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What we currently call “horse whispering” has roots in a form of western horsemanship that traveled from Europe to Mexico and the United States, and was then transformed by Native Americans and working cowboys into Vaquero horsemanship. Fine Horses and Fair-Minded Riders: Modern Vaquero Horsemanship documents the learning and practice of Vaquero horsemanship, which has survived as a vibrant part of horse culture. In her study, Ávila first focused on participants in the southeastern United States before expanding to include their mentors from across the United States.Ávila characterizes what she found as “a collapse of distance” between geographical and cultural boundaries, digital and physical spaces, and, most significantly, horses and humans. Influenced by New Literacies scholarship and employing a sociocultural theoretical framework, Ávila explores self-directed learning journeys; the flexibility of apprentice and expert positions; the influence of consumer culture; the philosophy and significance of the cultural roots of Vaquero horsemanship; the role of technology; and what the future of this continually evolving horsemanship might include. At the heart of this volume are personal stories and firsthand accounts from those who have studied modern Vaquero horsemanship, which can help to create exceptional and powerful bonds between horses and humans.

Achievable, riding-specific fitness for equestrians looking to up their game, get back in the game, or stay in the game. In this accessible, highly illustrated guide, former Dartmouth Equestrian Team Coach Sally Batton shares her secret to 30 years of winning riders and championship teams: a unique series of progressive, mounted exercises that improves cardiovascular and muscular fitness for riders of all abilities and levels. Batton's proven program, which she calls Equicize, can be used as part of a horseback rider's daily warm-up by targeting specific muscle groups, or it can be a more intense workout in the saddle once or twice a week, making up the bulk of a mounted training session. Easy to learn and flexible by design, riders can pick and choose the Equicize exercises that best address their personal “problem areas,” or they can dedicate a specific number of rides per week to performing an entire sequence. As Batton explains, there are literally hundreds of ways to adjust, modify, and adapt this fun fitness program to suit specific circumstances. No matter what level of fitness a rider starts at, when the Equicize system is practiced regularly, everyone will see improvement in balance, strength, coordination, and flexibility. And Batton has made it easy to incorporate her training into the modern rider's full and complex life, with exercises designed to fit seamlessly into time that has already been set aside for grooming, tacking up, and riding. With sensible, achievable goals, easy-to-implement steps, progressive how-to photographs, and dozens of QR codes to scan and view engaging instructional videos to help readers perform the exercises for the best result, this book is both a superb launch point for ambitious riders looking to grow their abilities and a stable lynchpin for those aiming to stay in the game, and in the saddle, as long as possible.

Our relationship and fascination with horses have been evident in every civilization and throughout recorded history. No better proof can be found than in literature, in the stories and poetry that capture the endless variety of partnerships between horses and riders. Horse Tales is a compilation of the best of these works and include tales penned by:Mark TwainH. H. MunroNathaniel HawthorneWashington IrvingWinston ChurchillEnid BagnoldLeo TolstoyBret HarteZane Greyand many, many others.

A proven rider training system to sharpen position and vastly improve skill in the saddle. Whether competing in the show ring or riding at home on the trail, every rider wants to be more secure and balanced in the saddle and effective with their aids. This innovative guide uses highly effective exercises to develop your athleticism on horseback so you can say goodbye to common rider problems, such as: Swinging lower legs. Stiff arms. Trouble balancing over the horse's center of gravity. Half-halts that go unanswered. Incorrect mechanics, on the flat and in the jumping position. And more. Division I collegiate riding coach Sally Batton has spent over 30 years perfecting her methods specifically designed to refine and polish riders, whatever their level. In her work with hundreds of varsity team athletes, she found that trouble with position and lack of specific horsemanship skills happens for two reasons: First, riders may not have an understanding of the biomechanics required to maintain the correct position. Second, they may not have attained the suppleness and strength required to maintain a fluid, elastic position on the horse. Her secret to combatting these difficulties won her teams dozens of championships and awards through the years. Here you learn both her time-proven warm-up and her exciting “Equicize” routine: a series of progressive exercises similar to aerobics on horseback. Batton's recommendations help you build and strengthen the major muscle groups used by equestrian athletes, and all exercises can be customized so you can raise or lower the intensity as needed to suit your age, level, and riding style. Plus, readers find dozens of creative training “hacks” that will get them on their way to greater levels of riding proficiency in no time at all.

