Older book gives me new ideas

[Marsha Cassada]

I picked up a book at the library on their sale table called "Learning to Ride, Hunt, and Show" by Gordon Wright.

C 1960. It's geared to beginners, mainly, and illustrated by Sam Savitt. The collection and flexion are, of course, instructed with leg and seat cues, but it did help me understand the flexing thing I've been doing with Dusty. I was doing it as I was taught, but suddenly the light came on and I understood the mechanics better.

Also, I've been working on him jumping and cones and I have trouble with him getting ahead of me. The book said to make successive in-and-out jumps to teach the horse a steady gait. So I am going to try that with Dusty, and see if it will help us.

Lots of stress on rewarding by releasing pressure, which is always good to be reminded about.

A comprehensive chapter on conformation and temperament, and how if affects performance. Great illustrations of the body with labels.

Other interesting topics in the book are hunt etiquette and what various hunt master calls mean, such as Tallyho.

Great book for a quarter!

 

[Knottymare]

Sounds like a really cool book. I still have a lot of my older books. I wish I could somehow download all the info into my brain... hmmm

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Sounds like a really cool book. I still have a lot of my older books. I wish I could somehow download all the info into my brain... hmmm

That is my problem exactly! Which older books do you find helpful?

I feel at a disadvantage having no background in riding, except practically living bareback on a horse until I was 15. We weren't taught any techniques, except to hold on with your bare legs. Neck reining was "in" then. You were a dork if you "plow reined" in the wild and wooly west of SD. Times changed when I was doing the mom-thing in the suburbs! So, I have a lot to learn now and it doesn't come as easily as it used to.

I laid out the cavaletti poles going into the in and out low jumps with Dusty, and it is working well to help him focus. Also doing more circles and serpentines at the walk.

One of my problems is discerning when he doesn't understand and when he is just a brat. I guess a book can't help with that...

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Anything illustrated by Sam Savitt is a gem in my book! Sounds like a wonderful find.

Also, I've been working on him jumping and cones and I have trouble with him getting ahead of me. The book said to make successive in-and-out jumps to teach the horse a steady gait. So I am going to try that with Dusty, and see if it will help us.

Hmm, good point! I have a whole spiral-bound book of gymnastic jumping exercises and somehow I never thought of referring to it for a horse who rushes his fences. Hmm....

Oh Kooooodddyyyyy....

Should be good for starting Mr. T-Bo over fences as well. He's a bit of a sloppy jumper and needs work to develop his form. Kody's got great form, he just rockets ahead of me and tries to drag me along!

Leia

 

[Knottymare]

That is my problem exactly! Which older books do you find helpful?

I feel at a disadvantage having no background in riding, except practically living bareback on a horse until I was 15. We weren't taught any techniques, except to hold on with your bare legs. Neck reining was "in" then. You were a dork if you "plow reined" in the wild and wooly west of SD. Times changed when I was doing the mom-thing in the suburbs! So, I have a lot to learn now and it doesn't come as easily as it used to.

I laid out the cavaletti poles going into the in and out low jumps with Dusty, and it is working well to help him focus. Also doing more circles and serpentines at the walk.

One of my problems is discerning when he doesn't understand and when he is just a brat. I guess a book can't help with that...

I have a dressage schooling book that just shows lots of exercises... stuff like you mentioned to keep their minds occupied.

I didn't have formal riding training either. Just jump on and go. In fact, riding in a saddle was a big luxury! I grew up dirt poor and got my horse fix by sneaking off (as early as 3rd grade) to the local rental stable where I hung out just so I could smell the horses. By the time I got to Jr. High, I was such a fixture, they hired me to help care for the horses. I didn't get my first horse till I was 20 and working as a lookout for the US Forest Service; I adopted a horse that could no longer work the pack string. Couldn't afford anything for the poor horse so the pack station owner let me keep him with the string wintering down the mountain and spending summers up at the camp. Only tack I had was a halter! Rode him like that through 2 pregnancies! Finally saved up enough aluminum cans to buy an old saddle

I have been able to take a handful of classes recently but my riding horse is old and has her share of "off" days... so we take what we can get and are very grateful for it. Leia was showing me some stuff when I was driving last Sunday and thankfully, we covered the side pass rein positions in my last riding lesson. Funny to be taking riding lessons at just shy of 50 when I have stuck like glue my whole life without any fancy training!