Essential Riding: A Realistic Approach to Horsemanship

Introduces the basics of Western and English style horseback riding and jumping, discussing habits, behavior, and gaits of horses as well as appropriate attire, safety, and etiquette.

Most how-to-ride manuals assume that the beginner is mounted on a well-trained horse. "Do this, this, and that," other books instruct, "and your horse will respond in such-and-such a way." In the magic world of these manuals, nothing ever goes wrong.But in fact, Steven D. Price points out in the introduction of Essential Riding, "the vast majority of us learn to ride on lesson horses at public stables or on privately owned "backyard" horses . . .. When the beginning rider does "this, this, and that," the horse is just as likely to respond with no more than a yawn . . .. The purpose of this book is to provide a 'real world' perspective for you as a beginning rider."Price introduces us to Fred, the kind of horse most beginners learn to ride on. Fred is a sweet fellow, but a bit bored and stubborn after years of being a lesson horse. You'll learn whether a problem is your fault or the horse's, knowledge that makes all the difference in your equestrian education.Essential Riding begins with a broad introduction to riding fundamentals that apply to all styles of English and Western horsemanship. There's vital information on: finding the right instructor; proper attire; equine behavior as it affects riding; basic rider position; the horse's gaits and how to ask for them; stable and trail safety and etiquette; jumping basics; preparing for horse shows; an overview of the different disciplines; a glossary of horse-related terms; and more.Never has a riding manual contained such commonsensical advice. Aspiring riders of every discipline and of all ages will find everything they need to understand their mounts and more fully enjoy the sport. (6 X 9, 208 pages, b&w photos, diagrams)