Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: Horseback Riding Basics 5
Chapter 1: Giddy Up! Welcome to Horseback Riding 7
Discovering the Horseâs Mind and Body 8
Taking Riding Lessons 8
Getting into Riding Shape 9
Keeping Yourself Safe around Horses 10
Selecting the Right Riding Style and Gear 10
Riding High from the Start 11
Preparing on the ground 12
Mounting and dismounting 12
Getting a grip on gaits 12
Jumping 13
Adjusting to Advanced Riding 13
Stepping up your current riding routine 14
Buying your own horse 14
Looking after your horse 14
Enjoying Fun and Games on Horseback 15
Chapter 2: Head to Hoof: The Mind and Mechanics of a Horse 17
Understanding How Horses Think 18
Getting a grip on equine society 18
Interpreting equine expressions 18
Getting along with horses 20
Examining the Equine Body 22
The parts of a horse 22
The height of a horse 23
The buildup: Horse conformation 24
Stepping out: The gaits of a horse 24
Colors and markings 27
Sifting through Breed Differences 30
Realizing that breed may matter 30
Picking through popular breeds 30
Chapter 3: Schoolâs in Session: Taking Riding Lessons 35
Finding the Best Stable for Your Needs 36
The initial search: Identifying stables in your area 36
Your major: Finding a school that offers your discipline 36
Campus visit: Evaluating stables with a sharp eye 37
Choosing an Instructor or Trainer 38
Deciding between a riding instructor and a horse trainer 39
Understanding what to look for in an instructor or trainer 39
When you strike out with stables: Seeking out a different teacher 40
Getting the Most from Your Lessons 41
Deciding between individual and group lessons 41
Setting up your lesson schedule 42
Working with your instructor or trainer 43
Chapter 4: Mind and Body: Conditioning Yourself for Riding 47
Understanding Why You Need to Condition Yourself 47
Getting into Riding Shape 48
Lightening the load: Shedding those extra pounds 48
Developing endurance with aerobic exercise 50
Building strength 50
Cross-training: Practicing yoga and Pilates for flexibility and strength 53
Stretching yourself: Increasing flexibility just before you mount 53
Preparing Your Mind 57
Knowing your role as the horseâs leader 57
Banishing your fear 58
Chapter 5: Safety First: Protecting Yourself around Horses 61
Dressing the Part with Safe Clothing 62
Covering your head 62
Slipping into the right shirt 64
Protecting your legs 64
These boots are made for riding: Donning the right footwear 65
Removing your jewelry 66
Keeping a Close Eye on Horses When Youâre on the Ground 66
Being in close confines with a horse 66
Moving around a tied horse 67
Identifying dangerous horse moves 68
Staying Secure on a Horse 69
Checking your tack before you saddle up 69
Riding with others 70
Hitting the trail by yourself 71
Part 2: Getting Set with the Right Riding Style and Gear 73
Chapter 6: Off into the Sunset: Western Riding 75
Looking at the Nitty-Gritty of Western Riding 75
Uses 76
Tack and apparel 76
The horses 77
The ride 77
Checking Out Western Riding Activities 78
Hitting the trail 78
Horsing around at shows 78
Working with cattle 81
Chapter 7: Not Just for the Brits: English Riding 83
Examining the Basics of English Riding 83
Uses 84
Tack and apparel 84
The horses 85
Brushing Up on the Basic English Styles 86
Jumping in hunt seat and riding on the flat 86
Making moves in dressage 87
Chapter 8: Dressing Up Horses with Saddles 89
Going Over the Basic Makeup of a Saddle 90
The Heavy Hitters: Western Saddles 91
The pleasure saddle 92
The barrel racing saddle 93
The roping saddle 94
The trail saddle 95
On the Smaller Side: English Saddles 96
The all-purpose saddle 97
The close-contact saddle 97
The dressage saddle 99
Setting Yourself Up with Saddle Pads 99
Playing Matchmaker as You Fit Saddles 101
Fitting a horse 101
Fitting yourself 103
Chapter 9: Getting a Heads-Up on Bridles 105
Breaking Down the Basic Parts of a Bridle 105
Gearing Up with Western Bridles and Bits 107
Looking at Western headstalls 107
Gaining leverage with Western bits 108
Nosing around hackamores 110
Examining English Bridles and Bits 111
Discovering English headstalls 111
Directing attention to English bits 112
Chapter 10: Equipping Yourself with Other Important Gear 115
Dressing in High Style 115
