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Enlightened Equitation: Riding in True Harmony with Your Horse
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6 new or used available from £16.65
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Product Description
This guide offers advice on achieving total synchronization with your horse, using non-confrontational training methods. The author argues that good horsemanship is about partnership not domination and aims to demystify the techniques of riding through simple, logical explanation and clear illustrations. The author shows readers how to mirror the movements of the horse's back, absorbing his energy in trot and canter, and rising to the trot in perfect balance, without causing the horse any pain or discomfort.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #164639 in Books
- Published on: 2002-07-27
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Paperback
- 92 pages
Editorial Reviews
Review
'Should be on the shopping list of all riders' - Riding 'Achieve total synchronisation with your horse and make riding a totally rewarding experience' - Horse
From the Publisher
RIDING MAGAZINE REVIEW
BOOK OF THE MONTH
RIDING MAGAZINE - BOOK OF THE MONTH - 'ENLIGHTENED EQUITATION'
[With her definite views on how horses should be handled and ridden, Heather Moffett's new book may well cause controversy amongst the 'old school' of riders and teachers. Not least because she has strong opinions on what and how riding instructors should teach people learning to ride; in fact for many years she was considered persona non grata in the teaching profession for her outspoken views! However, speaking as an instructor myself, anything that raises awareness of how to improve the horse's lot, in handling and under saddle, gets my vote.]……..
[Enlightened Equitation should be on the shopping list of all riders, novice and experienced, and instructors - as it contains much valuable advice and many tips for everyone, no matter what level they ride at. And especially for those riders who have struggled with a problem at some time, particularly the basics in achieving and maintaining a comfortable and effective position in the saddle]……. [Subjects covered in Heather's book include position and balance, interaction with the horse's movement, learning 'feel', aids-understanding and applying them, understanding schooling terms and how to ride school movements, developing rhythm, tempo and expression, and lateral work- all easy to understand thanks to Heather's talent for converting her methods into words, plus the inclusion of many case histories which help illustrate her points.
And what a pleasure to see pictures of horses and riders depicted happy, relaxed and enjoying themselves in their work - even when executing piaffe!]
Highly reccommended
From the Author
The reasons for writing 'Enlightened Equitation'
I have written this book at the request of readers of my articles in various equestrian magazines. My work is mostly as a remedial teacher of riding, correcting long established faults, and clarifying the use of the aids. Many riders come to me for help, often after twenty years or more of riding, still unable to correctly absorb the horse's movement, or with very sketchy understanding of the aids, how to apply them, and how and why they work (or don't!). Confused riders, in my experience, make confused horses.
'Enlightened Equitation' is the result of thirty years of teaching riding at al levels. During that time, I have developed my own teaching methods, based on simple, logical explanation and clear demonstration, coupled with a unique 'hands on' technique for teaching the rider to absorb the horse's movement, so that both move together as one unit. The rider learns in a fraction of the time, (beginners can usually learn to sit and rise to the trot in perfect balance within their first lesson) gains confidence quickly, and above all, creates far less discomfort for the horse.
This book is aimed at riders of all levels, from novice to the very experienced, who need help with correction of their seat and ability to sit to the movement, who wish to apply aids that work with, not against the horse, and preventing the resistance and evasions that arise so often through uneducated riding, and for which the horse, sadly, is usually punished.
'Enlightened Equitation' covers all aspects of riding in a way never explained before, and also covers schooling the 'Enlightened' way, up to and including lateral work.
Customer Reviews
What a brilliant book!
At last - a simple, easy to understand method of putting classical riding principles into practice- and it really works! I've spent years reading textbooks that described a quiet, elegant, horse-friendly way of riding but didn't explain how to achieve this. The "Enlightened Equitation" approach has revolutionised my riding style and my horse Carrie is happier too. Why didn't someone teach me this way when I started riding over twenty years ago? Carrie just wishes I'd read the book before I started riding her 4 years ago!
