Important books to read.

[Shiny McShine]

Just wondering what everyone here thinks the most important reads are as far as riding and horse care books? I'm talking about the kind of books you go back to time and time again, that have practical, easy to understand advice. I have some personal favourites but I would love to add some more books to my collection so if there are any you know that are really important, definitive reads I would love to know :).

[virtuallyhorses]

Dressage Essentials by Jane Kidd and Common Sense Dressage - An Illustrated Guide by Sally O'Connor are the 2 dressage books I pick up for quick reference but if all else fails I return to The Complete training of horse and rider by Alois Podhajsky and Walter Zettls Dressage in Harmony.

I still do refer back to The Complete Horse Care Manual by Colin Vogel and How to Ride a Horse by Debbie Sly quite frequently for all sorts of things.

I have two main farriery books - don't know if you're interested in them. Dancing with Horses - KFH and Natural Horse-man-ship by PP for body language - mine\training. Robert Vavra's Such is the Real Nature of Horses for Horse body language and communication.

I have more and use the web and magazines but I guess these are the ones I go back to a lot.

[Janette]

I like Sylvia Loch's books. Very easy to read. 'Invisible riding' is excellent. Very well illustrated as well.

[G.Gracious]

I'm reading Kelly Mark's 'Perfect Manners' right now, it's quite good :)

[kedwards]

In addition to the Pony Club manuals and various vet and care books, the books I've read and reread the most are George Morris' "Hunter Seat Equitation" and Bill Strienkaus' "Reflection on Riding and Jumping."

I keep a copy of Linda Allen's "Jumping Exercises" book at the barn and have used it many, many, times.

A new favorite that I haven't had for long, but have already reread and will likely return to many times, is Susan Harris', "Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement."

[SwiftwindSpirit]

I got three horse riding books for Christmas which all seem to be excellent and very, very helpful (and easy to understand too).

Riding and Jumping Clinic - by Anne Kursinski

Centered Riding - by Sally Swift

Centered Riding 2 - by Sally Swift

[galadriel]

I like "How to be your Own Veterinarian (Sometimes)" by Ruth James, DVM. There's a lot in there that I didn't know, and it's in a good format to read & learn.

I've been going through library books at a fierce rate while I'm more-or-less incapacitated; I'm reading one now that called "Emergency! The Active Horseman's Book of Emergency Care" and I like it a lot. I think I'm going to buy it. It's got a lot of realistic situations and a great checklist format. It looks like it would be terrific for those situations where you're trying not to panic, but you know you're not thinking clearly. The author (Karen Hayes, DVM) has some other books too: a book on general first aid, on foaling, and senior horse care. I'll probably look into these. I *like* this book.

[entreat]

Complete Horse Riding Manual - William Micklem

It all clicked when I read this book - Why I fell off, How to stay balanced, exercises to help your riding & posture, how to train a young horse, etc.

[Harry Hobbes]

The following books are "foundational" rather than "discipline-oriented", and serve as a basic behavioral and foundation starting library:
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Understanding The Ancient Secrets of the Horse's Mind, by Robert M. Miller, DVM. 138 pages. 1999. ISBN 0-929346-45-3. The Russell Meerdink Company, Ltd. (I don't think this is listed on amazon.com.)
This work is based on the author's extensive equine-related expertise, is science-based, behavior-oriented, and provides a well-rounded practical explanation of the underlying genetic drivers of horse behavior; that is, their instinctive drivers. The work also provides specific training solutions which serve to demonstrate how to train within the context of the horse's instincts.
True Horsemanship Through Feel, by Bill Dorrance with Leslie Desmond. 384 pages. 1999. ISBN 1-892578-00-X. Diamond Lu Productions. Probably available through amazon.com.
This work provides the conceptual (and principled) basis for building a solid foundation (and relationship) within the horse and horseman within a non-science context. It also includes the basic "exercises" (i.e., foundation-building "tools") used by many of today's successful horse trainers. Some folks consider this work to be the "bible" of interaction and relationship. (I do also.)
Natural Horse-Man-Ship, By Pat Parelli. 224 pages. ISBN 0-911647-27-9. Available through Western Horseman Inc. , or Parelli Natural Horse-Man-Ship .
This work is essentially the same as Parelli's Level 1 Partnership program, and is probably the most complete single source of the practical explanation and application of the concepts and principles of the previous two listed works, taking the reader on to the practical application of specific methods and technique. Parelli's concepts, principles, methods and technique are a working "implementation" of the ideas of the previous works.
Parelli is an "educator" and this work is very much an effective "primer".
The John Lyons "Communicating With Cues" series. The first three in the series are oriented around specific problems to be solved, but tend to address the foundaiton of the human and horse.
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Best regards,
Harry