The United States Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship: Basics for Beginners/D Level

There is a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Susan Harris is not only a gifted artist ; drawing her explanations of concepts she is relating ; she draws pictures with her words, and for anyone lucky enough to attend one of her clinics , she draws explanations with body language. I am fortunate to have Sue as my friend and mentor for 30+ years & have told her often that "She could read the phone book to you & You'd never lose interest". She is also a gifted horsewoman & teacher. She posseses an ability to locate the crux of a lack of understanding & with empathy for both horse & rider guides them to a solution. If I had to limit my horse library to just a few books, her USPC manuels would be the first chosen. They are a wealth of information on all aspects of horsemanship , for every level of horseman , of any age. Her choice of words combined with her own illustrations gives very clear & interesting information.Sue stresses empathy for your horse & safety issues in every topic -2 basics to have ingrained in anyone who wishes to be around horses. I have recommended these books to all who share the "addiction" to horses with me.

I advise anyone young who is seriously interested in horses to start with this book. I've been riding all my life and think this is a great book to start with and it is very informative.

In all my years of riding and teaching this is the book I recommend first to beginners and their families. This book spells out the "right way" and what a great way to start. Safety is stressed - the basics are covered. If you or a friend wants to get started with horses this is definitely the book to start with. Once you know this book read the C manual - if you know all that you will be ready for just about anything. Then if you want to fine tune your abilities with horses read the B manual and then the A - BUT START WITH THE D MANUAL!

I really thought this book was great in a kids point of view. I have learned more from just reading a book in my own home instead of being around horses!

I'm a long-time riding instructor, especially for the US Pony Clubs. This book is the *ONE* book I'd recommend for anyone starting to learn to ride and care for a horse--regardless of their age. While it's written for children, adults find the clear language, straight-forward presentation, and logical organization extremely useful. I cannot praise it highly enough.