Like other hobbies, sports, and passions, riding and training horses inevitably involves a certain amount of repetition in order to improve. This means a well-designed plan of lessons and exercises is indispensable, both for keeping horse and rider interested in what they're doing together and for advancing their fitness and ability level. Riders, trainers, and instructors of all disciplines are always looking for ways to keep boredom at bay—and that's where this handy guide can save the day. 50 Best Arena Exercises and Patterns provides a terrific collection of upbeat ideas for essential schooling, adding variety and challenge to everyday workouts. Exercises are organized in easy-to-reference sections, including: improving the rider's seat, “learning to dance” with the basic foundation movements, increasing mobility with gymnastics, finding rhythm, getting supple and relaxed, achieving connection and softness, activating the hindquarters, traveling straight, and achieving collection. In addition, two chapters provide fun alternatives to supplement any lesson. Whether an English or Western rider, any equestrian looking for tools to use in creating a balanced, correct seat, and a supple, gymnasticized horse will relish this infinitely useful collection of practice routines.

In The Mare and the Mouse, the first book in the Stories of My Horses trilogy, Martín Prechtel sets loose his mystical memoir of a few mixed-breed horses who transform into allies of mythic proportions by his one-of-a-kind style of maneuvering through the rugged beauty of New Mexico. Together, they out-canter disillusionment and bitter despair, coursing into a dawn of beauty and humor.This second book, The Wild Rose, continues the saga of re-finding the horses of Prechtel's reservation-youth, which were assumed extinct, along with all the wild vicissitudes, truly magical happenings, and unique pre-cowboy Southwestern horse knowledge. This is the account of his struggle to gather a herd of these old-time Barb horses, who in the process become counselors and co-conspirators in the cause.The Wild Rose chronicles what it takes for Indigenous beauty and wild vitality to live, disappear, reappear, revive, and thrive in the modernity's unsympathetic clatter, and seems to hint the self-spinning condition of today's mindset is a spiritual illness that can cease being the relentless oppressor of Nature, open land, and Naturalness in People, and re-find its own health and nobility of soul

An intensely moving memoir of a young man who left heartbreak in Maine to seek healing Out West in the company of horses. Growing up in a small Maine town, Chris Lombard had never ridden a horse—never even touched one. But on one fateful night, as what he'd thought was a happy twenty-something life full of love and possibility fell suddenly apart, he met two horses and looked into their eyes. What he saw inspired him to leave everything he had, and everything he didn't have, behind, and go in search of what was missing. With the little he needed packed in his ten-year-old Pontiac Grand Prix, and little more to go on than a belief that someone would give him a chance, Chris headed west to find work on a horse ranch. His journey took him first to the mountains of Colorado, then the Hollywood Hills of California, and finally, the wild borderlands of Southern Arizona. The settings changed but the same lessons came in quiet moments, movingly captured in these pages: watching horses, reaching out to them, swinging upon their backs. Chris learned new meanings for words—presence, connection, softness, and balance—the elements of good horsemanship feeding a deep hunger he didn't know he had. But learning to ride a horse, learning to communicate with him, to teach him things, these required qualities Chris was only beginning to cultivate. Human nature plans; it pushes and it rushes. And it would take a terrible accident to awaken a whole new awareness for time and space, and Chris's place within it, beside a horse. In the austere beauty of the Sonora Desert, Chris met a cowboy whose intense love for life on the back of a horse held a deep sadness at bay, but only for so long. Their brief time together, working land and livestock, would bring Chris to the realization that the richly fulfilling new life he'd found held all the answers he sought, but only if he could ultimately leave it behind. Evocatively written, interweaving the author's growing understanding of horses and how we connect with them with his deeply personal experiences, Land of the Horses brings to life a young man's transformation alongside the horses, people, and dramatic landscapes of the American West. Healing heartbreak, falling and getting back on, searching for something true—this is a story that is in all of us. And it shows we are all capable of creating the life we truly want to live.

Out of print for more than 20 years, this classic book on equitation introduces and explains the art of riding. Updated with all new color photography of contemporary riders and horses, it includes details on training the rider, schooling the horse, cross-country riding, dressage exercises, and jumping techniques. It expertly provides a wealth of practical knowledge and experience and concisely lays down rules and guidelines that are as applicable today as when the book was written more than 70 years ago. Beginners and experts alike will find the instructions easy to follow and will benefit from the essential theoretical background provided here but so often overlooked in modern riding.