Choosing clothes for safety and comfort 116
Following tradition: Western dress 117
Staying conservative: English dress 119
Reviewing Artificial Aids 123
A leg up: Spurs 123
Tap it out: Whips 124
Part 3: Settling into the Saddle and Easing into Riding 127
Chapter 11: Working from the Ground, Saddling, and Bridling 129
Handling Horses from the Ground 130
Play catch: Approaching horses 130
Buckle up: Haltering horses 131
Follow me: Leading horses 133
Take care of loose ends: Tying horses 134
Putting on a Saddle Properly 137
Western saddles 138
English saddles 140
Saving the Bridling for Last 143
Chapter 12: Mounting and Dismounting 147
Get Set: Preparing to Mount 147
Checking tack 148
Choosing a mounting location 148
Get on Up: The Mechanics of Mounting 150
Western mounting 150
English mounting 152
Wrap It Up: Preparing to Dismount 155
Get Down: The Mechanics of Dismounting 155
Western dismounting 156
English dismounting 158
Chapter 13: Enjoying the Walk 161
Body Language: Helping Your Riding with the Natural Aids 162
Your hands 162
Your legs 162
Your seat 163
Your voice 163
Asking a Horse to Go for a Walk 163
Western cues 164
English requests 164
Riding the Walk in Western 164
Positioning your body 165
Trying your hand at holding the reins 166
Putting your legs in position 167
Moving with the Western horse 168
Riding the Walk in Hunt Seat 168
Positioning your body 169
With both hands: Holding the reins 169
Putting your legs in position 169
Moving with the hunt seat horse 170
Riding the Walk in Dressage 170
Positioning your body 170
Get a grip: Holding the reins 171
Putting your legs in position 171
Moving with the dressage horse 172
Maneuvering the Horse at the Walk 172
Pulling out all the stops 172
Turning left and right 173
Circling the horse 176
In reverse: Calling for backup 179
Trying a Couple of Walking Exercises 181
Using barrels in Western riding 181
Crazy eights: Turning a figure eight in English riding 183
Chapter 14: Bumping Up Your Skills with the Jog or Trot 185
Asking the Horse to Pick Up the Pace 186
Western jog requests 186
English trot cues 186
Riding the Jog in Western 187
Positioning your body 187
Holding the reins in Western 188
Putting your legs in position 188
Moving with the Western horse 189
Riding the Trot in Hunt Seat 189
Positioning your body 189
Holding the reins 190
Positioning your legs in hunt seat 190
Moving with the hunt seat horse 190
Riding the Trot in Dressage 193
Positioning your body 193
Holding the reins 193
Putting your legs in dressage position 194
Moving with the dressage horse 194
Maneuvering the Horse at the Jog or Trot 196
Stopping the horse 196
Turning left and right 197
Circling the horse 200
Trying Some Exercises 202
Following a serpentine pattern in Western riding 202
Circling jump poles in English riding 204
Chapter 15: Getting on the Fast Track with the Lope or Canter 207
Cueing the Horse to Lope or Canter 208
Western: Telling your horse you want to lope 208
English: Requesting a canter 208
Riding the Lope in Western 209
Positioning your body for Western 209
Holding the reins 210
Putting your legs in loping position 211
Moving with the Western horse 211
Riding the Canter in Hunt Seat 211
Positioning your body for hunt seat 212
Holding the reins 212
Putting your legs in cantering position 213
Moving with the hunt seat horse 213
Riding the Canter in Dressage 214
Positioning your body for dressage 214
Holding the reins 215
Putting your legs in position 215
Moving with the dressage horse 215
Maneuvering the Horse at the Lope or Canter 216
Whoa, Nelly! Stopping the horse 216
Turning in an L-pattern 217
Circling the horse 220
Trying a Couple of Balancing Exercises 222
Look, Ma, no hands! Western lunge line work 223
One-handed English lunge line work 224
Chapter 16: Making the Leap into Jumping 225
Delving into Different Types of Jumping 226
On the inside: Arena jumping 226
Out there: Cross-country jumping 227
Checking Out Types of Fences 228
X marks the spot: Crossrails 229
Get some air: Verticals 230
Go the distance: Oxers 230
Not as scary as they look: Walls 230
A test of stamina: Cross-country jumps 231
Making Your Way through the Jumping Process 231
Practicing the two-point position 231
Taking the leap 232
Riding over Multiple Jumps 234
