Read & Ride

Build teamwork and good horsemanship as you work through these fun and rewarding exercises. With clearly drawn arena diagrams and step-by-step instructions for each exercise, your team will become a cohesive unit as you progress from basic skill-building drills to fun and challenging synchronized formations. Debbie Kay Sams even includes 10 complete performance routines with choreography that incorporates the skills and exercises you've mastered. Get ready to dazzle the crowd at your next event! Debbie Kay Sams has written for Practical Horseman, Equine Journal, and Instructor magazines. For many years she has organized and led drill-team riding for all ages at her stable and at her local 4H camp. Sams is a member of the Eastern New York Dressage and Combined Training Association. A Ringside Guide for Drill Team Riders Drill team is an exciting way to improve your riding skills, have fun with other equestrians, and sharpen your horse's training. Whether your preferred style of riding is English or Western, these practice sessions will be fun and rewarding for you and your horse. Learn the exercise, then simply hang the book from a post and refer to the instructions from the saddle — clearly drawn arena diagrams guide you through every step. Riders of every skill level and horses of every breed will enjoy practicing drill team patterns. Put the exercises together into complete drills (ten are included here) and your team will be entertaining rodeo or horse fair crowds before you know it!

This series of Western Dressage exercises are designed to improve suppleness, balance in movement, and responsiveness. Each exercise has a specific goal in mind, and they are organized by different areas of focus: softness, looseness, rider development, engagement, adjustability, and ground work. With illustrated step-by-step instructions and full arena diagrams, you'll quickly be on your way to mastering this exciting discipline. The exciting new discipline of Western Dressage allows riders of Western pleasure, work, or competitive horses to take advantage of the benefits of traditional dressage using Western tack and attire. This book, the first on the topic, has step-by-step instructions for the 101 key exercises. Jec Ballou is the author of  101 Western Dressage Exercises for Horse & Rider, 101 Dressage Exercises for Horse & Rider, and Equine Fitness. She is a national advisor to the Western Dressage Association of America and contributed to the current rules for the sport. She teaches clinics across the United States. She lives in Santa Cruz, California. Stephanie Boyles is the co-author of 101 Western Dressage Exercises for Horse & Rider, founder of Unbridled Rider, and the creator of the mobile applications 101 Dressage and 101 Western Dressage. Boyles lives in Boulder, CO. Al Dunning has been training award-winning Quarter Horses and outstanding riders for more than 40 years. He and his students have won numerous national titles in reining, cutting, working cow horse, and other disciplines. He owns Almosta Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona (www.aldunning.com). Contents Foreword by Al Dunning 1.       What is Western Dressage? 2.       Softness 1.       Correct Flexion 2.       Releasing Tension 3.       Arena Diamond 4.       Random Rails 5.       Serpentine with Poles 6.       Haunches-in Prep 7.       Circle 8s 8.       Circle Prep 9.       Lope Chute 10.   Box Turns 11.   Testing Balance #1 12.   Testing Balance #2 13.   Leg-yield to Smaller Circle 14.   Lope Lightness 15.   Quarter Pirouette and Halt 16.   Fine Tuning 17.   Half-pass to Leg-yield 18.   Shoulder-in to Haunches-in 19.   Two Circles at Once 3.       Looseness 20.   Controlled Wandering 21.   Snake over Poles 22.   Circle Review 23.   Free Wheelin' 24.   Sit and Stretch 25.   Warm-up Figure 8 26.   Stretching and Rounding 27.   Cavalletti Half-circles 28.   Suspension Square 29.   Testing the Walks 30.   Adjust the Walk #1 31.   Adjust the Walk #2 32.   Raised Fan 33.   Turn Both Ends 34.   Jog Diagonals 35.   Three Step, Three Step 36.   Leg-yield to Lengthening 4.       Rider Development 37.   Getting Centered 38.   Rider Posture 39.   Rider Coordination 40.   Independent Seat 41.   Finding Feel 42.   Developing Seat 43.   The 4x4x4 44.   No Hands 45.   Pelvic Rock 46.   Mindful Corners 47.   Lope Transitions on Centerline 48.   Box Transitions #1 49.   Box Transitions #2 5.       Engagement 50.   Circle Up 51.   Balance Pattern 52.   Over and Forward 53.   Working to Lengthened Jog 54.   Two Poles plus a Stride 55.   Step Under 56.   Collected Walk 57.   Collect – Extend 58.   Schaukel #1 59.   Schaukel #2 60.   Collection Serpentines 61.   Jog Half-pass 62.   Lope Bowtie 63.   Counter to True 64.   Counter-lope Serpentine 65.   Lope Half-pass #1 66.   Lope Half-pass #2 67.   Pirouette to Half-pass 68.   Very Collected Strides 69.   Shoulder-in on Circle 70.   Counter-lope Circle 8s 71.   Rein-back to Lope 72.   Lope Pirouette 6.       Adjustability 73.

