue with a horse. Throughout, exercises are provided to refine technique and work through the training scale, finally achieving the skill level necessary for horse and rider to work in collection.

The Difficult Horse provides many insights as to why a horse may develop unwanted behaviours. 'Problem' behaviour is usually more of a problem for the handler than the horse, which is likely to have established patterns of behaviour as a way of helping himself feel safe in situations he finds mentally and/or physically stressful. As well as explaining the reasons for a horse's reactive and sometimes dangerous responses, this book suggests a number of practical exercises that can help to address a wide range of commonly encountered issues. Even if you consider your horse to be problem-free, these exercises will still be invaluable in helping you and your horse to develop a closer, more pleasurable and successful relationship.

A unique book combining the talents of an exercise specialist, physical therapist, and gifted rider. Together, they've created a whole new exercise and stretching program to practice off the horse and improve your performance on the horse.

"The Course Companion" covers the Horse Knowledge and Care elements of the BHS Stage I examination. Within each chapter are suggestions for practical follow-up work and helpful hints on examination technique. The book is an invaluable study and revision aid, which no examination candidate will want to be without. The subject matter will be equally helpful to anyone involved with the care and management of horses whether in a private or professional capacity.

While there are many excellent books that help the rider to address the technical goals of dressage, Ride from the Heart can transform the way in which the reader communicates with his horse. Rider and trainer Jenny Rolfe has written this book to share the experiences she gained in Portugal, a country with a long and spiritual history of classical training. For many years Jenny has been writing articles about classical horsemanship and her innovative techniques - particularly communication through breathing - which aim for ultimate lightness and empathy in riding have been met with much interest. Through techniques used in loose work, work in-hand and under saddle, the reader will be on the way to enhancing a sense of 'feel', which in turn will encourage oneness and a spirit of dance between horse and rider. The book underlines throughout, the importance of maintaining a bond of leadership, respect and friendship with our horse and within the pages are important tools for achieving these goals. Wherever you are within your level of training, this book will help to enhance and enrich your relationship with your horse so that art may be formed through love.

What does the horse feel when a rider is crooked in the saddle? What is it like to go faster or slower, to round curves and travel straight, with an unbalanced load to carry? What goes through the horse's mind when he is over-flexed and over-aided...when he is forced into biomechanically unsound positions? What happens when a prey animal (the horse) must learn to defeat his own preservation instinct and perform on cue with a predator (humankind) clinging to his back? In this important book, Dr. Ulrike Thiel-a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, sport psychologist, dressage rider, riding instructor, judge, and Xenophon Society classical trainer-examines these important questions, and others. With the use of exercises and astute comparisons, Thiel gives readers an eye-opening tour of the realm of the ridden dressage horse, ensuring we all work to make the job of "being ridden" part of a mutual pursuit-a dance involving two engaged and caring partners, a friendship binding mind and body.

In Advanced Dressage Training, Grand Prix rider/trainer Angela Niemeyer Eastwood outlines the hows and whys of advanced training in a practical, logical fashion, with the aim of helping you to create harmonious partnerships with your horses. Dressage has moved beyond the basics of just riding and training a horse, and now encompasses many complementary disciplines, including psychology. This has always been part of the most successful athletes' repertoires and is now acknowledged as being one of the main contributory factors to excellence in any sport. Technical skills need to go hand in hand with mental commitment, discipline, dedication and resilience. Mindsets can be changed - what is needed is knowledge, support, imagination and perseverance. This book introduces the idea that aids are just that: they let the horse know what the rider wants. When this is understood, the horse should be allowed to do whatever has been asked of him - alone and unaided - until something else is required or the horse needs a reminder. The pursuit of excellence - not perfection - is what dressage is all about. Advanced Dressage Training offers advice and encouragement towards the improvement and development of you and your horse as an advanced partnership, taking you towards excellence in the process.

These workbooks have been prepared by a BHS examiner as revision aids for students who are about to take their BHS stages one and two examinations. Working through the syllabus for both examinations typical questions are asked by means of text, line illustrations and photographs on all relevant subjects. There is space for the student to write down the answers and the correct answers are given at the end of the book. Each book includes a chapter of dos and don'ts and sound advice on dress and examination technique. These books are designed as companions for "The Course Companion to BHS Stage One", and "The Course Companion for BHS Stage Two" and the audiotape revision aids to both examinations, all by Maxine Cave and published by J.A. Allen.

