Description
Book SynopsisTens of thousands of riders pursue the sport of dressage in North America, and the majority do so on a budget and with the horse they already have—or quite simply, the one they can afford. This means riders are facing the challenge of mastering one of the world's most esteemed equestrian events on horses that may not be bred specifically for the task, or even if they have been, may not be top prospects for any number of reasons. International dressage judge, clinician, and riding coach Janet Foy has ridden many different horses—different size, colors, and breeds—to the highest levels of dressage competition, and now she has compiled her best tips for training and showing in one highly enjoyable book. Her expertise, good stories and good humor are destined to bring out the best in dressage riders and their "not-so-perfect" horses everywhere.
Trade ReviewSimple cures and solutions to common problems – brilliant! ... Not everyone has a top dressage horse but that doesn't mean you can't achieve great things – this book shows you how.
From the start, Foy makes the book easy for readers. Foy's refreshing honesty made me read on. In fact, this book is sort of inoculation against training despair. She is outright in telling self-deprecating, humorous tales about her long journey from rodeo queen to dressage queen. ... In the future, any problem that presents itself, this book will be the first place I will go for help.
What is perfect is the way this book is put together. With little effort, you can find your problem and get a workable solution. We love Foy's insistence that horses are individuals with physical and mental limitations and how she works with those issues. She believes in developing a strong foundation, so her explanations start with where your horse's basics might be weak.
The book is divided into three sections . . . each section includes chapters on individual movements, making it easy to find exactly the kind of insight and help you might need. The book is well-organised and easy to understand and makes for a good read for those of us with 'imperfect horses'.
Table of ContentsIntroductionQuick reference
PART ONE — Building a Solid Foundation 1. The Rider 2. Always So Basic 3. The Warm-Up 4. Half-Halts and Simple Transitions 5. Stretching the Frame on the Circle 6. Leg-Yield 7. Begin the Pendulum of Elasticity — Trot and Canter Lengthenings 8. The Walk 9. Shoulder-In 10. Travers and Renvers 11. The Halt and the Rein Back
PART TWO — Achieving Success at Medium (Third and Fourth) Level 12. Turn-on-the-Haunches and Walk Pirouette 13. Strengthening the Pendulum — Third Level and Above 14. Counter-Canter 15. Half-Pass 16. Flying Changes
PART THREE — The Pinnacle of Dressage 17. Pendulum in Full Swing — Fourth Level Through Grand Prix 18. The Zig-Zag 19. Tempi Changes 20 Piaffe 21. Passage 22. Canter Pirouettes 23. Have Fun!
Afterword Index
