Dressage With Kyra

Kyra Kyrklund, one of the world's most talented dressage riders, explains the unique system of training that has brought her repeated success.

A clear and concise guide to a unique training system for riders of all levels, written by one of the world's most respected dressage riders.

In this volume, Mary Wanless discusses the underlying principles of riding as she sees them. Eleven illustrated lessons demonstrate these theories, which are based on increasing each rider's understanding of what "is", instead of what "ought to be".

Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling has developed a system for classifying all horse types into 26 character groups, which, when used in conjunction with correct body language and self-knowledge, will take every horse and rider towards more fulfilling and happier relationships. The four principal sections of the book include: learning how to recognize a horse's true nature; the 26 character groups; how to handle the first encounter with a horse; correct training methods for the specific character groups.

You’ve always dreamed of riding horses. So what are you waiting for? It’s time you realized your equestrian dreams and learned to ride like a pro on the back of a noble steed. And Horseback Riding for Dummies shows you how. Don’t know a horse’s head from its tail, a trot from a canter, withers from a fetlock? No problem. Coauthored by a medal-winning equestrian and nationally respected equestrian trainer, it tells you what you need to know about that elegant animal, body and soul, to become an accomplished rider. And it trains you in all the technical basics of riding for fun or competition, including how to: Find a good stable and instructor Select riding gear Warm up and keep riding muscles fit Establish a rapport with a horse Cue a horse to walk, jog, trot, lope, and cantor Ride in the ring and on trails Improve your balance and timing Compete in horse shows Buy and care for your own horse Stop dreaming about it and learn to ride like the wind with Horseback Riding for Dummies—the ultimate beginner’s guide to all things equestrian.

Rider Biomechanics is a collaboration between rider biomechanics coach Mary Wanless and functional anatomist Thomas Myers. Myer's seminal book Anatomy Trains explains how connective tissue joins muscles together into functional chains. Some of these chains extend from head to toe, and they are the 'lines of pull'. Elite riders excel in balancing the tension in their lines, creating a stable balanced structure which can transmit and redirect the forces of the horse's movement. Easy, fluid, sitting eludes less skilled riders - but this book, with its copious photographs and illustrations, provides a route map for reorganising 'lines of pull', sitting, and influence on one's horse. It is through balancing one's own lines that you learn how to balance one's horse, changing his carriage and movement, and discovering the secrets of the few talented riders who naturally possess those skills.