Customer Reviews

Easy-Gaited Horses: Gentle, humane methods for training and riding gaited pleasure horses

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This by far the most complete and the clearest book on gaited horses I have read and I have read and own all of them. I started out in dressage and though I had learned that one must ride a gaited horse differently, this book has shown me why. Her book compares the different horse disciplines and shows the reader how and why one must approach gaited horse riding with "the gait" desired in mind. I have been looking for a gaited horse trainer that doesn't use the harsh techniques used with so many of the traditional methods. She is the only expert in the field that comes at gaited horse training from the viewpoint of the horse and she seems to appreciate that a horse treated in a kind and gentle way will become safe, well mannered,and relaxed companion that will work with the rider to gait well. Hooray for Ms. Zeigler and her gentle techniques that work for my horses and will undoubtedly work for owners of gentle gaited breeds.

Lee Ziegler has drawn upon a lifetime of experience with horses to write this book. It is a practical guide to training and conditioning horses that possess the heredity and conformation for performing easy gaits. She describes how this may be done without the use of shortcut gimmicks or cruelty.

The book is not organized by breed. Many individual horses are capable of gaits that are not the signature gait of their breed. Therefore, Mrs. Ziegler has taken each easy gait and written in detail about facilitating that particular gait including its variations by breed. She has written in language that the novice rider can understand.

Easy gaits are comfortable gaits intermediate between the square trot and the hard pace. These soft gaits are carefully described. Clear drawings of five phases of support for each gait are provided. There is a double page spread upon which the support patterns of ten gaits are shown for comparison purposes. There is another which provides verbal descriptions of the footfalls and supports of eight gaits. The book is copiously illustrated in every chapter with line drawings that extend and support the text.

There are enlightening chapters concerning the relationship between conformation and gait and on the importance of well-designed and properly fitted equipment, as well as correct position in the saddle. Furthermore, Mrs. Ziegler has provided troubleshooting prescriptions for solving gait problems, figures and exercises that aid in confirming the easy gaits, suggestions for groundwork, and instructions for working with gaited foals.

This is an excellent book which ought to be in the library of every gaited horse enthusiast. It should be read all the way through and then reread and referred to for the rest of one's riding career.

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Easy-Gaited Horses is a "rider friendly" no-nonsense guide to the distinctions between easy-gaited horses and other types of horse, and the fine nuances of how to train and ride these animals for pleasure. Chapters address riding basics and safety, issues of pacing, the flat walk, the intermediate gaits, and the canter, sample lesson plans for developing and improving gait, and much more. An in-depth, serious-minded resource especially for horse lovers and horse trainers, written by a horsemanship expert of 30 years experience.

I attended two of Lee Zieglers clinics. This book is a culmination of the stuff she taught at the clinics. It is easy to read, and full of advice. One of the things i like about this book is it is geared toward getting the gaited horse to do a gait that the horse WANTS to do naturally, not necessarily what the horse is SUPPOSED to do due to breed typing. for example, some walking horses will tend to foxtrot instead of run walk, as well as some foxtrotters will lean toward run walking instead of foxtrotting. this book helps enhance the natural gait the horse is built to perform. not necessarily what his breeding dictates.

This book breaks the mold when it comes to riding and training easy-gaited horses. I have been able to "read-and-do" section by section, working with my 5 year old Fox Trotter, to create a willing and comfortable riding horse. And I feel good about myself since I'm using only gentle methods. When is the sequel being published?

Lee writes and diagrams detailed explanations of the biomechanics of what makes a horse move and how. Diagrams show what the horse's feet are doing through each step of a stride sequence. More importantly, she describes how the rider affects the horse's movement (intentionally or not) by posture and pressure, as well as the basic - seat, hands, legs. All riders would benefit from this book, but especially those who ride horses with gaits in addition to walk, trot, and canter.

This is a great book for anyone training a gaited horse, especially if you are new to gaited breeds. I am working with a young Rocky Mountain mare and every problem that comes up from gentle shying to pacing is covered in this book. The techniques are clearly outlined, and with patience and repetition are very effective.

Lee Ziegler does an excellent job of describing the oft-times confusing and subtle differences between the various gaits. As a gaited horse trail rider, I found that this book offered an approach that spoke to me and provided practical advice I could use, with clear and accurate descriptions that I could follow. It came to me highly recommended by other gaited horse owners and it exceeded my expectations. Every gaited horse owner should have this book on their shelves. I've loaned it out twice already, but I get it back quickly when they order their own copy.

This book has got to be the most in-depth book ever published about the gaits and the gaited horse.

I love that she approaches training with such a gentle and humane touch and she makes things so completely understandable.

I recommend this book to everyone--whether new or old to gaited horses.

This is by far the most comprehensive book on gaits I've seen. Nothing compares. Lee is gifted at explaining, and her descriptions of how gaits look and feel are insightful. This has helped me, an amateur owner, fill in the gaps in my knowledge tremendously.