Books for beginners

mistymoon

Member
Jun 8, 2011
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Buckinghamshire
Not sure if this is the right forum to post this but here goes..
Are there any books which are designed for beginners? Any suggestions would be appreciated. There are quite a few out there so not sure which ones to choose! Thanks :unsure:
 
The Pony Club Manual is a useful UK reference book to own. Covering handling, picking out feet etc as well as riding.

The best book I found on actually going to an RS and having one's early lessons and what to do if something doesnt work, is an American book by a British author
Smith, Michael W. Getting the Most From Riding Lessons. Storey Books, 2002.
It relates the contents of normal riding lessons to the particular horse you may be given. A different horse is described for each stage of lessons.

I firmly believe that any adult learning to ride should know how to teach a horse to behave as you want when leading it, tacking up etc - I read some early booklets by Kelly Marks and the modern equivalent would be to read her book, Perfect Manners - how to behave so your horse does too. Even if you dont own a horse you will learn a lot that can be applied to all horses.
 
I agree with skib I bought Kelly marks book perfect manners when I bought my boy three months ago and I am re-reading it all the time the exercises really make a difference to how you relate to horses. :)
 
If you can wait a month or two "Enlightened Equitation" by Heather Moffett is being revised and re-printed. It is great for beginners and advanced riders and with loads of photo's should be a really good book.

Seconded.
 
If you can wait a month or two "Enlightened Equitation" by Heather Moffett is being revised and re-printed. It is great for beginners and advanced riders and with loads of photo's should be a really good book.

Hey Kathyt1! Thanks for this. I tried the link from this website but found it wasn't in publication anymore. I will really look forward to that! Thanks for the advice :smile:
 
The Pony Club Manual is a useful UK reference book to own. Covering handling, picking out feet etc as well as riding.

The best book I found on actually going to an RS and having one's early lessons and what to do if something doesnt work, is an American book by a British author
Smith, Michael W. Getting the Most From Riding Lessons. Storey Books, 2002.
It relates the contents of normal riding lessons to the particular horse you may be given. A different horse is described for each stage of lessons.

I firmly believe that any adult learning to ride should know how to teach a horse to behave as you want when leading it, tacking up etc - I read some early booklets by Kelly Marks and the modern equivalent would be to read her book, Perfect Manners - how to behave so your horse does too. Even if you dont own a horse you will learn a lot that can be applied to all horses.

Hi Squib, thanks for the info. I'll take a look :smile:
 
Seconded: EE, the Pony Club Manual and Kelly Marks too. I'd also recommend Richard Maxwell, Think Like your Horse, and a lovely encouraging book called The Less than Perfect Rider by Lesley Bayley and Caroline Davis.
And I'd say avoid anything by Sylvia Loch or Mary Wanless. The first is brilliant but not good for beginners; the second, impenetrable.
 
And I'd say avoid anything by Sylvia Loch or Mary Wanless. The first is brilliant but not good for beginners; the second, impenetrable.


LOL that's not the first time I have heard folk say that!
 
LOL that's not the first time I have heard folk say that!

<grin> Yes - I know I'm not alone in that, although, to be fair, people who've actually worked with Mary W (as opposed to reading her books) think she's wonderful.

By the way, I'd add Tom Widdicombe - Be With Your Horse - to my recommendations. I've just been re-reading that, and he tells you some really basic and fundamental stuff - easy to understand, not so easy to put into practice, of course: it's really about looking at yourself and seeing what you're doing, from the horse's point of view.
 
Mary Wanless RWYM was one of the first books I bought when I started riding again a few years ago... I'm yet to finish it!

From a non-riding point of view I think EVERYONE should read Lucy Rees "The Horses Mind" it's so interesting and I learnt so much about a horses natural behaviour from it.
 
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