For beginner riders, learning about horse care and riding techniques can be overwhelming.
While taking riding lessons and working with experienced trainers is crucial, reading books can also be an excellent way to improve your knowledge and skills.
These books cover a range of topics, including horse care, riding techniques, dressage, and horse anatomy.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your skills, these books are sure to provide valuable information and help you on your journey as a rider.
So, grab a cup of tea and settle in!
The United States Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship by Susan E. Harris
This book is a comprehensive guide to horse care and riding techniques. It covers everything from horse behaviour and nutrition to riding styles and jumping. The book is written in a clear and concise manner, making it easy to understand for beginner riders.
The Rider’s Brain by Andrea Waldo
The book provides various techniques to help riders conquer their fears, reduce stress, and achieve a focused and calm state of mind. It also includes exercises to improve riders’ mental clarity, focus, and decision-making skills. Overall, it’s a helpful resource for riders who want to take their riding skills to the next level by addressing their mental and emotional barriers.
The Horse by Elaine Walker
This beautiful book gets right to the heart of these stunning animals, exploring everything from their behaviour within a herd, to the myths and legends we associate with them, and their striking physicality. It concludes with sections on their varied colours and markings, and a charming chapter on their foals. Showcasing a wide variety of horses and ponies from around the world within their natural environments, this book is an eye-catching compendium for any horse lover.
Pilates for Riders by Lindsay Wilcox-Reid
Whether your goal is to reduce posture-related back pain or access that vital extra per cent out of your competition horse, Pilates is the solution you have been looking for. This book offers an holistic approach to body conditioning geared towards making you a better balanced, more effective and elegant rider.
Horse Brain, Human Brain by Janet Jones
In this illuminating book, cognitive scientist and horsewoman, Janet Jones, describes human and equine brains in collaboration. She explores the horse’s way of thinking, as well as human brain function during athletic mastery. Mental abilities – like seeing, learning, fearing, trusting, and focusing – are discussed from both the human and horse perspective. Throughout, true stories of horses and handlers attempting to understand each other – sometime successfully, sometimes not – help illustrate the lessons.
Rider biomechanics by Mary Wanless
Mary explains how effective force transmission within the fascial system enables riders to push their hands forward, taking away the temptation to pull on the reins. Later chapters show how twists and distortions in both human and horse can be addressed through accessing the fascial lines that wrap diagonally around the body. Lastly, a look at the core of both partners shows just how profound their connection can be.
Reading books is a great way to improve your knowledge and skills as a rider.
The books listed above are some great resources when you want to gain a more profound understanding of horses and riding, and any one of these will be a valuable addition to your library.
