Books and videos

[whoa]

Could anyone recommend useful books and/or videos for new riders like me? I have only just started riding so something with beginners advice would be good. Although I don't have my own horse (sob!) I am interested in learning about horses and understanding them better as well.

I have bought the Enlightened Equitation book and have the video on order. Plus I have the video of Riding in Your Mind's Eye (which is interesting but the techniques aren't quite the same as I'm being taught!). There is a danger at the moment that my head will explode with all the information!

Thanks,
Sue.

[Emma_G_NZ]

I really like the book Centred Riding, it is for all levels of riding, and is really good & informative! If you can get them over there, the NZ Pony Club Manuals are really good as well, Especially the D&C certificate book. They are of course, for pony club members, but for starting out they will be excellent for you, and are very simple to understand!

[LindaAd]

I like Centered Riding too - she never tells you to move any parts of your body that you don't move anyway. There's a new edition out, but I haven't read that. The English Pony Club manual is probably the same as the NZ one; it tells you all the "correct" ways of doing everything, but not what to do if your horse hasn't read the book... (My horse seems to be the only one in the world who hasn't read Heather's book either). There's a helpful book for beginners called The Less Than Perfect Rider - can't remember the author, it might be Susan McBane; and Michael Peace's book Think Like Your Horse is really good too. Depends what you want from a book.

[LCA]

I like Sylvia Lochs the Classical Seat videos you can get these from her website or from catalogues such as Robinsons or Ride away.

[LindaAd]

I've just had another look at the Less Than Perfect Rider - it's about the only book I know that starts from where you really are - whether you're fat, thin, tall or short, leaning forward, hanging on to the reins, flopping, whatever - rather than from where you would be if you and your horse were perfect. The authors are Lesley Bayley (former editor of Your Horse, I think) and Christine Davis.