Basic Training of the Young Horse While Klimke lays the basic foundation of dressage training, he speaks from a perspective that is far removed from most American dressage lovers. Most don't have full time grooms and the ability to turn their horses out to pasture in the summe.

This book is quite informative but has its flaws. "Breaking a Horse to Harness" is an informative book and is quite good for a basic overview of what you are getting yourself into. However, the book is a bit too "British". At times, I found the lingo a bit confusing. It would have been nice to see a "troubleshooting" section for problems you may incur while training; the author didn't seem to anticipate many problems while training. The book is not really detailed enough to use as your only tool for training; a book that is more "well endowed" in the areas this book lacks is recommended as an accompaniment. Overall, the book does a good job of reviewing the steps involved in breaking your horse for harness but should definately not be the primary training tool for first-time trainers. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

In Bringing Up Baby, Lyons, known for his conditioned-response training methods, offers advice for gently teaching the young horse to respect humans and accept haltering, leading, bathing, trailer loading, and other equine basics. Lyons divides the book into 20 lessons, each building on the animal's previous experience. The outlined steps are clear, descriptive, and well illustrated with outstanding color photos. Fine safety guidelines for preventing injury to both humans and horses are included. An excellent guide for neophytes as well as experienced horsepeople, this work can easily be used to retrain older animals with less than perfect manners as well. Welcome addition to collections serving horse lovers.
Janet M. Schneider, James A. Haley Veterans' Hosp., Tampa, FL Review Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

An excellent guide for neophytes as well as experienced horsepeople.

Customer Review: Logically presented and well-written (Reviewer from Colorado, USA May 20, 1999)
This is an excellent source for people beginning to drive their horse, or for those who want to improve their driving techniques and their horse's performance.

Riders and trainers of any discipline will find value in... practical advice but in the author's philosophy of horsemanship.

The usefulness of cavalletti work in the training of horses and riders receives renewed attention and authority with the reissuing of this classic work by legendary dressage rider and trainer Reiner Klimke. In this comprehensive, handy volume, Dr. Klimke authoritatively demonstrates how cavalletti work facilitates and improves the basic training of horses for all forms of horsemanship, especially with regard to fundamental and more advanced gymnastic work for hunters, jumpers, and combined... read more

This book helped me immensely with training my 3 year-old standardbred and 4 year-old thoroughbred. I would recommend this book to anyone who is training their horse(s) on their own. It gives great detail in instruction and the lessons explained really do work on young and older horses.

I found this book to be both informative and easy to read. For any rider who does not have the option of a regular trainer, this is an excellent resource for both horse and rider. The use of Cavaletti is becoming increasingly popular for both English and Western riders. The included training plans are well thought out and extreamly useful. The beautiful full color photos enhance the well written text. I highly reccomend this book to young riders and experienced trainers alike.

I read this the first time years ago and knew it was great. I read it again recently and was reminded by the great master Klimke just how important cavalletti work really is! This book lays out all the basics for teaching a horse to move better and to learn to jump. I recommend it for anyone wishing to train a horse. Cavalletti will improve your understanding of how to set elementary jumps and develop a standard for you to use when setting ground poles and teach a horse to jump. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Coming from the horse's point of view, these entertaining stories quiet, compassionate solutions to horse training problems with insights so simple they are startling. Readers will be amazed at the ways horses communicate with humans beings in this unique horse owner's guide. Illustrations.

Nearly every week of the year, Buck Brannaman is on the road, conducting horsemanship clinics in which he teaches horse owners how to better understand and work with their animals, creating a relationship based on trust and respect rather than force. His methods are grounded in communicating with horses, on reading their body language and making them feel secure so horse and rider can achieve a true union. Buck's skill at starting young horses off right and reforming troubled horses has become legendary (indeed, the main character in the best-seller and movie The Horse Whisperer was based largely on him), and part of the reason is that he knows firsthand how a frightened horse feels. Growing up with an abusive father, Buck often feared he wouldn't live through the night. Rescued by a foster home, he found his calling - and salvation - in working with horses. In The Faraway Horses, Buck recounts his moving, inspiring, and often humorous adventures along the way. He writes of the horses he's learned from - including Bif, the dangerous outlaw who eventually became one of Buck's most trusted and useful mounts. He tells of the owners he's taught (from the good to the horrifying, such as the trainer who used abuse to make her show Arabians look "spirited"), and share stories of the horse-rider relationships he's changed. "These principles are really about life - about living your life so you're not at war with the horse, or with other people," Buck writes. At heart, this rich and rewarding autobiography is ultimately a prescription for living a positive and harmonious existence - whether it involves horses or not.

