Dressage by the Letter: A Guide for the Novice (Howell Equestrian Library) [Hardcover]

Moira C. Harris (Author), Sharon P. Fibelkorn (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Howell Equestrian Library | Publication Date: July 1997

The word dressage means training in French. Training makes a horse more balanced, supple, and responsive to his rider. But dressage is also a sport in which the accomplishments of the horse-and-rider team are judged according to certain standards. Dressage by the Letter addresses the needs of those riders who want to get started in the sport. It tells them how to select the right horse, choose an instructor, get the most out of lessons, maintain schedules, and prepare for the first show. This is a true beginner s book--one that assumes no prior knowledge of dressage. Moira C. Harris is the editor of Horse Illustrated, the largest all-breed magazine in the U.S. She lives in Huntington Beach, California, where she rides and shows lower level dressage

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan General Reference (July 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876057261
• ISBN-13: 978-0876057261
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,904,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Reference Tool!, January 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Dressage by the Letter: A Guide for the Novice (Howell Equestrian Library) (Hardcover)

I really liked this book, and I disagree with these other reviews. Anyone who reads the book jacket will understand that this book is not supposed to TRAIN you or your horse to do dressage--it's all about getting started in the sport. I used to ride western before I got interested in dressage, but I didn't have a teacher right away, nor did I really know where to begin. This book really served as an excellent reference tool for the things the training books DON'T say. I found a good dressage teacher as a result of the "riding instructor" chapter, and I to this day still use the show checklists in the "preparing for your first show" chapter. Look, there are plenty of books out there by the Masters of the sport for those interested in learning how to do a half-pass or shoulder-in. But how many tell you the right way to behave at a dressage show, or what a dressage clinic is really like? This book IS for the novice, just as it says on the cover. It's not intended to be for someone who has 20 years experience in the sport.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This book has little to do with the title!, February 10, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Baltimore, Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dressage by the Letter: A Guide for the Novice (Howell Equestrian Library) (Hardcover)

I was so dissappointed with the content of this book I decided to write this review. The book title is "Dressage by the Letter", but the book NEVER addresses Dressage technique. The chapters are:

1. Dressage--An Overview: discusses the history of Dressage.

2. Your Horse's Suitabiltiy. This is so standard I could have written it from any horse magazine.

3. Getting Started. This chapter describes conditioning and has no specific relevance.

4. Finding the right instructor. Duhh.

5. Getting the most out of lessons. I could be taking clarinet lessons for all of the specific relevance!

6. Maintaining your schedule. See comment 5.

7. Other training methods. I thought this book would have some specific information about Dressage. It does not.

8. Preparing for your first show. I have been involved in jumping and showing for over 20 years and this chapter may as well of been written for first year walk-trot-canter pony shows.

9. Success on show day. See comment #8.

10. Moving forward, Moving up. This is a chapter on horse care, not Dressage.

In conclusion, this book has little if nothing to do with the title. I expected a Dressage training guide with insight. Not a generic horse maintenance book. This Is A RipOff. Can I get my money back?

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended by a Dressage Trainer, March 1, 2000

By 

Sharon Hackney - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dressage by the Letter: A Guide for the Novice (Howell Equestrian Library) (Hardcover)

All of my beginning dressage students have this book on their shelves as part of my required reading. I chose it because it is a good basic overall for the novice rider. Moira Harris explains everything you need to know in an easy to understand manner. Many dressage books are too much for a beginner and may in fact frustrate instead of educate. DRESSAGE BY THE LETTERS is the perfect way to get your feet wet. But understand that is not intended to help you learn to train your horse, it is intended to help you start out in the sport of Dressage.