Riding for the Rest of Us

Jessica Jahiel

Description

A Practical Guide for Adult Riders
The Howell Equestrian Library is a distinguished collection of books on all aspects of horsemanship and horsemastership. The nearly fifty books in print offer readers in all disciplines and at all levels of competition sound instruction and guidance by some of the most celebrated riders, trainers, judges, and veterinarians in the horse world today. Whether your interest is dressage, show jumping, or Western riding, or whether it is breeding, grooming, or health care, Howell has a book to answer your needs. Get to know all the books in the Howell Equestrian Library; many are modern-day classics and have achieved the status of authoritative references in the estimation of those who ride, train, and care for horses.
The Howell Equestrian Library
Acknowledgments.

Foreword.

Introduction.

1. The Advantages of Maturity.

2. Reasons for Riding.

3. Rider Fitness.

4. Finding the Right Instructor.

5. The Art of Taking Lessons.

6. A Stable Environment.

7. Successful Horse Hunting.

8. Equipment for Horse and Rider.

9. Riding and Schooling Alone.

10. The Owner's Role in Health Care.

11. Competitions and Clinics.

12. Horse Sense and Horsemanship.

Appendices.

A. Books and Tapes.

B. Instructor Programs Offering Certification.

C. Reliable Mail-Order Sources.

D. Useful Addresses.

Index.

Sujets

• Animal Sports
• Sports
• Western riding
• Equestrian
• Recreation
• Sport équestre
• Sports équestres
• Sports équestres
• Sports équestres

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 21 avril 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780470334188
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Riding for the Rest of Us
Riding for the Rest of Us
A Practical Guide for Adult Riders
Jessica Jahiel

Howell Book House
New York
This book is not intended as a substitute for professional guidance in the field of horseback riding. A person should take part in the activities discussed in this book only under the supervision of a knowledgeable horseman.
Copyright 1996 by Jessica Jahiel
Howell Book House
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, NJ All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone]. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, [phone], fax [phone], E-Mail: [e-mail]. Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, Howell Book House, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993 or fax [phone].
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data
Jessica Jahiel.

p. cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-87605-909-4

1. Horsemanship. I. Title.

SF309.J365 1996

798.2-dc20 96-1244

CIP
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4
All photographs by Adam Jahiel
Book design by A D Howell
Contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Introduction

1 The Advantages of Maturity

2 Reasons for Riding

3 Rider Fitness

4 Finding the Right Instructor

5 The Art of Taking Lessons

6 A Stable Environment

7 Successful Horse Hunting

8 Equipment for Horse and Rider

9 Riding and Schooling Alone
10 The Owner s Role in Health Care
11 Competitions and Clinics
12 Horse Sense and Horsemanship

Appendices
A Books and Tapes
B Instructor Programs Offering Certification
C Reliable Mail-Order Sources

