Reinsman of the West: Bridles and Bits

This is the second of Ed's two books. You need to start with Hackamore Reinsman to understand the principles outlined in Reinsman of the West. This book assumes you have already worked your horse up to most of the basic skills of a good cow horse, that you have trained your horse on the traditional hackamore (bosal & mecate) and that your horse is ready for double reigning in preparation for the full bridle and traditional Spanish/California bits. If you want to know how bridling was done, then by all means buy and read this book. The only master Vaquero I've ever met told me that this material is best viewed as entertainment because nobody will ever have the time to make horses like they did in the old days. Probably so. Today, Vaquero is a term being used casually by some folks who don't really know as much about it as they should. Ed's two books will help you identify the right clinicians and trainers to help you along. I have found this book useful and inspiring but I have to tell you that my horse and I won't be ready for the bridle for a long while. Patience is the key to reaching each goal and Ed sets them out in order. In Ed's Connell's time, the tradition of raising and training fine horses and master horsemen in the rough, semi arid cattle country of the west coast was almost gone. These books were his way of collecting and passing on knowledge and ancient traditions from the Spanish Ranchos that were about to be lost forever. Because of his experience and the kind of people he knew, Ed took it for granted that the reader already had a basic knowledge of horses and riding. That makes this material especially challenging for a beginner. You should also be aware that this book is not a quick fix for quirky horse behaviour, it's a long term commitment to training yourself. I gave this book a 4 star rating because it isn't for the kind of backyard horseowner that most working people are today. It's value is limited and may be difficult or impossible for people without plenty of time and patience to apply as a practical method. If you're not a rider or trainer the book is informative and will help you understand the horse culture and equestrian traditions of the Pacific Coast. But if you're one of the lucky people who has the time and the energy to work with your horse on a large ranch with a few cows wandering around then Ed Connell is going to make you wish you got started yesterday.