The Riding Teacher; A Basic Guide to Correct Methods of Classical Instruction

***The following is from the dust jacket of the book. I DID NOT write it*** Colonel Alois Podhajsky, former Director of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna and the world's foremost authority on classical equitation, now provides complete step-by-step instructions on how to teach correct riding, from beginning stages through participation in competitions. There are detailed programs for classes, both individual and group, and specific procedures for training the rider on a school horse or his own horse. The relationship between teacher and student, assessing capabilities of both horse and rider, spotting and correcting faults and bad habits, the choice and adjustment of saddles and bridles, cross country riding, jumping, preparation for competition, and the essentials of judging performances - all are set forth in a clear, precise, consecutively organized manner so that the book can be used as a quick reference as well as a basic guide. Illustrated with photographs and diagrams, and containing a complete Index, this is a work that instructors, parents, and riders who are teaching themselves will find invaluable. ***My Review*** I really can't understand why this book has gone out of print. If more riders and instructors read it then maybe there wouldn't be so many problems in the horse world. I really liked the way that the book dealt with the unsaid rules of the riding academy: how an instructor-rider relationship works, how to work with grooms, and what the necessary qualities of a school horse are. It is also a relief to find an author that reminds people that learning to ride right does take time! One of my favorite quotes is on pg. 137. It reads "With riding, much more important than recognizing the fault is to find the cause. The teacher should beware of demanding that the exercise be performed strictly according to the clasical rules right from the beginning." If nothing else, the reader will learn WHY certain lessons should be in a specific order and how to know when to do them. This book is probably one of the best investments an equestrian can buy. Written by a man decades ahead of his time, it will make a positive impact on the way you work in the horseworld. Enjoy!

I really can't understand why this book has gone out of print. If more riders and instructors read it then maybe there wouldn't be so many problems in the horse world. I really liked the way that the book dealt with the unsaid rules of the riding academy: how an instructor-rider relationship works, how to work with grooms, and what the necessary qualities of a school horse are. It is also a relief to find an author that reminds people that learning to ride right does take time! One of my faorite quotes is on pg. 137. It reads "With riding, much more important than recognizing the fault is to find the cause. The teacher should beware of demanding that the exercise be performed strictly according to the clasical rules right from the beginning." If nothing else, the reader will learn WHY certain lessons should be in a specific order and how to know when to do them.This book is probably one of the best investments an equestrian can buy. Written by a man decades ahead of his time, it will make a positive impact on the way you work in the horseworld.Enjoy!