When I took my first riding lesson a couple years ago, I was so eager to understand where my lessons would lead that I ran out and grabbed the only book they had on horseback riding at the bookstore: Horseback Riding For Dummies. It wasn't such a bad book, and it definitely was useful for a beginner who really just needed to become acquainted with the basic language I would hear from my instructor and around the barn.
That Christmas my ever-supportive boyfriend got me a bunch of horsey books:
One Hundred and Four Horses - a lovely memoir about a family going through dangerous times in Zimbabwe that was dedicated to saving their beloved horses
Horse Stories (Everyman's Pocket Classics) - A really nice collection of classic short stories that I found interesting because it showed man's relationship to horses over the years
Zen Mind, Zen Horse - This is pretty interesting, although I haven't read it cover to cover. It talks about mindfulness with horses. I think this is something that is difficult to work on at my level, where I'm already trying to figure out a million things at once, but I'd be interested to see what more advanced riders' thoughts are on it.
Since then I've listened to Half Broke Horses on audio which was another interesting memoir about a resilient girl growing up on a ranch in turn-of-the-century West Texas. I've also read The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired A Nation which is now one of my all-time-favorite memoirs, especially as I start lessons at a hunter-jumper barn. I read Horse People and had mixed feelings about it. It was an interesting look into a certain type of person's horse world, but was pretty elitist. The Yonahlossee Riding Camp For Girls is a fairly new and beautifully written coming-of-age story about a girl that is sent to finishing school amidst a family scandal, forced to leave her pony and gain respect in the school's riding ring. I loved this book.
Right now I'm reading Geoff Teal on Riding Hunters, Jumpers and Equitation. I wanted to get into instructional books to go along with my lessons and this one seems really good so far. Geoff Teal has a great understanding of how people progress, where they make mistakes and how to be realistic in setting goals.
If anyone has more suggestions, I would love to hear them!
That Christmas my ever-supportive boyfriend got me a bunch of horsey books:
One Hundred and Four Horses - a lovely memoir about a family going through dangerous times in Zimbabwe that was dedicated to saving their beloved horses
Horse Stories (Everyman's Pocket Classics) - A really nice collection of classic short stories that I found interesting because it showed man's relationship to horses over the years
Zen Mind, Zen Horse - This is pretty interesting, although I haven't read it cover to cover. It talks about mindfulness with horses. I think this is something that is difficult to work on at my level, where I'm already trying to figure out a million things at once, but I'd be interested to see what more advanced riders' thoughts are on it.
Since then I've listened to Half Broke Horses on audio which was another interesting memoir about a resilient girl growing up on a ranch in turn-of-the-century West Texas. I've also read The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired A Nation which is now one of my all-time-favorite memoirs, especially as I start lessons at a hunter-jumper barn. I read Horse People and had mixed feelings about it. It was an interesting look into a certain type of person's horse world, but was pretty elitist. The Yonahlossee Riding Camp For Girls is a fairly new and beautifully written coming-of-age story about a girl that is sent to finishing school amidst a family scandal, forced to leave her pony and gain respect in the school's riding ring. I loved this book.
Right now I'm reading Geoff Teal on Riding Hunters, Jumpers and Equitation. I wanted to get into instructional books to go along with my lessons and this one seems really good so far. Geoff Teal has a great understanding of how people progress, where they make mistakes and how to be realistic in setting goals.
If anyone has more suggestions, I would love to hear them!
i got a book for christmas called the 40 fundamentals of english riding that i have found helpful in terms of giving a specific look at various aspects of english riding. it's basic in that it talks about walk, trot, canter but also gets into looseness and contact and all that good stuff. there is a video that i haven't had the opportunity to check out yet but it seems like a very well rounded piece.
ReplyDeletethere's another one that viva carlos suggested a while back called, how good riders get good. i have yet to read through it but treated myself a few months ago and got it and plan to read it sometime in the near future. it's more of an inspirational read than technical.
i also am really into clicker training (i clicker trained one of my cats--the other is still young so we're waiting) and there is a clicker book for training horses!
I will definitely check out 40 Fundamentals and How Good Riders Get Good! Thanks!
DeleteI have a cat that could use some clicker training. She's good but every once in a while "forgets" the sink is not something to sit in. I will have to look into that!
i don't think you'd regret looking those two horsey books, up. esp learning as an adult... i find that we simply learn differently than kids do. technicality isn't so abstract as an adult because when your coach talks about left seat vs right, you know what s/he means. maybe you can't get it... but you GET IT.
Deleteif your cat is heavily food motivated, you'll have no issues. my food cat was VERY easy to train. i started the training on the kitten and he's still a bit like "i'd rather go look over here"...
Heavily food motivated is an understatement LOL she used to hate her nails getting clipped but she hardly notices if she's got the snack container in front of her...
DeleteI love Zen Mind, Zen Horse - but agree the concepts are difficult to try out if you don't have access to a round pen and are riding a lesson horse. One favorite book of mine is "Getting the Most from your Riding Lessons" which I reviewed on my blog a few years ago, and also "Centered Riding" by Sally Swift. Anything by Monty Roberts is also fantastic and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteThankyou for the book suggestion and thanks for reading through my blog!!!
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