For the Good of the Rider [Hardcover]

Mary Wanless (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1999

Mary Wanless reveals the "how" of riding, helping riders to understand and make use of the biomechanical principles that are the foundation of good riding at every level.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mary Wanless has spent nearly 20 years developing teaching strategies to enhance riding performance. Her previous books include The Natural Rider, Ride with Your mInd, and For the Good of the Horse.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 333 pages
• Publisher: Trafalgar Square Books; 2nd ptg edition (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570761442
• ISBN-13: 978-1570761447
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #358,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, April 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: For the Good of the Rider (Hardcover)

I just started reading this book and think that it is wonderful. Mary Wanless is able to explain things in a very different way then I have ever been taught before. I find myself glued to this book. Since I am only able to ride once or twice a week, I use this book to prepare me for my next lesson.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Is good horsemanship really THIS difficult? Yes, it is..., March 19, 2003

By 

Iberian horse lover "student-of-dressage" (Southern Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: For the Good of the Rider (Hardcover)

I want to express first off that I like this book and give it four stars. Much of what she is trying to present is valid to my riding and it was interesting reading about concepts I have had difficulty describing. However, if I did not already know and feel what she was talking about I could not get "there" from "here". It important to note that Mary also expresses great frustration in trying to use words to describe feel, and were I to attempt what she does I would fall far short of her effort. I think for many this book will be a help, but for those who really need it, they won't get it, even with the book. Of course it is unlikely that they will be reading the book in the first place. It is for those of us that DO read and try through intellect to understand more of our equine partner. For that we owe Mary a vote of thanks, she does a commendable job of presenting a nearly impossible task of getting you to visualise through her words and examples.
My main objection is her total lack of evidence to support her claims. She refers to 10,000 tries as a minimum to achieve a change, yet nowhere does she show that this number is scientifically valid, perhaps it is 100,000 tries. I mean jeez who has ever counted... The same goes for "Z" angles, where she presents drawings. I think her position is valid and would love to see human X-rays or any other photographic evidence to show real actual movement, and bone weighting, and other details to support her asumptions. And I'm not at all sure about her presentation of "center of gravities". Her description contradicts Henry Wynmalen's in his book "Equitation", and I find his explanation more true.

Riding well is as difficult as she makes it out to be. Reading her book raises awareness, however; One must also RIDE, WITH FOCUS, EVERY DAY, for years, and only then will you (perhaps) become a quality horseman.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Far Too Obtuse, January 22, 2009

By 

Knitting Cat (New England) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: For the Good of the Rider (Hardcover)

I am an advanced adult rider who is looking to refine the aids used in dressage. I found this book far to obtuse and inflated with 'chat' to be useful. The author expresses ideas such as 'lifting with the thighs' and 'bearing down', and certainly it is understood that there should be muscle tone and activity in these areas of the body. However, beyond expressing anecdotes of the miracles created by using these muscles there are no solid explainations. The promise of biomechanics leaves one to believe there will be explicit detail but instead the descriptions are more poetic. I lost patience halfway through the book.