Equestrian Horsemanship

You've always dreamed of riding horses. So what are you waiting for? It's time you realized your equestrian dreams and learned to ride like a pro on the back of a noble steed.

Hope . . . From the Heart of Horses explores and celebrates the relationship and bond possible between horses and humans. Each chapter offers a life lesson about trusting one's instincts, honestly addressing emotions, achieving clarity in communications, and releasing negative thoughts. Because survival depends on being highly tuned to the thoughts and feelings of others, horses sense human intentions rather than what a person offers in facial expressions, which creates a remarkable effect on the relationship between these two distinctly different species.

Do you suffer from “Pony Fever”? Have you been waiting a long time to add a horse to your family? Have you carefully considered a match between you and your new equine buddy? Have you decided exactly where he’s going to live and how you’re going to keep him happy? Do you have moments when the idea of bringing a horse into your life is scary? Horses are unlike any other animal companion. They’re too big to live in your house, so they have to live in specialized homes of their own.

On Horsemanship, also sometimes titled The Art of Horsemanship, is a treatise written about 350 BCE by the Athenian historian, soldier, and student of Socrates, Xenophon (c. 430-354 BC). The treatise is a "hands-on" manual which deals with the selection, care, and training of horses in general.

It may surprise you to learn that there are over seven million horses in America - even more than when they were the only means of transportation - and nearly two million horse owners. Acclaimed journalist and avid equestrian Sarah Maslin Nir is one of them; she began riding horses when she was just two years old and hasn’t stopped since. Horse Crazy is a fascinating, funny, and moving love letter to these graceful animals and the people who - like her - are obsessed with them.

Racing horses is an amazing and thrilling experience. Whether you have a horse on a race track or around the barrels, there isn’t much that is more exciting! In this book, we will be discussing all the aspects of this challenging and awesome sport. Follow us as we walk through the history of barrel racing, conformation, and how to find your next champion. You will be a barrel racing expert by the end of this book. Learn exciting tips and tricks that will take your barrel racing to the next level. Look and feel confident in your horsemanship skills!

Understand what your horse is saying to you and build a profound and lasting connection. If you ever thought that some people were “natural-born horse communicators,” know that all of them have honed their abilities through experience, observation, and the understanding that each horse is a unique being. This guide seeks to help you strengthen your connection and build trust with your horse.

Do you have a foal on the way? Maybe you've got a weanling who's growing like a weed but in need of training and possibly getting dangerous? Do you know what training is essential for baby horses, how to approach the work - and how much is too much? You have years till you can ride your colt or filly - but there's a lot of training that needs to be done in the meantime.

Carleton Brooks and Traci Brooks share their decades of knowledge, expertise, and winning ways in their first book, With Purpose: The Balmoral Standard. Carleton is a widely respected horseman, a large "R" judge, and member of the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame, and Traci has spent more than 30 years developing horses and riders, guiding them to victory at the biggest shows in the country.

Best-selling author Michael Korda's Horse People is the story - sometimes hilariously funny, sometimes sad and moving, always shrewdly observed - of a lifetime love affair with horses, and of the bonds that have linked humans with horses for more than 10,000 years. It is filled with intimate portraits of the kind of people, rich or poor, Eastern or Western, famous or humble, whose lives continue to revolve around the horse. Korda is a terrific storyteller, and his book is intensely personal and seductive, a joy for everyone who loves horses.

More and more, riders are looking for effective mental strategies to improve their enjoyment and success in the saddle. This is a highly practical guide detailing techniques that are invaluable whilst unmounted and whilst mounted. In fact, there is a whole chapter devoted to methods to use whilst you are riding.

If I had a dollar for every email I get asking "what to do" to make a riding horse out of the mare Uncle Emo just traded for the old RV - or how to retrain a horse that's grown rusty - or some version on either theme, I'd be the world's first gazillionaire. With the publication of this book, I'm hoping to grab that distinction.

Did you know there is an area of your brain known as the "Lizard Brain" that thinks only about the immediate moment and your means of survival? Yes, in certain circumstances, your "Rational Brain" can effectively "shut down" and you are at the mercy of a reptile... dry-mouthed, sweating, queasy, unable to think clearly - even though you know better. When does the Lizard Brain run the show? It can happen in any number of unfamiliar, uncomfortable, challenging, or "stressful" riding situations. But here's the thing: with the right kind of training, you can learn to manage the reptile within.

Mental skills coach Tonya Johnston, MA, has helped thousands of equestrian athletes achieve success at every level, from recreational riders to award-winning international competitors. In Inside Your Ride, she provides specific methods and clear, easy-to-follow directions to help you mentally prepare for your next ride or competition, no matter your discipline and skill level.

Learn what it means to have healthy biomechanics, the power of mind-set, setting goals, and the most important conversations you need to be able to have with your horse in order to improve the quality of his movement. This book is in-depth enough to explain the concepts yet short enough to easily listen to and remember. It is an excellent introduction to Karen Rohlf and her "dressage naturally" system.

At the age of 19, Lara Prior-Palmer discovered a website devoted to "the world's longest, toughest horse race" - an annual competition of endurance and skill that involves dozens of riders racing a series of 25 wild ponies across 1,000 kilometers of Mongolian grassland. On a whim, she decided to enter the race. Riders often spend years preparing to compete in the Mongol Derby, and many fail to finish. Rough Magic captures the extraordinary story of one young woman who forged ahead, against all odds, to become the first female winner of this breathtaking race.

Over 15 years ago, Jane Savoie wrote the first book to recognize the importance of training the mind and shaping attitude in order to achieve higher levels of riding skill than ever imagined. Riders who benefited from the lessons in "That Winning Feeling!" clamored for more, and Savoie responded with her fabulous follow-up audiobook, "It's Not Just About the Ribbons". Once again, Savoie shares the tools and ideas for self-improvement that she has used, not only to help herself deal with challenges, but her students—who range from Olympic contenders to intermediate riders—as well.

How do I stop my horse from being herd-bound? Is one of the most frequently asked questions I get from my blog readers and students. Because of this, I wanted to share my personal approach to dealing with herd-bound horses in this book and help you overcome this vexing issue. Herd-bound behaviors in a horse can range from annoying to outright dangerous and its outcomes can be detrimental to both your safety and your horse’s health. In this book, I have therefore categorized herd-bound behavior into three levels of severity, each with its own easy-to-follow protocol.

Among the earliest known works on choosing, caring for, and riding horses, this book is still hailed--2,300 years after it was written - as one of the most complete, thoughtful, and accessible guides of its type. Civilization has changed radically in the centuries since it was written, but the equestrian arts have remained essentially the same. Much of what we presently accept as common wisdom about horsemanship derives from this volume.

An engaging, fun and instruction guide with practical ideas to solve even the most frustrating equine problems. In this personable guide, equine professional Nanette Levin illustrates how to get smart, safe and creative when working with your horse. Her positive advice - from how to listen to your horse to crafting a communications and training plan he will embrace - is appropriate for novices and professionals alike.