It will be fun, they said."Casey Halbach's life was perfectly adequate. Good friends, loving boyfriend, decent job: she had it all. So why did she feel like she was missing something? And was that something actually a part of her life she'd already given up?When Casey finds herself back at the stable where she learned to ride as a child, she impulsively decides a fresh riding lesson is exactly what she needs to liven up her life. She never could have expected just how lively her life was about to become.For anyone who has ever loved a horse, dreamed about their very own pony, or simply clock-watched their way through another boring day at the office, Grabbing Mane is our story. Testing the boundaries of who we think we are, adjusting to strange new realities, and (hopefully) bringing our partners along for the ride.

    But Paintbox was taken from her by his spiteful former owners and there was nothing Lucy could do. Despite having Hope, Lucy never got over losing Paintbox. The worst part was, she had no idea what became of him until, one day, a mysterious letter arrives…. www.whitecloudstation.com A White Cloud Station short story.

    The premise of Paddock Paradise is to stimulate horses to behave and move naturally according to their instincts. "This is the key," according to Jackson, "to having physically and mentally healthier horses." This unique and unprecedented model is adaptable to virtually all size horse properties, regardless of climate, and fits all equine breeds regardless of how they are used. Consider some of the following benefits for creating a Paddock Paradise for your horses: - Encourages constant movement, as nature intended. - Greater movement means natural hoof wear with fewer bills. - Protects horses from dangerous founder-prone pastures. - Minimizes the need for warm-up exercise time before riding. - Helps address neurotic behavior by providing natural outlets. - Provides an effective means for diet and weight management. - Adaptable for breeding, foaling, multiple horse operations.Paddock Paradise Includes:- Template for making your paddock - Hundreds of ideas - Sample paddocks created by practitioners and horse owners - ResourcesTrue Natural Boarding for Horses!What Horse Owners have to say about Paddock Paradise:"I could not be happier with my Paddock Paradise. The horses move all the time.""They keep their weight down easier than before and the top line muscles in my 20 year old has shown some development.""Their hooves are also better because they are on hard dry ground. I've seen improvement in concavity in both horses.""The horses seem to love it - they are always on the move!"

    The rubber snake might as well be a real snake—the nightmare reality—when they elicit the same response. Blind fear will make both horse and rider try to outrun lions, even when those lions are made of paper. Blind fear can send you straight over a cliff, and even if you manage to pull up before the edge, that is no way to live life. It is only through training, training, and more training, and then testing that training, that you learn to turn and face fear, find courage, and welcome the ride, wild though it promises to be. These are the rings of fire, the trials that lie ahead for all of us, whether they be taking command of a spooky horse or navigating more human problems. Once trained, with worthy companions marching with you, shoulder-to-shoulder, you are ready for the ride. Welcome to The Dressage Chronicles IV: Rings of Fire.

    Timeless, inspiring, and full of valuable advice. A book every rider should read.

    This C Level manual builds on material covered in The United States Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship: Basics for Beginners/D Level. Whether you are a Pony Clubber who has passed the D Level tests or simply a rider who has mastered the same basics, this manual will enable you to increase your skills and teach you what you must know in order to ride independently and correctly with good position, balance, and use of the aids on the flat, over fences, and in the open. At the intermediate level you are expected to take more responsibility for the care and management of your pony, and you will learn how to do this as well. In addition, you will learn the skills needed for conditioning and preparing your pony and yourself for competitions and special events. From the C Level, you may go on to higher Pony Club ratings such as B, H A, or A Ratings, or specialize in such disciplines as dressage, show jumping, eventing, and showing. Or you may just want to have the pleasure of caring for your horse or pony and participating in your favorite riding activities. Either way, The United States Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship: Intermediate Horsemanship/C Level will give you an excellent basis in horsemanship for the lifelong enjoyment of horses and horse sports.

    He says, "What I know about the horse I learned from the horse." In "True Unity," Tom shares his ideas to help achieve a true unity for human and horse.

     Change doesn’t come easily at first, and Jay makes as many enemies as she does friends before she finds the perfect pony, who seems destined to make her dreams of show jumping success come true. But she soon discovers that training her own pony is not as easy as she thought it would be, and her dream pony is becoming increasingly unmanageable and difficult to ride. Can Jay pull it together, or has she made the biggest mistake of her life?

