How Your Horse Wants You to Ride : Starting Out, Starting Over

Learn to ride correctly, safely, and confidently In this breakthrough guide, renowned riding expert Gincy Self Bucklin offers adult riders a unique, proven method for developing a good physical, mental, and emotional relationship with a horse. Whether you're a beginner, a more experienced rider looking to enhance your skills, or someone who used to ride but is reluctant to try again, Bucklin's step-by-step exercises-slowly and carefully practiced first on the ground and then on your horse-will have you riding with confidence and without fear. You'll build a safe and caring partnership with your horse as you: * Understand how your actions affect your horse * Improve your form, release tensions, and find balance * Communicate with your horse to gain his trust * Stay in charge without being controlling * Observe your horse's responses and learn from them * Increase your horse's comfort-both physically and psychologically "If you' ve ever said to yourself, 'Why can' t I . . . ?,' you' ll find the answer here to why you can' t, and exactly how to solve the problem. Whatever your level, you'll gain greater understanding and become a better rider and horseman from reading this book." -George H. Morris, internationally renowned clinician, USEF Show Jumping vice-president, ARIA master instructor, and member of the U. S. Equestrian Federation Board of Directors "How Your Horse Wants You To Ride is chock full of innovative and practical tools presented in a thoroughly entertaining style. A delightful read for riders at all levels!" -Jane Savoie, olympic alternate and author of That Winning Feeling!, Cross Train Your Horse, More Cross Training, and It's Not Just About the Ribbons HOW YOUR HORSE WANTS YOU TO RIDE......Page 5 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 13 Introduction: How It All Began: 30 Years of Revelations......Page 15 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK......Page 18 Part I: Getting Started or Starting Over: Success Is Easier Than You Think......Page 21 Chapter 1: Looking into Your Future: A Confident Rider on a Confident Horse......Page 23 LEARNING, KNOWING, AND UNDERSTANDING......Page 25 ESPECIALLY FOR BEGINNERS, OR THOSE WITH SERIOUS FEARS......Page 27 THE BASICS: MORE THAN “HEELS DOWN”......Page 29 SAFETY ISSUES......Page 34 Chapter 2: Building the Foundation: The Seven Steps, Part One......Page 37 GROUNDING: WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT......Page 38 1. GROWING......Page 40 2. SHAKE-OUT......Page 43 3. BREATHING......Page 44 5. TEETER-TOTTER (LONGITUDINAL CENTERING)......Page 46 Chapter 3: Meeting and Greeting: Good First Impressions Create a Positive Relationship......Page 49 THE APPROACH......Page 51 THE GREETING......Page 54 GETTING UP-CLOSE AND PERSONAL......Page 57 MOVING THE HORSE OVER......Page 61 HOLDING THE HORSE......Page 63 Chapter 4: Grooming, Tack, and Tacking: Talking to Your Horse in Different Ways......Page 67 TALKING TO YOUR HORSE......Page 68 GROOMING: HORSE AND RIDER MAKING FRIENDS......Page 71 PICKING HOOVES......Page 74 TACKING UP: HALTERS AND BRIDLES......Page 76 THE BAREBACK PAD......Page 88 SADDLES......Page 91 GIRTHS, CINCHES, AND COMFORTABLE HORSES......Page 94 Chapter 5: Leading: Be in Charge without Being Controlling......Page 99 PREPARATION......Page 101 LEADING THE REAL HORSE......Page 104 TURNING LOOSE......Page 109 USING THE STICK......Page 110 CORNERSTONES OF COMMUNICATION......Page 114 Chapter 6: Mounting and Dismounting: Riding Confidence Starts Here......Page 115 BAREBACK......Page 117 USING THE SADDLE......Page 123 THE LEG-ON......Page 134 REBREAKING: PREPARING TO MOUNT FOR A NERVOUS HORSE OR RIDER......Page 136 EMERGENCY DISMOUNTS......Page 139 Part II: Riding without Fear: Bareback or without Stirrups......Page 147 Chapter 7: Sitting on the Horse: The Seven Steps, Part Two......Page 149 THE NECK STRAP......Page 151 3. BREATHING......Page 153 5. TEETER-TOTTER (LONGITUDINAL CENTERING)......Page 154 6. LATERAL CENTERING......Page 156 7. FOLLOWING SEAT......Page 159 GROUNDING ON THE HORSE......Page 161 SOME PROBLEM SOLVERS......Page 164 Chapter 8: Communicating Considerately: The Stick, the Seat, the Center, the Weight, and the Eyes......Page 177 USING THE STICK WHILE MOUNTED......Page 178 THE SEAT AIDS......Page 182 THE CENTER......Page 186 THE WEIGHT......Page 195 THE EYES......Page 201 PRACTICING THE AIDS......Page 202 Chapter 9: Free at Last!: Riding without Reigns, Sitting the Trot without Stirrups......Page 203 RIDING WITHOUT REINS......Page 205 SITTING THE TROT WITHOUT STIRRUPS......Page 209 SPECIAL FOR MEN (SOME STUFF FOR WOMEN, TOO)......Page 214 PROBLEM SOLVING......Page 216 Chapter 10: Handling the Reins......Page 217 PICKING UP THE REINS......Page 219 HOLDING THE REINS......Page 221 RELEASING AND LENGTHENING THE REINS......Page 222 BRIDGING AND SHORTENING THE REINS......Page 224 MANIPULATING THE REINS, STICK AND NECK STRAP......Page 228 Part III: Riding without Fear: Back in the Saddle and Using the Stirrups......Page 231 Chapter 11: Settling into the Saddle: Adjust to the Difference......Page 233 A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SADDLE......Page 235 GROUND WORK......Page 237 ON THE HORSE: GETTING USED TO THE SADDLE......Page 239 FIXING THE LEG......Page 240 Chapter 12: Solving the Stirrup Problem: The Seven Seats, Part One: Full Seat......Page 243 TWO LEG PLACEMENTS......Page 244 PREPARING FOR THE STIRRUPS......Page 249 TRYING THE STIRRUPS......Page 252 FULL SEAT......Page 255 FULL SEAT FORWARD......Page 258 Chapter 13: Solving the Balance Problem: The Seven Seats, Part Two: Half Seats......Page 263 THREE-QUARTER SEAT......Page 264 HALF SEAT: OPEN POSITION......Page 272 HALF SEAT: CLOSED POSITION......Page 284 HALF SEAT BALANCED......Page 289 Posting the Trot......Page 291 PREPARATION FOR POSTING......Page 292 Ground Work......Page 293 POSTING WITHOUT STIRRUPS......Page 296 POSTING WITH STIRRUPS......Page 299 TROTTING......Page 300 TROUBLESHOOTING......Page 302 DIAGONALS......Page 303 Cantering Basics......Page 305 THE CANTER STRIDE......Page 306 PREPARATORY WORK......Page 308 ON THE HORSE......Page 311 Part IV: Helping Your Horse Do What You Want: The Leg and Rein Aids......Page 315 Chapter 16: Using Your Legs: No Strength Required!......Page 317 THE SOFT LEG......Page 319 TIMING AND PLACEMENT......Page 323 Chapter 17: Understanding the Rein Connection: Use Your Hands Effectively......Page 325 HOW THE REINS WORK......Page 326 GROUNDING......Page 328 USING THE REINS......Page 329 LEARNING REIN SKILLS: PULLING......Page 330 LEARNING REIN SKILLS: RELEASING......Page 341 LEARNING REIN SKILLS: THE FOLLOWING HAND......Page 344 Chapter 18: Overcoming Rein Resistance: Simple Hand and Rein Effects That Work......Page 347 HAND EFFECTS......Page 348 REIN EFFECTS......Page 364 Chapter 19: Putting the Aids to Work: Go, Turn, Stop, and Back......Page 373 THE ETERNAL TRIANGLE......Page 374 BENDING AND FLEXION......Page 377 GO......Page 379 TURNING......Page 382 STOPPING AND OTHER DOWNWARD TRANSITIONS......Page 387 EMERGENCY STOPS......Page 393 BACKING......Page 396 PROMPTNESS......Page 398 Conclusion: Build Self-Confidence in Yourself and Your Horse: Be the Perfect Student......Page 399 SIMPLE LOOPS......Page 403 MODIFIED BREASTPLATES......Page 404 FITTING THE NECK STRAP......Page 405 PLATEAU I: GROUND WORK......Page 407 PLATEAU I: ON THE HORSE......Page 408 PLATEAU II: ON THE HORSE......Page 409 Appendix C: The Flowchart: Where Can You Go from Here?......Page 411 EDUCATIONAL GROUPS......Page 415 RELATIONSHIP TRAINING......Page 416 Index......Page 419