Beautiful and hilarious, tearful and rambunctious, very real, ironic and magic-filled, MartÍn Prechtel's new book The Mare and the Mouse is a series of lyrical sagas in tribute to each of the native New Mexican horses that carried him through his youth on the Reservation and then again during the difficult times following his return home after over a decade in the Mayan Highlands of Guatemala. First in the Stories of My Horses Series, The Mare and the Mouse is meant to be read aloud to crowds around campfires, especially to people who are mistaken that only rich people or rednecks ride horses, Prechtel credits both his own physical and spiritual survival in'modernity's mad rush to nowhere'with the sanity of riding and living with his natural-born Southwestern horses. Not raised for show, performance, status, or money, these little horses allowed a way of living that took him flying over ravines into deep-mountain Holy places, backwards over streams, and in general keeping alive a sparkier, older spirit in an age where horses have been grossly de-natured and sadly removed from our own everyday lives after three millennia as the closest companions of our ancestors'dreams and mythologies.

Excerpt:'The writer of this little volume deems it only fair to forewarn his readers that he is not, and never has been, an inhabitant of that variegated region in creation commonly called'the sporting world.'He has never bred, raced, steeple-chased, nor betted sixpence on any colt, filly, horse, or mare. He has never seen, nor been seen by, the Jockey-Club. He has never been on the turf. He does not belong to'the ring.'Nevertheless, sometimes in the performance of public duties,—sometimes from private inclination,—sometimes for the benefit of his health,—sometimes for recreation,—sometimes for rumination,—sometimes to risk his life,—and more than once to save it, he has, throughout a long and chequered career, had to do an amount of rough-riding, a little larger than has fallen to the lot of many men. His observations and reflections on horses and horsemen he now ventures to submit to that portion only of the community who, like himself, preferring a long tether to a short one, take exercise on four legs, instead of on two.'

Equitation Science together with classical riding is today probably the most humane, effective, and practical way of training and enjoying the horse, competitive or not. To avoid getting involved is to accede to the status quo. Our horses deserve better.~Sharon E. Cregier, Ph.D., FIASH (Hon., Edin.), founding member of Equine Behaviour Forum In precise, practical language, Fine Riding describes how to blend the principles of classical riding with the modern findings of Equitation Science, demonstrating how to put the principles into practice when training and riding horses. The book encompasses the author's lifelong background in authentic classical riding and a 17-year study and practice of Equitation Science. It presents the best of the old with the best of the new, resulting in a unique and rational blend of principles, clearly explained, that enables and encourages readers to train, ride and care for their horses truly effectively and humanely. Applicable to riding of all schools of thought, from hacking to racing, including jumping, McBane's method is more than simply another ‘system'of riding. It applies the results of rigorous scientific studies to the historical, classical training and riding of horses in an ethical, humane and effective way, explaining the principles in such a way that readers will feel able to put it into effect themselves. This book will encourage horse owners to serve their horses with renewed understanding and commitment.

Training your horse to concentrate on a lesson, bend his body from nose to tail, and pay attention to where he places his feet—whatever your discipline or level of expertise, these are necessary foundation skills. Here you will find an incredibly handy guide to introducing and solidifying these concepts, as well as many others, with exercises using two very basic training tools: traffic cones and ground poles. Incorporating cones and poles in your daily lessons not only provides visual interest and physical guidelines for your horse as he moves around the ring, it also gives you a means of developing accuracy in your schooling figures and transitions. With these exercises, your horse's movement and response to your aids will certainly improve, but so will your overall riding performance.