Buck Brannaman is a horse gentler -- not a horse "breaker" -- who has started more than 10,000 young horses in his clinics in the past eighteen years. He served as advisor on the set of Robert Redford's movie The Horse Whisperer. He is also a lifelong trick roper who performed around the world as a youngster. He and his wife, Mary, live with their three daughters on the family ranch in Sheridan, Wyoming.

I purcased this book yesterday and i am aready done reading it! I cannot wait to read it again.

From birth to backing is with out doubt a horse training bible, there is very intelligent methods to go by from biting to rearing and halter brakeing to trail riding. I can't wait to start teaching my 5 month old belgin draft. At first I was afriad of her, she is already taller than me ( I'm 4'11") but now i feel that i am knowledgable enough to handle any situation. I really wanted to start off on a great start so i searched for the right book, I am very glad I bought this one!!

When my daughter began riding and eventually entering any and all competitions within our county, my husband and I knew we had to keep up! Her passion for riding led to us leasing horses, and we took this responsibility seriously. We found this book by Maxwell and Sharples to be extrememly helpful. I was overwhelmed with how much there was to learn, but her book efficiently catagorized the most essential things one needs to know about horses. The format of the book profiles all ages of the horse from young to elder and deals with behaviors, anxieties, training, problems and solutions. The book goes in depth to reveal the best way to handle your horse and their behavior, not to mention health and maintainance issues.

Briefly, this is an excellent all encompassing manual of comprehensive horse care and maintainance. For a lay person like myself, I feel I can tackle this book and come away with some very useful information, even if I am not exactly Elizabeth Taylor in her younger years.

Excellent Reading! This is one of the best horse 'training' books I've ever read. I found that Mark presented his theories in a unique format, where each story teaches you something about horses. I was able to read through the book in a matter of hours and was not only entertained, but felt like I could apply many if not all of his practices to the horses I deal with everyday; it isn't your typical how-to at all. I especially like the way Mark explains how horses view us and how, many times, it is miscommunication between humans and equines that becomes the culprit in many 'problem' horse cases. Bravo to Mark Rashid for taking a new approach to writing about horse training and keeping it humble, down to earth, and honest (just like our horses!)

Don't start reading this at night! Well, once again all I can say, is that Mr Rashid caused me to lose many hours of sleep upon receiving his book - I read through the night! He has hit home with his customary wit, insight and thought provoking advice. Not only does he show you how to become your horse's trusted partner, but also how you should trust your horse in his opinions, decisions and desires. He is not shy to admit that he too, can sometimes be wrong. Like his other two books, he leaves you with the opportunity to figure things out for yourself. He doesn't give you a step-by-step instruction on "how to", but equips you with the knowledge that you can make the right decision. If you are at all interested in a different way of dealing with your horse, then you should read not only this book, but his other two books as well.

Every year, some 10,000 people attend Lyons's clinics to learn the secrets contained in this complete training program for horses and trainers of all skill levels, by one of America's most popular and trusted trainer-instructors.

B & W photographs and illustrations throughout.

The long-awaited second book by renowned horseman Richard Shrake, founder of the innovative Resistance Free method of horse training and riding. Highly illustrated with color photos.

This book is written and designed as a road map for people wishing to train horses in a way that sets aside traditional methods of breaking. Richard Shrake's unique Resistance Free system will help anyone interested in creating a good horse approach training in a logical, progressive way. He offers a step-by-step system that eliminates trial and error, a method that is productive for neither trainer nor horse. In Resistance Free Training, he explains how to... read more

Positive Reinforcement for Horses I have been looking for the "perfect" behavior book for horses and this is it! Thorough, easy to understand, and humane, this book discusses techniques, join-up, ground manners, loading, and a host of other behaviors. The descriptions are clear and the instructions are easily laid out. If you want only one reference book for behavior, make it this one!