Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36838 in Books
• Published on: 2006-02-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Synopsis
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.

Customer Reviews

Not as good as one might expect.....
Carl Hestre for me is one of the greatest dressage riders in terms of poise and elegance, and having seen a couple of his demonstrations at Your Horse show in Stoneleigh I was really looking forward to this book. Live, Carl has an easy demeanor and a great way of talking through what he is doing. It came as a real disappointment that, for me at least, this didn't translate to paper as well as I would have hoped. Sure, as the other reviewers have said, it reads easily, and is quite 'light' reading, but for me that is it's downfall. There are some useful tips and ideas, but overall the book lacks depth, and skims through ideas without expanding on them sufficiently. I'm only a 'hobby' dressage-ist, so I would imagine that for someone well versed in horsemanshiip to start with, the book could be deemed quite noddy.
Worth a read, and it is easy and light, and well illustrated. Just don't expect anything out of the ordinary from this extraordinary rider.

Great!
This is a delightful straight forward approach that will transform readers ideas of what they can acheive. Carl Hester must be unusual in that not only is he one of the UK's leading riders, but must also be one of the most accessible and encouraging writers on the subject.

Dressage not made easy but obtainable with clear goals!
This book is a pleasure to read and once you start you wont be able to stop! I keep it by my bed and have read it in whole or parts many times since I first got it. Whether you are struggling with the basic concepts of dressage or wanting to refine advanced movements this book explains the essential elements clearly and in plain language. Carl talks about his horses with warmth, discussing each of their best points and their less desirable (usually no longer evident as he has addressed them). He is humble and the introduction encourages everyone to work toward helping their horse by training and most of all by both enjoying the journey. He is also sure that all horses can do dressage and we all can enjoy it. I think he is right and this book is a real must especially after training when you just wonder what you could do to make that walk better!