This is not a horse training book. It's a book that trains people to train horses.
To train a horse well there are intangible characteristics and abilities that a rider must learn or develop... to motivate without nagging, earn respect, and turn "nos" into "yeses," for instance. To seemingly read the horse's mind and gain its attention, to diffuse explosive situations, to avoid being played for a sucker and to problem solve. It takes discipline, empathy and diligence to wring out that extra full measure. Knowing these things and more, fostering such skills, is the difference between finishing a great horse, one that's a blast to ride versus a dull, possibly dangerous horse that never feels "finished."
In my bid to teach such things, I've compiled herein the "Top 100" pieces of advice I might offer the typical equestrian. It represents thirty years worth of lesson taking, lesson giving, experimentation and wet saddle blankets. Note that, while my basic training book, "What I'd Teach Your Horse," (which I recommend keeping as a companion to this book) describes specifically how to put a foundation on your horse ("This is how you teach a horse to pick up a lead, to stop, to back up," etc.) – this book is more a "Greatest Hits" compendium of disparate tips, tricks, mental imagery, and age-old advice.
Topics include:
CHAPTER 1: TRAINING
• "Small Tweaks for Big Changes"
• "Mistakes I’ve Made (That You Won’t)"
• "How a Trainer Would Do It"
• "When It’s Not Working"
• "Hard and Fast Rules"
• "Train Yourself to Train"
• "Why Does My Horse...?
CHAPTER 2: BUYING A HORSE
• "When Buying a Horse: 5 First-Timer Tips"
• "Buying a Horse" Parts I, II & III
CHAPTER 3: RIDING
• "Whatever You Do, Don’t..."
• "Look Like You Know What You're Doing"
• "Riding Basics"
• "Ride Even Better"
• "Your Education"
• "Staying Healthy"
CHAPTER 4: TACK & GEAR
• "Why You Want to Use a Snaffle Bit to Train"
• "Curb Straps: Why, Which, When"
• "If Your Horse Acts Out, Check Your Equipment"
• "A Note to the Novice RE Clothing"
CHAPTER 5: FIXES
• "Dangerous Situations"
• "My Horse Keeps..."
• "Problem Solving"
• "Know Your Limits"
• "Bad Habits & Vices"
This book has 100 topics. See Table of Contents for a full listing.