    Intent on burying the past, Taylor determines to keep busy in the present. This includes following in her mother's footsteps (whether she likes it or not), a part-time job learning the art of the perfect latte from a sharp-tongued barista, and volunteer hours at an animal shelter. At the shelter, Taylor meets a savagely wounded mare whose strength and grace mysteriously touch her own damaged spirit, reawakening old ghosts and inviting new healing. With the help of friends - including a handsome veterinarian with saving hands - Taylor discovers second changes are found in unlikely places and that, against all odds, love restores a broken heart.

    Gerd Heuschmann is well-known in dressage circles—admired for his plain speaking regarding what he deems the incorrect and damaging training methods commonly employed by riders and trainers involved in competition today. Here, he presents an intelligent and thought-provoking exploration of both classical and "modern" training methods, including "hyperflexion" (also known as Rollkur), against a practical backdrop of the horse's basic anatomy and physiology. In a detailed yet comprehensible fashion, Dr. Heuschmann describes parts of the horse's body that need to be correctly developed by the dressage rider. He then examines how they function both individually and within an anatomical system, and how various schooling techniques affect these parts for the good, or for the bad. Using vivid color illustrations of the horse's skeletal system, ligaments, and musculature, in addition to comparative photos depicting "correct" versus "incorrect" movement—and most importantly, photos of damaging schooling methods—Dr. Heuschmann convincingly argues that the horse's body tells us whether our riding is truly gymnasticizing and "building the horse up," or simply wearing it down and tearing it apart. He then outlines his ideal "physiological education" of the horse. Training should mirror the mental and physical development of the horse, fulfilling "classical" requirements—such as regularity of the three basic gaits, suppleness, and acceptance of the bit—rather than disregarding time-tested values for quick fixes that could lead to the degradation of the horse's well-being. Dr. Heuschmann's assertion that the true objectives of dressage schooling must never be eclipsed by simple "mechanical perfection" is certain to inspire riders at all levels to examine their riding, their riding goals, and the techniques they employ while pursuing them.

    

    They evoke a full range of emotions like hope and courage and valor. They can gallop straight to you with neck arched and tail flagged, and then instantly melt to a stop—just to share your breath.” We’ve been besotted with horses since they had three toes. From the popular Relaxed and Forward blog comes training advice combining the everyday fundamentals of dressage with mutual listening skills. Blake writes with a profound respect for horses and an articulate voice for humans, blending equal parts inspiration and un-common sense. It’s serious training communicated with humor and lightness, because horses like us when we laugh. Most riders want to build a better relationship with their horse. These short essays are geared as much toward attitude as technique, and include topics ranging from reading calming signals from your horse to using breath as your best communication tool. Blake’s writing uses clear descriptions, storytelling, and humor to inspire meaningful, positive communication. Less correction and more direction. Horses are honest; they answer us in kind. If we want a better response, a more fluid conversation and relationship with a horse, we have to be the ones to change first. The other word for that is leadership. By the author of Stable Relation, A Memoir of One Woman’s Spirited Journey Home, by Way of the Barn. “Excitement and delight surge through me every time I see Anna Blake's name as an author. Her writing is filled with deep understanding and heart connection, seasoned with a lively dash of humor. Reading her work is like giving myself a gift...one I can open again and again.” --Kim Walnes, winning USET Three Day Eventer, Riding Instructor/Trainer, and Life Coach.

    Beginning with the three golden rules of dressage training--clarity, consistency, and kindness--Jane Savoie walks you through her four stages of dressage education.Stage One is an introductory course in the basics, and Stage Two covers the nuts and bolts of training, including transitions, school figures, and movements.By the time you finish Stage Two, you'll have a happy, responsive horse that understands going forward and being straight; accepts contact so you can communicate with him through the reins; moves in a regular rhythm and a steady tempo in all three gaits; and can do transitions, circles, and turns, back up, lengthen his stride, and go sideways.In Stage Three, Jane translates the secrets surrounding the half-halt, enabling you to put your horse on the bit, and adding a whole new dimension to your training. You'll even be ready for some fancy stuff in Stage Four.Don't worry, everything in this book is well within the capacity of most horses. We're simply talking about the work required in the United States Equestrian Federation's (USEF) dressage tests up to Third Level, which concludes with collected, medium, and extended gaits; advanced lateral movements; and flying changes.

    And everything we learnt along the way.

    Designed for easy reference while working with your horse, this guide can be hung on a post. Riders of all disciplines and skill levels will benefit from these exercises that reinforce good habits and help develop a strong bond between horse and rider.