Horses are athletes, and as with all athletes, it takes them years of training every day to become strong, supple, and focused enough to climb to the top. In Hints for Hopeful Dressage Riders, author Jane Richards presents a toolbox of exercises to help both horse and rider train and improve through basic dressage. With more than fifty years of experience teaching and training with horses, Richards helps horse lovers succeed in their riding goals. Hints for Hopeful Dressage Riders provides a host of tips to help both novices and the more experienced riders to: - purchase a suitable horse; - find the correct position and effective aids; - learn training techniques; - recognize signs of discomfort; - solve common riding problems; - practice useful exercises; - understand the importance of the lunge line; and - discover clinics and showing. Hints for Hopeful Dressage Riders addresses the everyday problems riders may encounter at the lower levels of dressage. Richards offers solutions that contribute to enhance the performance and enjoyment of all horses and riders.

Horses are athletes, and as with all athletes, it takes them years of training every day to become strong, supple, and focused enough to climb to the top. In Hints for Hopeful Dressage Riders, author Jane Richards presents a toolbox of exercises to help both horse and rider train and improve through basic dressage. With more than fifty years of experience teaching and training with horses, Richards helps horse lovers succeed in their riding goals. Hints for Hopeful Dressage Riders provides a host of tips to help both novices and the more experienced riders to: purchase a suitable horse; find the correct position and effective aids; learn training techniques; recognize signs of discomfort; solve common riding problems; practice useful exercises; understand the importance of the lunge line; and discover clinics and showing. Hints for Hopeful Dressage Riders addresses the everyday problems riders may encounter at the lower levels of dressage. Richards offers solutions that contribute to enhance the performance and enjoyment of all horses and riders. The book has useful information for all riders of all disciplines. The balanced seat is the safest form of riding as opposed to gripping in order to stay on, whether or not one is riding dressage with a longer stirrup length. The techniques and exercises for the horse are to improve strength, suppleness and become balanced which are important for all disciplines. They also help the horse to focus on the rider and become more obedient and in doing so become safer and more enjoyable to ride.

Those who work with and train horses on a regular basis are likely constantly searching for new ways to make inroads and find answers when faced with tough training or behavior problems. Grand Prix dressage rider and performer Yvonne Barteau has trained her share of horses over the years—from off-track racing Thoroughbreds, to Arabians, to Friesians, to Warmbloods—and she asserts that everything that needs to be known about effectively training a horse is already known…by any horse. “Each horse,” says Barteau, “will know and respect the person who figures out how to train him, if that person is fair. The best trainers are not only ‘horse whisperers,’ they are listeners. And readers. They listen to what the horse has to say. They can read horse body language and behavior patterns. They are calm and they stay calm under pressure. How did they learn that? By studying horses. Over time the horses told them how to be a horse trainer and they listened.” Barteau believes that every dressage rider can learn to listen and read, and so experience greater success and partnership with his or her horse. In this book Barteau has used her knowledge and decades of experience and success in and out of the dressage ring to help put to paper what 10 different dressage horses would say to you about horse training if they could. Through the dressage horse’s mouth, from his point of view, readers learn: how simple things really are and how complicated we make them; the value of routine, consequence, and peace; the importance of leadership, fairness, and trust; the need for your sense of responsibility to match your ambition; plus, what kinds of rewards really work and what frightens, annoys, or causes horses to disregard us altogether. If you listen properly, horses will tell you how to train them. This book is a published declaration of their needs as our athletic partners, fellow competitors, and friends.

This is the only guidebook collecting the official North America breed associations’ standards and conformations, making it a much-needed, handy, and comprehensive reference. Like the American Kennel Club's The Complete Dog Book (now in its 20th printing), this is the book for horse breeds. For each of 118 North American breeds--from ponies and small horses to pleasure horses, draft horses, and thoroughbred racers--the massive 200,000-word guide provides an official history, detailed conformation ideals, descriptions of gait and distinctive traits, temperament, colors, and variations. Fine color photographs complete the detailed picture each entry presents. This guide is destined to become the bible of the horse world.

"First published in two volumes: Cross-train your horse and More cross-training in 1998"--T.p. verso.

A cumulative list of works represented by Library of Congress printed cards.

This marvelous book, borne of a unique collaboration between Dr. Allen Schoen—a world-renowned veterinarian and author—and trainer and competitor of many years Susan Gordon, introduces the 25 Principles of Compassionate Equitation. These Principles, conceived by Dr. Schoen and Gordon, are a set of developmental guidelines, encouraging a level of personal awareness that may be enacted not only through the reader's engagement with horses, but can be extended to all humans and sentient beings he or she encounters. The 25 Principles share stories and outline current, peer-reviewed studies that identify and support methods of training, handling, and caring for horses that constitute a safe, healthy, non-stressful, and pain-free environment. Through their Compassionate Equestrian program, the authors encourage all involved in the horse industry to approach training and handling with compassion and a willingness to alleviate suffering. By developing deeper compassion for their own horses, and subsequently, all equines, equestrians transcend their differences in breed preferences, riding disciplines, and training methodologies. This leads to the ability to empathize and connect more closely with the “global collective” of horses and horse people. In doing so, a worldwide community of compassionate equine practitioners and horse owners will emerge, which will not only benefit the horses: People involved with horses are found in many influential segments of society and have the potential to affect wide circles of friends, acquaintances, and co-workers from every walk of life. These are simple changes any horse person can make that can have a vast impact on the horse industry and society as a whole.