Take your riding to a new level! Bringing together recognized classic exercises for both English and Western riders plus her own original patterns and maneuvers, Cherry Hill provides an array of drills that will improve your riding technique. Whether you are a rider interested in expanding your repertoire or an instructor looking for new drills, these exercises will add excitement and variety to your training. Cherry Hill is an internationally known instructor and horse trainer and has written numerous books, including 101 Arena Exercises for Horse & Rider, Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage, How to Think Like a Horse, What Every Horse Should Know, and Horse Care for Kids. Visit her at www.horsekeeping.com, where you can find information on her books, DVDs, and horsekeeping knowledge. Carla Wennberg is an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Championship rider and international AQHA and National Reining Horse Association judge. Wennberg is the Director of Reining for the United States Equestrian Team. FOREWORD INTRODUCTION SECTION 1: GAITS At the Halt Working Walk Extended Walk Collected Walk Free Walk Working Trot Jog (Sitting Trot) Extended Trot Collected Trot Working Canter and Lope Extended Canter Collected Canter Back SECTION 2: TRANSITIONS Half Halt or Check Halt-Walk-Halt Walk -- Posting Trot -- Walk Walk -- Sitting Trot -- Walk Trot-Canter-Trot Trot-Halt-Trot Canter-Walk-Canter Listen Up Trot-Halt-Back-Walk Trot-Halt-Back-Trot Lengthen Trot Extended Canter Collected Canter Change of Lead through Trot Long and Low Quality Control Check (Self-Carriage Test) SECTION 3: CIRCLES Straight Corners Change of Rein on Long Diagonal Change of Rein on Short Diagonal Extra Large Circle Large (20-Meter) Circle Medium (10-Meter) Circle Small (6-Meter) Circle: Volte Figure 8 Large Circle -- Small Circle Canter Springs Spiral Loosen Up Half Turn Change of Bend -- Single Loop Change of Bend -- Shallow Loop Change of Rein in a Circle Five-Loop Serpentine Long Serpentine Quarter Turn Counter-Flex Counter-Canter -- Shallow Loop Counter-Canter across Diagonal Counter-Canter Serpentine SECTION 4: LATERAL WORK Turn on the Forehand Western Two-Step Leg Yield Leg Yield Refresher Leg Yield on a Circle Zigzag Two-Step In Position and Shoulder Fore Shoulder In Shoulder In and Circle Shoulder In on a Circle Travers (Haunches In) Shoulder In and Travers on a Long Serpentine Walk-Volte- Travers Renvers (Haunches Out) Walk Pirouette Counter-Flexed Spiral In Hindquarter Pivot Rollback Sidepass Half Pass Half Pass Refresher Zigzag Half Pass Working Pirouette (Pre-Pirouette) Half-Canter Pirouette Three-Quarter Canter Pirouette Full Canter Pirouette SECTION 5: MINI-PATTERNS Guess What Serpentine at Trot with Leg Yield Circle and Leg Yield Simple Change Serpentine Square Serpentine Square Serpentine Two Squares Lope Large Circle with Sidepass Shoulder In and Lengthen Sidepass and Lope the Diagonal Walk-360-Walk Lope-Halt-180-Lope Lope-Halt-360-Lope Canter Counter-Canter Canter -- Half Pass -- Counter Canter Flying Change Flying Change after Short Diagonal Flying Change Straight at Wall Flying Change with Sharp Corner Circle, Simple Change, Flying Change Circle, Diagonal, Flying Change Canter Half Pass -- Lead Change SUGGESTED READING A Ringside Workbook for Every Rider Hang it from a post; refer to it from the saddle. Cherry Hill's original patterns and maneuvers, along with recognized classic exercises, help riders improve their own and their horse's skills. Exercises are organized into five sections, each one targeting a specific aspect of riding: Gaits, Transitions, Circles, Lateral Work, and Mini-Patterns

