Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Equestrian competition is a fluid melding of horse and rider. But the grace and beauty one sees in the competition ring does not just happen. Like any sport, it is the result of hours of practice. Allen, a former international competitive rider, licensed judge, and Olympic course designer, offers a series of exercises for horse and rider designed to isolate and master specific skills. The increasingly complex exercises conclude with skills for more advanced riders, but she begins with basic skills, such as the walk and trot. Throughout she emphasizes straightness, calmness, balance, and rhythm. She also defines terminology along the way, so novices can build their equestrian vocabulary. Each exercise includes a detailed diagram as well as an explanation of its purpose and benefits. Included are a glossary, index, and brief professional biographies of additional contributors. Carefully structured, well written, and effectively illustrated, this is an excellent addition to collections whose patrons have exhibited an interest in horses and equestrian sports. Wes Lukowsky
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About the Author

Linda Allen is an Olympic course designer and an internationally recognized clinician on riding, show jumping, and course design. She is a former rider for the United States in international jumping competitions, and she designed the show-jumping courses for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as for other major international competitions. She is a licensed judge and a columnist for The Chronicle of the Horse. She lives in Salinas, California.

Dianna Robin Dennis is a full-time equestrian writer and lifelong rider. She has written for many equestrian magazines in the United States and abroad, including The Chronicle of the Horse and Equestrian (Horse Show) magazine.