Cutting (Western Horseman Books) [Paperback]

Leon Harrel (Author)

Book Description

Series: Western Horseman Books | Publication Date: July 1, 2002

This guide explains everything you need to know to get started in cutting: How to ride, how to acquire a good beginner's horse, equipment, the scoring system, training cutting horses, and showing to win.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This guide explains everything a person needs to know to get started in cutting, how to ride a cutting horse, how to acquire a good beginner's horse, what equipment is needed, how the scoring system works, training cutting horses, and showing to win. (8 x 11, 144 pages, b&w photos)

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Western Horseman; 1st edition (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0911647155
• ISBN-13: 978-0911647150
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 7.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #998,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #43 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Rodeos

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First-rate book by a first-rate horseman, March 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Cutting (Western Horseman Books) (Paperback)

Written by a two-time winner of the National Cutting Horse Association's Futurity and member of the NCHA Hall of Fame, Leon Harrell's folksy and illuminating cutting horse text is an excellent introduction to this sport. Harrell addresses the basic concerns of the novice cutter (and those who are wondering whether this is the sport for them at all) in understandable and clear terms. He offers tips on everything from selection of tack to finding the right horse, provides detailed descriptions of his training methods, and details the rules of cutting competition. Harrell's anecdotes provide effective illustrations of his training techniques and also let the novice know what to expect in competition. He is generous with advice to the newcomer and also with praise to those who have helped him become the NCHA Hall of Famer he now is.

One of the most attractive features of this well-organized, beautifully-illustrated, clearly-written text is simply the feel of the book. Harrell writes about his horses like a man who loves them. His training methods are geared toward getting the most out of a horse, and making the horse enjoy it. He describes cutting as an exciting yet friendly sport, and when he advises the rookie cutter to ask for help from the best riders at a competition, the reader gets the feeling that anyone who asked Harrell for help would get all they needed. He describes his great horses (Smart Date, Nu Bar, Fizzabar, and the rest) with real respect and affection, and when he casually remarks, "I thought the world of [Fizzabar] and the mare thought quite a bit of me" the reader understands why.

Leon Harrell has made a fine career of training horses. He is especially good with the spooky, sensitive ones. After reading this book it is easy to understand why. Leon Harrell is an admirable trainer. He's clearly not too shabby as a man, either. If I am ever in Texas with a young cutting horse, I know who I'll call for advice.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars IF YOU'RE INTO CUTTING, THIS IS A MUST HAVE!!!, April 12, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Cutting (Western Horseman Books) (Paperback)

This is a great book; well written and lots of photographs so you can see what he's talking about. So many of the horse training books are so phony - all in "horse talk" and you don't really understand what they mean. Not this book - it's easy to understand even for a beginner or a spectator.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cutting Horse Book, March 28, 2007

By 

Dykhuis "Robin" (MI USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cutting (Western Horseman Books) (Paperback)

I think this stey-by-step guide was very helpful and informative. The illustrations were great and helped me to understand the point of what was being said.

Well put together :-)