Learn to ride correctly, safely, and confidently

In this breakthrough guide, renowned riding expert Gincy Self Bucklin offers adult riders a unique, proven method for developing a good physical, mental, and emotional relationship with a horse. Whether you're a beginner, a more experienced rider looking to enhance your skills, or someone who used to ride but is reluctant to try again, Bucklin's step-by-step exercises-slowly and carefully practiced first on the ground and then on your horse-will have you riding with confidence and without fear. You'll build a safe and caring partnership with your horse as you:
* Understand how your actions affect your horse
* Improve your form, release tensions, and find balance
* Communicate with your horse to gain his trust
* Stay in charge without being controlling
* Observe your horse's responses and learn from them
* Increase your horse's comfort-both physically and psychologically


"If you' ve ever said to yourself, 'Why can' t I . . . ?,' you' ll find the answer here to why you can' t, and exactly how to solve the problem. Whatever your level, you'll gain greater understanding and become a better rider and horseman from reading this book."
-George H. Morris, internationally renowned clinician, USEF Show Jumping vice-president, ARIA master instructor, and member of the U. S. Equestrian Federation Board of Directors

"How Your Horse Wants You To Ride is chock full of innovative and practical tools presented in a thoroughly entertaining style. A delightful read for riders at all levels!"
-Jane Savoie, olympic alternate and author of That Winning Feeling!, Cross Train Your Horse,More Cross Training, and It's Not Just About the Ribbons

A unique, proven method of riding instruction Written by a renowned riding expert, this unique guide offers adult amateur riders a proven method for building a good physical, mental, and emotional relationship with a horse. Step-by-step skill-building exercises150;first on the ground and then on the horse150;help riders gain confidence, understand how their actions affect the horse, and communicate with the horse to gain his trust. Gincy Self Bucklin (Narragansett, RI) is an accomplished riding instructor with more than 50 years146; experience. She is the author of What Your Horse Wants You to Know (0-7645-4085-8) In this breakthrough guide, renowned riding expert Gincy Self Bucklin offers adult riders a unique, proven method for developing a good physical, mental, and emotional relationship with a horse. Whether you're a beginner, a more experienced rider looking to enhance your skills, or someone who used to ride but is reluctant to try again, Bucklin's step-by-step exercises - slowly and carefully practiced first on the ground and then on your horse - will have you riding with confidence and without fear. You'll build a safe and caring partnership with your horse