Joni Bentley's unique expertise is a direct result of being a qualified practitioner not only of the Alexander Technique but also of Classical dressage, stress management and functional medicine. It is a rare person who can combine all these areas in order to reveal a new and much needed holistic dimension in the training of horse and rider. In "Riding Success Without Stress", the author demonstrates with clarity and perception how incorrect habits and negativity can be eradicated at source and replaced with calmness, straightness and grace by the application of the Alexander Technique and the Classical school. This book demonstrates how the Alexander Technique training programme ensures that, by optimising the use of your own mind and body, you can optimise the use of your horse and ride to success completely without stress. This ground-breaking and revolutionary book provides invaluable and thought-provoking information for the benefit of all riders and their horses.

This book discusses ground-pole training for all disciplines and shows how you can make the most of precious schooling time. It provides quick and easy pole layouts, using just a handful of poles. Different exercises are given for each pole layout, so there is no need to move the poles during a session. Exercises range from the simple to the more intricate, with the inclusion of more transitions, lateral work, raised poles/cavalletti, or riding in a different gait. Claire Lilley explains how these pole exercises can help you to ride with precision and improve your horse's way of going, adhering to the scales of training. You can also use the different layouts to check whether you are sitting straight, turning correctly, and riding transitions and lateral movements properly. She lists common rider faults for each exercise to help riders self-correct if schooling alone. As an experienced trainer herself, Claire knows that this book will prove an invaluable resource for riding instructors, providing a veritable cookbook of ideas for lesson plans. Poles are a great teaching tool, adding variety to every lesson and helping the teacher to explain lessons to the pupil. Teacher's tips are given for each exercise. Claire says: "Try the exercises for yourself and I'm sure you will be amazed at the improvements that can be made both in your riding technique and in your horse's way of going. You will never be bored with schooling again!"

In this long-awaited follow-up to the highly praised Cobs Can! Omar Rabia introduces the idea of a systematic, progressive series of exercises designed to develop suppleness, collection, obedience and ride-ability in cobs. He discusses the prerequisites of starting this journey and the reasoning behind working cobs in-hand before ridden work is commenced. While the exercises are set out in a progressive order, each exercise offers particular benefits and works on 'target areas', so you can choose exercises that will most benefit your cob before moving onto others in the series. Progression within each exercise is explained so that riders know when to move onto the next step within the exercise.

As riders, we often spend many hours training independently without regular access to high quality coaches, sport psychologists, biomechanic specialists or exercise physiologists. This can be the difference between performing well and performing to the best of your ability consistently and reliably over the long term. By bringing together the science of training, coaching and psychology, Be Your Own Equine Sports Coach explores the horse and rider as individual athletes and how, as a combination, you can meet the demands of competition by building highly personalized strategies and techniques that enable you to reach your potential in whatever discipline you choose and whatever your ambition. Key areas covered include: making sports psychology work for you; understanding human peak performance; the physiological and biomechanical demands of horse sport; developing sport specific training programmes; analysing your performance, and finally, strategic development and authentic leadership.

"The Course Companion" covers the horse care and knowledge elements of the BHS Stage Two examination along with some subject matter which leads on to BHS Stage Three. Within each chapter are suggestions for practical follow-up work and helpful hints on examination technique. The book is an invaluable study and revision aid, which no examination candidate will want to be without. The subject matter will be equally helpful to anyone involved with the care and management of horses whether in a private or professional capacity.

Riding in Release considers the relationship between two significant traditions of riding and horse training - The French Classical School and horsemanship born out of the Vaquero and Buckeroo lineage. Both traditions are founded on the development of a partnership with a horse, which enables lightness of foot and thought. This book provides useful insights for riders of all levels - whether you want to hack out in harmony or improve your half pass - with clear, practical, step-by-step instructions and advice. Topics covered include: consideration of the similarities of the traditions and why this is useful for modern riders to understand; how horses move, think and feel, and how this knowledge is useful to us; foundational handling up to high school - common themes; the human side of the partnership - how to make sense to our horse and be someone he wants to learn from and how to help our horse develop a greater ease of movement without the use of gadgets or force. There are detailed explanations of straightness, balance and dynamic posture along with step-by-step guidance on teaching 'the language of the aids'; tapping into your horse's amazing capacity to learn. Finally, the development of good feeling between you and your horse, through logical application that respects a horse's emotional life as well as his physical body is covered.