An easy-to-implement framework proven to grow rider confidence, tested by the world's leading equestrian athletes. Without confidence, achievement in competition is unattainable. When confidence is lacking in any sport, equestrian included, chances are your career will be short. Renowned performance coach John Haime has written the book to counter this challenge, providing the mental tools riders need to be better under pressure of all kinds and consistently succeed. Equestrian sport is a partnership: there's an equine athlete, and there's a human athlete. Haime notes that often, there is an investment in world-class training for one partner (the horse), but not the other (the human). This compromises the potential effectiveness of the horse-and-rider team. It just makes sense for equestrians to develop their own skills—mental and physical—and bring more to the partnership. Haime explains that there is what he believes is a crisis of confidence in modern equestrian sport. This has a variety of causes, including: a lack of fundamental mental/emotional structure and development, the presence and prominence of technology in the rider's life, and the constant comparisons inherent in social media and a technically “connected” existence. Addressing this crisis enables equestrians of all ages and abilities to: communicate better with their horses, both in day-to-day interactions and competition; absorb more in valuable learning situations, such as lessons and clinics; and perform their best when the stakes are high, as when heading into the jump-off or approaching the last fence on the cross-country course. p> Haime invites readers to dive into three clear and informative areas of exploration: The Confidence Base: Firm up the fundamentals. The Confidence Builders: Systems and tips to help you build confidence. The Confidence Threats: An inside look at what to watch out for in riding and in competition. Throughout, those who have reached the highest levels on horseback in a number of disciplines share their stories, including Michael Jung, Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, Laura Tomlinson, Harry Meade, Oliver Townend, Mattias Tromp, Casey Deary, Beth Underhill, Fred Mannix, Jarred Zenni, Beth Underhill, Jonathon Millar, and Kelly Soleau-Millar. These Olympians, champions, and medalists explain what they do in the saddle and how their techniques for performing under world-class pressure might help other riders develop a similar kind of confidence. Perhaps even more valuable are the struggles these top competitors share, giving readers the rare opportunity to see how even “the best of the best” are human, too. p> The way riders develop confidence in their equestrian lives is transferable to everything they do: a confident rider can be a confident business person, confident worker, confident spouse, confident parent, and confident friend. In this way, Ride Big!™ instills a skill of worth and promise that extends far beyond the show ring.

The most comprehensive single volume dedicated to horses, Original Horse Bible, 2nd Edition is a celebration of the long relationship that humans and horses enjoy, written by two highly regarded horsewomen, the late Moira C. Allen and Sharon Biggs. Covering an array of topics that span the world of horses, including evolution, domestication, horseback riding, training, competing, breeding, and so much more, making this complete guide is a must-have for any avid horse-lover! An extensive breed chapter offers portraits of approximately 175 breeds, alphabetically arranged, from the Abaco Barb to the Welsh Pony, plus many rare and handsome breeds from around the world as well as favorites like the American Quarter Horse, the Shetland Pony, and the Thoroughbred. With over 100 training and behavior tips, more than 50 riding, grooming, and health takeaways, and so much more, the Original Horse Bible belongs on the shelves of anyone who admires these magnificent creatures. This second edition includes new sections on advances in imaging technology and medications, as well as updated information on saddles, bits, poisonous plants, deworming practices, and natural horsemanship.

With stunningly beautiful photographs and clear descriptions, classical dressage authority Anja Beran breaks down the physical requirements of the rider's seat on the horse, as well as its responsibilities during various movements—from the gaits and paces to lateral work, lead changes, piaffe, passage, and pirouettes. Beran provides a unique perspective on the use of breath when riding, citing the recommendations of a classically-trained opera singer who regularly works with Beran and her riding students to develop their deep breathing skills. “A relaxed seat,” Beran says, “is never possible with restricted breathing.” In addition, she explores the need for an improved inner attitude in order to truly refine your seat on a horse. Fear, stress, and tension all interfere with your ability to focus on the horse and connect with him during the time you are together. Simple practices can help open and calm the mind, and over time, contribute to an overall better outlook and enhanced physical capacity. In the second half of the book, Beran is joined by her personal physiotherapist and dance teacher for an in-depth look at human anatomy and how it functions in conjunction with the horse. Practical exercises give readers easy ways to improve mobility, strength, stability, coordination, perception, and overall posture, with superb results.

Giddy up! Your guide to horseback riding is here! There's nothing quite like the sound of a horse's gallop. Add to that the sight of its mane catching wind as its powerhouse body criss-crosses the boundary of strength and graceful agility. They are majestic creatures to behold—and if you've caught the equine bug, Horseback Riding For Dummies is all you need to get saddled up and started on your journey to riding into the sunset! Inside, riders at the beginner level will discover the differences between Western and English riding styles, get the knowledge to select the best stable and instructor, and so much more! Choose the riding discipline that best suits your interests Find a qualified riding instructor Learn how to enter the competitive riding world Fit and care for the saddle, bridle, and other equipment Once you've fallen for one of these beautiful animals, it's hard to hold your horses—and this guide is here to give you the skills and know-how to take that excitement to the ring!