Get jumping! This collection presents a logical series of fun and rewarding exercises that are designed to develop your horse-jumping skills. With straightforward instructions and clear arena maps, this guide can be hung on a pole and easily referenced from the saddle. In addition to clearly articulated goals and progressively difficult variations, each exercise also includes encouraging advice on what the rider should keep in mind while jumping. Saddle up and get ready to fly through the air with grace and confidence. Linda Allen is an Olympic course designer and an internationally recognized clinician on riding, show jumping, and course design. She is a former rider for the United States in international jumping competitions, and she designed the show-jumping courses for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as for other major international competitions. She is a licensed judge and a columnist for The Chronicle of the Horse. She lives in Salinas, California. Dianna Robin Dennis is a full-time equestrian writer and lifelong rider. She has written for many equestrian magazines in the United States and abroad, including The Chronicle of the Horse and Equestrian (Horse Show) magazine. Introduction Riding and jumping, like most other activities, are best learned by doing. Practice is as essential for riders as ongoing training is for horses, no matter their current level. The old adage "Practice makes perfect" works best when modified to say: "Perfect practice makes perfect." Getting Started This book is for riders and instructors alike. The exercises are fairly straightforward and can be used by horses and riders at every level of experience. Keep in mind that even the easiest exercise can be difficult to ride perfectly! These exercises are designed to be used by: - Pleasure riders who are simply looking for new ways to enjoy their horses. The ground pole exercises, even without any jumping, improve accuracy, security, balance, and control, while offering an easy and fun new aspect to riding in the arena. - Riders who are totally new to jumping, feel the urge to try it, and wish to do so in a way that is simple, safe, sensible, and fun. - Novice, intermediate or advanced riders looking for an effective way to improve their basics, correct their weaknesses, or brush up their technique. - Instructors seeking a variety of ways to help their students learn and have fun in the process. - Trainers looking for a step-by-step system to introduce jumping to the horse and ideas for overcoming some of the challenges faced with horses at every stage of training. - Experienced competition riders eager for a fresh perspective on achieving and maintaining the competitive edge of horse and rider alike. The majority of these exercises are rider exercises. To be done correctly, they require that the rider be totally focused and aware of each and every step taken by the horse. They also require, and thus teach, the important skills of keeping your mind focused ahead of your horse, your movements quiet, controlled, and ever so slightly behind those of your horse, and your balance perfectly in sync Foreword (ix) Introduction (1) 1. Basic Exercises from the Walk and Trot (Exercises 1-25) (14) 2. Turning Pole into Jumps: Gymnastics (Exercises 26-40) (66) 3. Gymnastics with Varying Strides (Exercises 41-49) (98) 4. Using Gymnastics for Both Turns and Straightness (Exercises 50-53) (112) 5. Canter Exercises: Poles (Exercises 54-64) (122) 6. Canter Exercises: Jumps (Exercises 65-73) (146) 7. Encountering Challenges (Exercises 74-95) (166) 8. Exercises for the Most Advanced Horses and Riders (Exercises 96-101) (196) Appendix (208) Index (220)

