Search results for ""Author Carl Hester""

Carl Hester is one of the greatest ever equestrians, leading Great Britain to Gold Medal victory at the London 2012 Olympics. In these vibrant memoirs, he tells the incredible story of the passion for horse-riding which revolutionised his life and made him the champion he is today.Carl grew up on the remote Channel Island of Sark, moving to the UK mainland at the age of 16 to work with horses, mainly as a way to leave home. He could never have predicted what a great affinity he would have for dressage. Carl's career enjoyed a stratospheric rise as he progressed from working as a groom/rider to riding international dressage horses full time for renowned owners Dr and Mrs Bechtolsheimer, to training his own horses, and other top riders, to international success.Carl's early career revealed someone capable of monumental achievements. He provides a rare insight into both the people and the horses that drove him to victory, initially the skewbald mare Jolly Dolly on which he won the 1985 Young Riders Dressage Championship. During the early 1990s he rode in the World Championships, the European Championships and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, becoming Great Britain's youngest ever rider to compete in the Games. His riding skills have increased with age, culminating in the hugely successful years as part of the Gold Medal teams that won the 2011 European Dressage Championships and, of course, that made history at London 2012. He achieved both feats on the same extraordinary horse, Uthopia, while as a trainer he produced the even more remarkable combination of Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro.A first-class sportsman and a witty and engaging writer, Carl now offers his admirers the opportunity to read an intelligent, humorous and, above all, inspiring account of his life - from the ups and downs of his career to the motivations and techniques which have helped him to win 66 national titles, represent Team GB at four Olympic Games, two World Championships and seven European Championships, and become one of the best riders - and horsemen - in the world.

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For riders at all levels, Carl Hester and Bernadette Faurie aim to make dressage training accessible with step-by-step guides for improving the horse's paces, riding dressage movements, and competing. Essentially this book is about every rider making the most of his or her potential and, in the process, producing a horse that is more pleasing to ride and more athletic in its body. The book offers advice on training all types of horse and in everyday language, explains how to set about improving the horse's paces and suppleness, whilst keeping him happy and enthusiastic in his work. It describes how to ride dressage movements, from simple circles to flying changes, and pointing out common mistakes and how to correct them. Carl Hester is seen, in over more than 100 specially shot photographs, schooling his horses at home, bringing on youngsters and fine-tuning the more experienced animals.

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There are many books and DVDs devoted to the technical training of horse and rider - how to perform movements correctly, clear obstacles, communicate efficiently, and in other ways attain the idealised image of an athletic partnership that results in competitive success. But this book is different: its focus is how the rider and trainer can make it easier for the horse to perform optimally. This includes improved understanding of what are reasonable expectations for a particular horse at a certain level of schooling, how to improve his fitness (including strength and conditioning), as well as background on how injuries may develop as a result of interaction between internal and external factors, such as genetics, conformation, management, and training. Relying on her veterinary background, in-depth research, and dozens of interviews with top riders and trainers from around the world - including Beezie Madden, Carl Hester, and Pippa Funnell, to name just a few - Lonnell provides guidelines for nurturing a happy, healthy equine athlete. With special focus on conscientious pacing when building the horse's physical capability over time, diversification of schooling practices, detail-oriented management and care, and putting the horse's needs above competitive ambition, readers are given a solid grasp of what it takes to truly reach the pinnacle of equestrian sport - and remain there - on a consistent basis. Throughout, gorgeous colour photographs of world-class horses and the people who work with them visually demonstrate the success of these methods.

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