The book is written in a chatty, conversational style. It's just like having a series of one-to-one lessons with a top dressage trainer but the techniques can be applied to any equestrian discipline. Now I understand how all those riders I admire (such as the late Reiner Klimke) manage to make riding look so graceful and elegant with little apparent effort. This book unlocks all the mysteries of absorbing the movement and working in harmony with the horse. Before I read the book I thought only those with natural talent could ride so gracefully. Now I know differently.
I found it really helpful that the book used ordinary horses and riders to demonstrate the techniques. It really pressed home to me that you don't have to be a top level rider to ride safely, effectively and gracefully. All the horses photographed in the book ridden in the way that Heather promotes look so happy. Just look at the difference in the horse shown on the front and back covers of the book. The back cover shows the before photo. The front cover photo - taken 20 minutes later - shows the after! It looks like a different horse - the mare on the front cover is going forward in a good outline and she looks much more relaxed.
Heather's emphasis on putting the horse's welfare first is very much in line with my thinking. I must admit that I was a bit taken aback to find that Heather actively promoted using the pelham as a remedial bit. But when I read the explanation and saw how happy the horses photographed looked I was persuaded by Heather's arguments for using a pelham. I'm lucky - with the new techniques my heavyweight cob mare will go sweetly in a snaffle - but on the basis of what I've seen demonstrated in the book I wouldn't hesitate to change to a pelham rather than "saw" away at her mouth in a snaffle.
The book is invaluable for novice and experienced riders alike. I go back to my copy time and time again to check my understanding and I always learn something new. I also refer constantly to the definitions of equestrian terms and to the aid checklists for various movements. I now have a very clear understanding of the biomechanical basis for using the aids that Heather describes and can vouch for them working.
This book should be compulsory reading for anyone who rides.
This book could change the way you ride forever
This is the best book I have ever read about riding. Not satisfied with the way riding was being taught, Heather takes the reader back through a logical, reasoned approach to riding. She gives detailed practical help that is jargon free and will cure many of the common problems that riders develop (often through no fault of their own).
Referencing the classical principles of riding Heather examines how through understanding the horse, its feelings and the mechanics of riding you can ride in a sympathetic, gentle way without hindering the horse or his movement. She also shows how to use subtle aids that all horses understand and respond to.
The book challenges many of the accepted ways of learning to ride; showing that what people are commonly taught is often counterproductive and leads to confusion of the rider and horse. There are lots of popular phrases in riding like 'inside leg to outside hand' and 'sitting deep' which are bandied around by riders and instructors and often understood by neither. Heather's book shows you exactly what to do, without mystery or confusing imagery.
Profusely illustrated with riders and horses of all shapes, sizes and abilities, the many before and after shots show what can be achieved by application of the principles explained in the book.
If you are a beginner, or have some experience but feel your riding has got stuck then I'd strongly recommend you get this book. It could change the way you ride forever.
Every thinking rider should buy this book!
Heathers clear, precise and easy to put into practice explanantions will assist any 'thinking' rider to improve his or her riding pleasure and most importantly the ability and pleasure of their horse to work without hinderence and with gentle, clear guideance from the rider. It is an ideal book not only for those new to riding as it gives an excellent insight into basic biomechanics and fundamentally 'how to stay on', but also for the more experienced rider who feels that there must be a better, easier and kinder approach to both basic riding skills and the more advanced school movements. The book has excellent photographs and drawings with clear explanations and includes some good before and after pictures. Heather has illustrated her teaching with different shapes and sizes of horses and riders and you really do feel that she puts her heart and soul into her work. This book is for anyone who has an interest in classical principles, equine welfare, has felt they are at odds with their horse, or that they have run up against a brick wall with 'more readily available teaching methods'. Classical principles are the kind and enlightened methods for ALL riders and this book demystifies many of them for us. I would urge all riders to read this book and if you get a chance to visit one of Heathers clinics or courses and ride the Equisimulator.