Ground training is the key to a safe and pleasurable riding experience. 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. This comprehensive series of exercises covers every aspect of ground training, from haltering to driving, turning to transitions, and backing to body languages. Cherry Hill is an internationally known instructor and horse trainer and has written numerous books, including 101 Arena Exercises for Horse & Rider, Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage, How to Think Like a Horse, What Every Horse Should Know, and Horse Care for Kids. Visit her at www.horsekeeping.com, where you can find information on her books, DVDs, and horsekeeping knowledge. From Catching to Driving: Your Ringside Guide to Ground Training Every moment you spend with your horse is an opportunity to instill good habits and develop his respect, trust, and willingness to work with you. All horses need a solid foundation of in-hand and guide-line training in order to be safe to handle and ride. Cherry Hill's comprehensive collection of 101 ground-training exercises leads you and your horse through catching, yielding, turning, sacking out, backing, longeing, long lining, doing obstacle work, and much more. Every exercise is fully illustrated and described in easy-to-follow, step-by-step language that you can refer to during your ground training work - simply hang the book in the barn or on a fence post, and you're ready to go! The exercises include clear goals, variations, common problems to watch out for, and lesson reviews. Introduction Key to Diagrams Part 1: Laying the Groundwork Part 2: Hands On: Catch and Touch 1. Approaching to Catch 2. Haltering 3. Unhaltering and Turning Loose 4. Touching All Over 5. Handling the Head 6. Handling Hot Spots Part 3: Learning to Yield 7. Yielding to Poll Pressure - One Step 8. Yielding to Poll Pressure - Reel In 9. Yielding to Poll Pressure - Head Down 10. Turn on the Forehand 11. Leading at the Walk 12. Position and Personal Space 13. Teaching "Whoa" 14. Arcing Turn 15. Lateral Bend 16. Picking Up Feet 17. In-Hand Pattern Introduction to Free Longeing 18. Moving Forward 19. Slowing Down 20. Whoa 21. Listen 22. Inside Turn 23. Trot-Lope Transitions 24. Free-Longe Pattern 25. Whoa and Stand 26. Counter Double 27. Backing Up 28. Sending by Halter Pressure 29. Sending by Driving 30. Change of Bend 31. Working against a Rail 32. Guide-Line Pattern Basic Ground Manners 33. Feeding Manners 34. Standing Still 35. Moving and Positioning 36. Picking Up Foot with Rope 37. Farrier Positions Part 4: Sacking Out 38. Rope Solo 39. Rope Duo 40. Rope Flip over Head 41. Touching with Whip 42. Flapping Blanket 43. Full Body Contact 44. Person in Blind Spots 45. Person Above 46. Rustling Objects 47. Spray Bottles 48. Hosing Off 49. Sudden Movement 50. Saddling 51. Saddle Sensations 52. Bridling 53. Unbridling 54. Responding to Bit Pressure 55. Leading with Bridle Reins 56. Counter Double with Bit 57. Driving Lines Setup 58. Unusual Occurrences 59. Clipping and Vacuuming 60. Learning about Vehicles More In-Hand Work 61. Turn on the Hindquarters 62. Sidepass 63. Leading at the Trot Part 5: Line Longeing and Driving Introduction to Line Longeing 64. Correct Longe Position 65. Balanced Trot 66. Forward, Downward Transitions 67. Stop Straight and Move into Contact 68. Turn on the Longe 69. Walk-to-Lope Transition 70. Working in Side Reins 71. Longe Pattern Introduction to Ground Driving 72. Plow-Driving Walk 73. Halt and Stand 74. Change

Dressage is the ultimate achievement of oneness between horse and rider. Featuring a full arena diagram and step-by-step instructions for each exercise, this sturdy book is designed to allow the rider to hang it on a hook and refer to it from the saddle. You'll learn how to improve your riding position; master looseness, balance, and suspension; and perfect flying changes as you work toward dressage success.  This comprehensive training manual offers expert tips and practical exercises for mastering a variety of dressage techniques. Jec Ballou is the author of  101 Western Dressage Exercises for Horse & Rider, 101 Dressage Exercises for Horse & Rider, and Equine Fitness. She is a national advisor to the Western Dressage Association of America and contributed to the current rules for the sport. She teaches clinics across the United States. She lives in Santa Cruz, California.