Most Influential Books

[bitsnpieces]

Bit of a Friday thread really, which books/people have you found the most influential over your riding and/or horsemanship?

In terms of riding for me it has to be Sylvia Loch's Dressage in Lightness, it explains in great detail the effect of various riding styles on the horse and not only demonstrates how light, correct and sensitive riding benefits your horse mentally and physically but also how to actually achieve this yourself.

For horsemanship I love the Kelly Marks books, I find them really helpful when I need to think outside the box or to re-focus my mind when dealing with any blips the ponies come across.

...... Over to you!

 

[Trewsers]

Good thread! Well....I have to say The Occasional Horseman because when I bought it many years ago I was just that: An Occasional rider! I was having lessons and it helped me enormously when I got home and tried to remember things the RI said. Despite it being written in about 1973 the advice was still good for 2003!

Another book that I still dip into - if only to see the different breeds is a huge thick glossy one - not exactly sure of tje title but it is by Jane somebody (it will come to me eventually!). OH bought it me just before I got Storm and I loved reading up on all things horsey!!!

The Byerly Turk helped us both understand Joe our beloved tb. Such an epic tale - and so filled with tb knowledge.

 

[Yann]

For me it was probably Considering The Horse by Mark Rashid. And How To Catch Your Horse by Kelly Marks, which is just a little booklet but set the ball rolling and proved beyond any doubt that this 'alternative' stuff worked

 

[KarinUS]

I like Mark rashid's book for setting the right frame of mind.
And Ride With Your Mind Essentials by Mary Wanless for the riding instruction.

I did just order Loch's book right now though since I've heard good things about it from you guys.

 

[Tomas]

I have read quite a lot of horse riding books but I am sure they all have had some influence but specific things that have changed my riding would have to be Heather Moffett -Enlightened Equitation (changed my sitting and rising trot - now moving onto canter) and Sylvia Loch - Invisible Riding (which I read over and over for weeks)

 

[Calluna]

I don't have masses of horsey books, but the ones that I read the most are Sylvia Loch's - I've got "Invisible Riding" and "The Classical Seat". I also find Mark Rashid very readable (have only got one of his "A Good Horse is Never a Bad Colour" I think).
I do like the sound of Dressage in Lightness though from your description BnP - could end up with a shopping list by the end of this thread!

 

[popularfurball]

Mark Rashid undoubtedly tops my list.

Second is the Jim Masterson book I am currently reading and trying to practice - it is a non invasive massage book - all based on the horses responses to certain moves

And the 101 groundwork exercises as its always fab to return to when you hit a problem or a gap in time to fill

 

[LBrider]

Top of my list in no particular order are:

Sally Swift - Centered Riding.
Perry Wood - Real Riding
Abigail Hogg - Horse Behaviour Exposed

 

[Thyme & Me]

Mark Rashid, Mark Rashid and Mark Rashid!!

Horsemanship Through Life & Whole Heart Whole Horse are my faves. Plus Kathleen Lindlay's A Year on The Road with Mark Rashid.

Other than that:

The Fearless Horse (Roger & Joanna Day)
Classical Dressage Seat (Sylvia Loch)
Enlightened Equitation (Heather Moffett)

Just got the Abigail Hogg book.

 

[crinklesb]

I'm gradually working my way through Enlightened Equitation....I think its great although it helps if you also have a good Classical RI as the methods make much more sense

 

[Lot1983]

Fifty Shades of Grey
:yellowcarded::giggle:

 

[Lot1983]

In all seriousness this is the best horse book I've ever read, horse psychology from a psychologist as apposed to a trainer:

 

[LBrider]

In all seriousness this is the best horse book I've ever read, horse psychology from a psychologist as apposed to a trainer:

I think this was the one I tried to get but only ones available cost about a zillion pounds :cry:

Have just downloaded another Rashid book to my kindle, which I look forward to starting to read tonight.

 

[Tina2011]

None of them make much sense to me, but I like the pictures:giggle:

I had one really good one when I was a kid, can't remember the name of it off the top of my head, something like 'Family Pony' by Judith Campbell. excellent. I believe her daughters who are shown in the book riding 'Tara'? was it? and 'Magenpie' are living close to me and still have horses. I have stuck with that book all my life although it has been in the attic for years. I dreamt one day I would have ponies like those, and guess what I do! Thank you so much for your advice Judith Campbell I never dreamt my dream would come true.

Oh lord floods of tears, this must have hit a nerve:cry::giggle::cry::smile::happy:

 

[domane]

Anything by Mark Rashid and I also enjoy anything by Monty or Kelly. I've seen a few of their demos and helped out on a Perfect Confidence weekend. I think the advance and retreat or pressure and release methods are probably the ones I've adopted and had best results with.

 

[KarinUS]

I tried to love Enlightened Equitation but was a bit put off by all the 'oh everybody else is doing so badly' style of writing. And I usually like it better when stuff applies without special equipment/gadgets.
I really need to get over myself and read it again to extract the stuff that might be useful for me. lol

 

[Dreamster]

All of Mark Rashids books have had the greatest influence on me. Real Riding by Perry Wood and Enlightened Equitation by Heather Moffett are up there too. I'm just reading a book by Jenny Rolfe which is very interesting about how much breathing influences not only your riding but your whole relationship with your horse. Something which Mark Rashid is hot on, but good to have another perspective on this from a different author as well.

 

[LindaAd]

Yes, the Lucy Rees is brilliant, but it's pretty old now, and I don't know how much she says that hasn't been repeated a million times since ...
I love Sylvia Loch - went to see a demo once - but I found here very difficult to follow. She's so subtle; my RI said I was overdoing everything ... Same with Heather Moffett - it only really clicked when I had a lesson on the simulator and one one of her horses (before she stopped having school horses). Although I agree with KarinUS about her style; this "I'm the only one who does it right" attitude is irritating .... For riding, I think whatever you read is a help (except Mary W!), but you need a good RI to make sense of it.

For horse handling, anything by Richard Maxwell or Michael Peace, and The Fearless Horse and 101 Horsemanship Exercises (can't remember the author's names ..).

 

[KarinUS]

For riding, I think whatever you read is a help (except Mary W!), but you need a good RI to make sense of it.
.

NO WAY! Mary W is awesome.

 

[LindaAd]

I'm just reading a book by Jenny Rolfe which is very interesting about how much breathing influences not only your riding but your whole relationship with your horse. .

That does look interesting, Dreamster - which book? I'm wondering if it might be worth getting her DVD instead; have you seen that?

I've found breathing quite helpful with Hebe; when she's feeling that any request to do anything is an imposition, she will respond to a breath, but I'd like to know a lot more about it.