Getting on the grid 235
Staying in line 236
Being on course 236
Overcoming Jumping Problems 237
Refusing to jump 238
Running out 239
Rushing 239
Part 4: Riding into Advanced Pastures 241
Chapter 17: Graduating to the Next Level of Riding 243
Finding a New Instructor or Trainer 243
Switching Disciplines 245
Growing Stronger with Advanced Conditioning 245
Improving Your Balance and Timing 246
Chapter 18: Taking the Plunge by Buying a Horse 249
Deciding Whether to Get a Horse of Your Own 249
Understanding ownership realities 250
Totaling costs 250
Figuring Out What Kind of Horse to Buy 254
Recognizing the ideal equine personality type 254
Taking age into account 254
Considering your riding discipline 255
Determining your interest in competition 255
Checking out breeds 256
Thinking about gender 256
Walking through the Horse-Buying Process 257
Finding help upfront 257
Looking in all the right places 258
Having a horse undergo a pre-purchase exam 260
Chapter 19: Exploring Horse Care 263
Gimme Shelter: Proper Horse Housing 263
Getting on board with commercial boarding facilities 264
No place like home: Keeping your horse on your own property 265
Chow Time: Dealing with Your Horseâs Hunger and Thirst 267
Feeding your horse 268
Watering your horse 269
Hey, Good Lookinâ: Grooming Your Horse 269
Getting into gear 270
Brushing your horse 271
The horse wash: Scrubbing down 273
A Little TLC: Maintaining Your Horseâs Health 275
Providing preventive care 275
Recognizing signs of illness 279
Checking out common ailments 279
Part 5: Having Fun with Other Styles and Activities 283
Chapter 20: Step Up: Riding Gaited Horses 285
Defining the Four-Beat Gait 285
Checking Out Breeds Who Display Fancy Footwork 287
Riding a Gaited Horse 289
Positioning your body 289
Holding the reins 290
Putting your legs in position 290
Moving with the gaited horse 290
Chapter 21: Donât Fence Me In: Trail Riding 291
Preparing for a Trail Ride 292
Using the right horse 292
Deciding where to ride 293
Gathering important gear 295
Getting ready for a ride of any length 297
Staying Safe on the Trail 298
Following some important guidelines 298
Handling spooks 299
Happy Trails: Minding Your Manners 300
Following etiquette when trail riding in a group 301
Encountering other riders when youâre out alone 303
Sharing the trail with non-riders 304
Chapter 22: Show Off: Riding in Competition 307
Understanding How Horse Shows Work 308
Looking at the judging system 308
An eye on the prize: Placings and awards 309
Surveying Different Types of Shows 310
Learning the ropes at schooling shows 310
Raising the bar at rated shows 312
Welcoming competition in open shows 313
Focusing on breed shows 313
Exploring specialty shows 314
Gearing Up for a Horse Show 315
Preparing yourself 315
Preparing your horse 317
Displaying Good Manners at Horse Shows 319
Behaving yourself 319
Handling your horse appropriately 320
Chapter 23: Even More Riding Styles and Activities 321
The Road Less Ridden: Trying Other Disciplines 321
Holding on with bareback 322
Getting your kicks in saddle seat 323
Sidesaddle: A feminine tradition 324
Horseplay: Surveying Sports, Exhibitions, and Other Equine Activities 326
Taking part in trail events 326
Playing polo, the sport of kings 329
Vaulting into gymnastics 329
Drilling on horseback 331
Riding in parades 332
Reenacting history 333
Traveling with a Horse 333
Field trips: Exploring faraway trails 334
Vacationing with your mount 334
Moving your horse with a trailer 336
Part 6: The Part of Tens 341
Chapter 24: Ten Rules of Riding Etiquette 343
Tie a Red Ribbon on a Kickerâs Tail 343
Go Slowly after You Mount 344
Communicate with Your Fellow Riders 344
Avoid Hollering 344
Keep a Safe Distance from Others 345
Approach Courteously from the Rear 345
Pass Left Shoulder to Left Shoulder 345
Prepare Your Horse for Trail Riding 346
Be Courteous during Water Breaks on the Trail 346
Help Others during Times of Trouble 347
Chapter 25: Ten Horseback Games to Improve Your Riding 349
Simon Says 349
Ride-a-Buck 350
Treasures on the Trail 350
Magazine Race 350
Ride and Tie 351
Red Light, Green Light 351
Follow the Leader 352
Boot Bucket Race 352
Egg and Spoon Carry 353
Around the World 353
Appendix: Resources for Riders 355
Index 359
