The Complete Idiot's Guide to Horseback Riding Book

Part 1	Why Horseback Ride?	1
1	Horseback Riding Is Fun	3
	Why Ride a Horse?	4
	Indoors, Outdoors, Anywhere	5
	This Time, It's Personal	6
	Do You Have What It Takes?	6
	Don't Just Sit There--Do Something!	7
2	Horseback Riding Is for Everyone	9
	Young Riders	10
	Older Riders	10
	No Excuses	10
	Using Your Sports Skills	11
	Using Your Life Skills	12
	Using Your Language Skills	12
	Just Do It!	13
3	Horseback Riding as Sport and Competition	15
	How About a Little Competition	15
	Investigate Your Options	16
	Sedentary Spectating	18
	It's an Event, a Driving Competition, and an Aerobic Workout!	19
	Where Are the Shows?	20
Part 2	Getting Started	23
4	Finding a Stable and a Style	25
	Lesson Stables	25
	Boarding Stables	26
	Training Stables	26
	Props Matter, Too	26
	Do It with Style	27
	English Riding	27
	You Better Shop Around	30
	The Balanced Seat	31
5	From Lessons to Leasing	33
	A Good Lesson: More Than Just Riding	34
	The Eyes Have It	36
	Instructor Certification	38
	The Option to Lease a Horse	39
	The Fine Print: The Lease Contract	40
6	A Horse of Your Own	43
	Colors and Markings	44
	Stars and Stripes Forever	46
	Conformation	47
	Bodies in Motion: Gaits and Movement	49
	Horses for Courses	51
	What's a Type?	56
7	Practical Horse-Shopping	57
	Evaluating an Equine Prospect	57
	This Wasn't in the Brochure!	62
	Worth Another Look	62
	Fees and Services: Your Instructor	63
	The Veterinary Prepurchase Exam	63
	Make up Your Mind!	65
8	HorseKeeping Realities	67
	The Cost of Accessorizing Your Horse	67
	Horse-Keeping Costs Explained	68
	Horse-Expense Worksheet	69
	Time Is Money	71
	Feathering Your Nest	72
	Don't Put the Saddle Before the Horse	73
	Red Tape: Health Papers and Boarding Contracts	74
	The Terms of Your Lease: Your Boarding Contract	74
	How to Groom a Horse	75
	Good Horse Keeping	76
	Baby Needs Shoes ... or Maybe Not	79
9	Sports Equipment: Saddles and Tack	83
	Saddles and Stirrups	84
	Bridles and Bits	87
Part 3	Basic Riding Skills	93
10	Ready ... Set ... Ride	95
	Fit to Ride	96
	Get Ready to Ride	97
	Mount Up and Work Out	97
	Assume the Position	97
	In the Saddle	98
	Away from the Barn	101
11	Walk This Way	103
	What the Horse Does	104
	What You'll Do	104
	Things to Do at the Walk	105
12	Time to Trot	107
	What You'll Do	107
	A Posting Tutorial	108
13	Time to Canter	115
	What the Horse Does	116
	What You'll Do	116
	The Canter Depart	117
	Different Types of Canters	118
Part 4	Types of Riding	119
14	Riding Western Style	121
	Showmanship	122
	Barrel Racing	122
	Reining	123
	Cutting	124
	Reined Cow Horse	124
	Team Roping	125
	Team Penning	125
	Trail Riding	125
	Basic Western Tack and Equipment	126
	Your Western-Riding Duds	128
	Ready to Ride?	128
	Basic Western-Riding Skills	130
	Your Western Horse: Gaits and Movement	132
	Stop	134
	Start	134
	Turn	134
	Exercises	134
15	Riding English Style	137
	Hunter Showing	137
	Show Jumping	138
	Dressage	139
	Eventing	139
	Recreational Riding	142
	Understanding English Tack	142
	Your English-Riding Duds	143
	Basic English-Riding Skills	145
	Your Horse: Gaits and Movement	146
	Stop, Start, and Turn	148
	Exercises and More Exercises	149
16	Jumping for Joy	151
	Rider Position	152
	Fun with Grid Work	153
	Jumping Courses	156
17	Happy Trails to You	159
	Plan Your Trail Ride	160
	Dressing for the Great Outdoors	160
	Don't Leave Home Without It	160
	Watch the Weather	161
	File a Flight Plan	161
	Trail-Riding Etiquette	161
	Training on the Trail	164
18	Going the Distance	167
	Competitive Trail Riding	167
	Endurance Riding	168
	Ride 'n' Tie	171
	Mounted Orienteering	171
	Mounted Patrol and Mounted Search and Rescue	172
19	Foxhunting or Fox Chasing?	175
	What Is Foxhunting?	175
	History and Tradition	177
	Cubbing	177
	It's Not a Drag	177
	Who's Who	178
	How to Get Started	179
	Getting Off to a Slow Start	182
20	Polo and Polocrosse	183
	Are Polo Ponies Really Ponies?	183
	The Game of Polo	184
	Polo-Match Traditions	186
	Polocrosse Anyone?	187
Part 5	Horses, Horse-Sense, and You	189
21	Know Your Partner	191
	Horse-Handling Skills	192
	The Horse's Report Card	195
	Go Right to the Source and Ask the Horse	200
	Socially Speaking	201
22	Physical Fitness for Better Riding	205
	Physical Benefits	205
	What Can You Do?	206
	Where Are You Now?	207
	Injuries Happen	209
	Slow and Steady Wins	210
23	Mental Fitness for Better Performance	211
	Thinking About Riding	211
	Setting Goals and Tracking Progress	214
	Write It All Down!	214
	Your Horse's Mental Fitness	215
24	Learning to Learn--to Ride	217
	Learning 101	217
	The Fear Factor	218
	The Older Beginner	220
	Your Family: Sabotage or Support?	224
Part 6	Dressing for Success and Upgrading	227
25	Proper Riding Clothes	229
	Hats and Heads	229
	Boot Camp	231
	Riding Duds	234
	Show-Ring Attire: Dress to Impress	235
26	Seasonal Sports Clothing	239
	Summer Riding Clothes	239
	Spring and Fall Riding Clothes	241
	Winter Riding Clothes	241
27	Upgrading Your Horse	245
	Starting Over	245
	Horse Shopping, Again	246
	Breeds and Registries	246
	Crossbreds	258
	Types and Brand Names: Warmbloods	258
28	Upgrading Your Instruction	261
	Starting Again with the Same Instructor	261
	Taking It to a Higher Level	263
	What's a Clinic, Anyway?	263
	Finding a New Instructor	267
29	Getting Competitive	271
	Hunter Competition	272
	Jumpers Competition	272
	Western Competition	273
	Equitation Competition	273
	Dressage Competition	273
	Eventing Competition	274
	Know Before You Show	275
	Show-Prep Countdown	277
	At the Show	278
	Your Show Checklist	279
Part 7	More Horse Activities	283
30	Holidays in the Saddle	285
	Go West, Young Rider!	285
	Equestrian Vacations Abroad	287
	Vacation Preparation	288
	Vacation Time!	290
31	Going to Riding Camp	291
	Summer Camps for Kids	291
	Horse Camps	292
32	More Fun with Horses	295
	Horse Fairs	295
	Western Events	297
	Rodeos	298
	Equine Museums	298
	Farm Tours	300
	Appendixes
A	Glossary of Horse Talk	301
B	Resources	313
C	Where to Shop	325
	Index	329