Common Sense Dressage: An Illustrated Guide

I love this book and it's no non-sense common sense approach to training dressage horses. This book starts out teaching the basics from the ground up. This book is a must for any rider, and not just the dressage rider, although I agree that some concepts are a tad too advanced for beginners. Common Sense Dressage will bring your overall riding skills to the next level.

This book is an excellent one for any student of dressage. It might be a wee bit complicated for the absolute beginner to riding, but for most who have had some training it's appropriate. The book has a ton of excellent diagrams and illustrations, many showing the view from above so that the desired position of the horse is clearly shown. There are a number of exercises in each chapter which allow the rider to work on various elements on their own as well as with a trainer. Chapters include: The Horse - How it Functions; Lungeing; The Work in Hand; The Basic Work in All Three Gaits; Activating the Hindquarters; Competition; Special Exercises for Problems; Canter Work; Collection, Extension and In-Between; Piaffe; and Passage. There is also an index which allows you to refer to specific topics.All in all this is a valuable addition to the library of any equestrian interested in this branch of the discipline, and one I will be sharing with my trainer. Don't hesitate to buy it!

This is an excellent book for individuals with some basis in dressage as well as a basic understanding of horses and their movement. The many diagrams included with the text are clear, concise and explain how to apply leg, seat and rein aides correctly for most dressage movements. There is also a chapter explaining the timing of the rider's movements for transitions between gaits as well as information to help understand how to move with the horse at the various gaits, including sitting trot. Even with a regular trainer I find this book invaluable and have bought it for several friends as gifts. They also have appreciated the detailed yet simple to understand descriptions of the movements. I especially like the multiple drills that are offered with each movement to help learn the proper execution of the exercises.

I didn't like what I saw from the trainers in my area, so I use this book and Podhajsky's book to train my horses. It is absolutely invaluable, and I see my horses getting stronger and more supple every day.

This book was just as promised, a book for people who may not have access to a trainer or lessons. I have read many dressage books that focus on the theories and the outcomes of riding dressage, but this is the first book that actually told exactly how to do some of the moves. The author tells the rider where to put the legs, hands and weight. A very good book for anyone interested in riding dressage--for competition or just for athletic development!