This classic memoir by the former director of the renowned Spanish Riding School explores the age-old relationship between horse and rider. Timeless, inspiring, and full of valuable advice. A book every rider should read.

There is a well known saying that "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear" (Buddhist Proverb) - well, my teachers have appeared in the form of horses and continue to do so. Anyone who has spent any length of time around horses cannot have failed to have observed some of the profound lessons they are able to teach us. The question however, is whether we have actually learnt from them! Inside the covers of this book, you will find some of those lessons that I am now sharing with you so that their legacy can grow and 'ripple' outwards. There have been so many lessons but these are some of the most important. They are presented through pictures, thoughts and observations, including those given to me by our horses and ponies and also through some of the journal and blog entries I have made to illustrate the lesson. They are not in any particular order and can be read as a kind of 'journey' as we have experienced them or as individual gifts of motivation and learning; whichever suits you.

The author examines in depth the psychology of riding and the relationship between teacher, pupil and horse. He gives outlines of classical riding programmes which can be successfully used to improve the abilities of individuals and groups.

Winner of a 2020 Border Regional Library Association Southwest Book Award “Truly transcendent.” —Jessica Lustig, New York Times Book Review This riveting memoir follows professional horse trainer Ginger Gaffney’s year-long odyssey to train a herd of neglected horses at an alternative prison ranch in New Mexico. Working with her is a small team of ranch “residents,” men and women who are each uniquely broken by addiction and incarceration. Gaffney forms a bond with them as profound as the kinship and trust the residents discover among the troubled horses. Through these unforgettable characters—both animal and human—Half Broke tells a new kind of recovery story and speaks to the life-affirming joy of finding a sense of belonging.

Stories from a rural working life that teach us how to be better horsemen—and better people. Van Hargis grew up in the saddle on an East Texas ranch, training his first horse at age 12 and eventually making a living starting cutting and reining colts, many of which would leave his hands to become champions. Naturally outgoing (labeled a “talker” by teachers in grade school), Hargis shared stories and lessons from his work with horses early on. Here, in his first book, he reaches out to readers with a collection of down-to-earth, highly relatable tales—experiences that, over the years, have impacted his own horsemanship and life in significant ways. Readers absorb fundamental knowledge of horses skillfully embedded in genuine anecdotes straight off the ranch: How Grandma's cross-stitch laid the groundwork for more patience when starting colts and trailer loading. How a daughter's temper tantrum helped perfect timing of the release of pressure. How the way Mom worked the gate when sorting cattle taught you to look for what the horse really wanted to achieve. How playing on championship football teams provided the understanding of true partnership between rider and horse. With easy-to-remember quotes to anchor what readers learn and practical tools that can be used in the arena or on the trail, by Western or English riders, The Horse Is My Teacher imparts the principles of great horsemanship while also inspiring each of us to apply those same principles to further our own personal growth and success.

Mean Girls meets Black Beauty in Horse Girl by celebrated author Carrie Seim--a funny and tender middle-grade novel about finding your forever herd. "This book is funny and exciting. Beautifully portrays both the pleasures and risks of riding horses and also of being a teen. Very original, and a great pleasure to read."--Jane Smiley, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Wills is a seventh grader who's head-over-hoof for horses, and beyond excited when she gets the chance to start training at the prestigious Oakwood Riding Academy. But Amara--the Queen of the #HorseGirls--and her posse aren't going to let the certifiably dork-tagious Wills trot her way into their club so easily. Between learning the reins of horse riding, dealing with her Air Force pilot mom being stationed thousands of miles from home, and keeping it together in front of (gasp!) Horse Boys, Wills learns that becoming a part of the #HorseGirl world isn't easy. But with her rescue horse, Clyde, at her side, it sure will be fun. Complete with comedic, original hoof notes to acquaint the less equestrian among us, Horse Girl delivers everything a young readers wants: mean girls, boy problems, and embarrassingly goofy dad jokes. And it does so on the back of a pony.

For over a quarter of a century, Colonel Alois Podhajsky was the Director of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, home of the famous white Lipizzaner stallions whose remarkable performances have thrilled audiences throughout the world. Now for the first time, Col. Podhajsky has set forth explicitly and in practical, instructive fashion the step-by-step methods of training both horse and rider that are used at the School and that are the applicable foundations of all good horsemanship, for their purpose is to develop the natural abilities of the horse and to make riding a graceful, pleasurable experience.

Other creatures of the Earth are asking to be our spiritual teachers, says Heyward, and learning from them is a source of hope for the world. Reflecting on the seven spiritual lessons taught to her by horses, Heyward explores: 1) passion as real presence; 2) otherness as remembering what we aren't; 3) fear as shrinking spirituality; 4) balance as sitting deep and well; 5) beauty as reflecting who we are; 6) patience as taking time; and 7) whimsy as being light as a feather. Dedicated to the staff, students, volunteers, and horses at Heyward's farm--Free Rein Center for Therapeutic Riding and Education in Brevard, North Carolina--Flying Changes includes 15 black and white photographs of horses and a selected bibliography.

In ‘Wow, my teacher is a horse!’, scientifically based theory and practical examples clearly explain how the horse can play a role in strengthening executive functions through experiential learning. Since 2004 Paulien Rutgers has been working in horse-assisted interventions which aim to encourage children with specific needs to develop their strenghts and abilities. More than half of these children suffer from school dropout and/or risky behavior. They need support for one or more executive functions, with feedback to their family and school. Horses have a positive effect on the learning ability, the self-reflection and the awareness of these children. In this book, Paulien Rutgers brings together all her experience and the results of her search for the explanation of the effect that horses have on the behaviour and cognition of the target group. She attended national and international symposia, lectures and courses, studied articles and books, conducted passionate interviews with researchers and colleagues, resulting in a conclusive theory which translates into practice. This is an indispensable book for students of Animal Assisted Therapy courses, of applied social studies, pedagogy and psychology as well as for teachers in those studies, as for professionals in the field of animals in care.

Shares information on horses, including what they eat, where they live, and how fast they can run.