Tack/Equipment/Clothing

Horse Health Supplies

Specialty Items
D Useful Addresses

Index
Acknowledgments
This book exists because I wanted a book for my students to read. I needed a helpful, useful book, directed at the situations and needs of adult non-professional riders, and I couldn t find exactly what I wanted anywhere. So, for all the students who have said, I wish I d known this before and I wish you would write a book -here s the book, and I hope you re happy now. It s for all of you.
The photographs in this book are of real, working adults and their real, sometimes slightly-less-than-perfect horses. My thanks to the photographer, Adam Jahiel, and to the models: Cathe Capel and Clemson; Paige Miller and Nate and Zydecko; Carolyn Pribble and Sundance; Beth Saupe and Topper; Luanne Thulstrup and Greta.
In addition to the photographer and the models, I would like to thank the following people: My parents, Edwin and Lenrose Jahiel, who supported this effort in every way. My colleagues, here and abroad, who encouraged me when I got frustrated and who always had time to compare war stories in letters and in late-night phone calls. Ruth Harvie, who read the outline and said, You have to write this. David Barneby and Sarah and Victoria Shortridge, for giving me the opportunity to teach in England. Karen Fletcher and Maureen Tan, for revisions, suggestions, and constant encouragement. And, most of all, my students-for asking good questions and demanding real answers.
Foreword
In a perfect world, every one of us would own a stable full of fancy, sound, exquisite horses and have access to quality instruction on a regular basis. We d have the luxury to pursue our goals free from work, family, or financial constraints. We d be young, fit, supple, and athletic. We d be confident in our riding and training abilities and possess the mental skills to focus, block out distractions, and problem-solve unemotionally.
The reality, however, is that few of us live in that equestrian utopia. Most of us fall into the category of the underfit, overly stressed, weekend rider who juggles a family and works full-time to support her passion. Few of us can pursue our sport without restrictions; most of us find the obstacles somewhat daunting and discouraging.
Riding for the Rest of Us addresses these very real issues. Jessica Jahiel has taken her years of experience as a teacher, trainer, horse lover, and student of equine and human nature, and put it all together for us in a reader-friendly, understandable style. This book is filled with practical advice for the average horse lover who struggles with physical, emotional, psychological, and financial shortcomings. Jessica takes those limitations and gives you a new perspective on them. Those perceived drawbacks need not prevent you from enjoying your riding and, in most cases, can be turned into advantages. (There s a lot to be said for the benefits of maturity.) She s a real possibility thinker and will help you find realistic solutions to all your challenges while encouraging you to be an active participant in the problem-solving process.
My first reaction when I read this book is that it actually could have been entitled Riding for Most of Us. Even though I ve been fortunate enough to have horses in my life as my career for the last twenty-odd years, I felt that Jessica was speaking directly to me. I am the one-horse owner, with more time than money, who usually has to train alone. I rode as a child, took a long break, and returned to horses as an adult. I am one of those with more drive than talent who struggles every day with an uncooperative, often painful body. But most of all, I was one of those individuals who needed to learn to compete only with myself, that winning is highly personal, and that it s the journey as much as the destination that really counts. To echo Jessica s sentiments, I needed to learn that progress not perfection is the true measure of success.
My next thought was to ponder how Jessica had managed to get into my head. Somehow she had read my thoughts, discovered my phil-osophy towards riding and training, and written it all down in a clear, compassionate, and enjoyable way. (Be forewarned: She s very clever at blending in those much-needed life lessons with what appears to be a horse book.)
How did she know how strongly I feel about the importance of attitude? No situation is inherently good or bad. What matters is the way you chose to look at it. Give Jessica any set of conditions, and her approach is that your attitude determines your altitude. No matter what the situation, she ever so gently shows you how to see your problems as challenges. For instance, she ll help you to see that it s not what you have that matters; it s what you do with what you have. Having been one of those whose first five years of dressage instruction consisted of four formal lessons per year, I can truly relate to her solutions and practical approaches to real-life riding dilemmas.
No matter who you are, this down-to-earth, insightful text will provide you with a delightful formula for enjoying the time you spend with your equine partner. Take a gallon of practical information, add two cups common sense, a generous amount of humor and empathy, and sprinkle the entire mixture with patience, care, and love of the animal, and you ll have the recipe for Riding for the Rest of Us.
Jane Savoie 1992 Olympic Dressage Team Reserve Rider Author of That Winning Feeling!
Introduction
Who are the rest of us ?
Several years ago, I went out to breakfast one morning with two students who had gotten up early to share a drive to the barn and a six o clock lesson. As we sat over our coffee, we were talking about horse books and magazines and how helpful they were. Diane pulled a horse magazine from her purse and said Here, look at this.
One of the articles discussed draw reins. Another one described a wealthy young couple who had built a new riding and training facility. There was a piece about the latest styles in riding coats and breeches, and, finally, an interview with a famous jumping star.
I like this stuff, it s fun, but I wish I could find something written for me . Everything seems to be written f