Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement [Paperback]

Susan E. Harris (Author), François LeMaire De Ruffieu (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 18, 2005

See how your horse moves and become a better rider!

Horses are born to move--a foal can walk, trot and gallop within hours of birth. But not all horses move equally well, and the way a horse moves can have a real impact on how you ride. In this unique book, Susan Harris presents more than 300 eye-opening drawings that show you exactly how horses move. She illustrates movements common to all horses, pinpoints movement problems, reveals how a human in the saddle affects a horse's movement and helps you become a better, more accomplished rider.
* Get a close-up look at horse gaits and transitions
* Observe the differences between good and poor movement
* Find out how balance and conformation affect movement
* View flexion, bending and lateral movements
* See the impact of shoeing and riding on movement
* Discover practical tips to improve your horse's movement

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Horses move! It is what makes them useful, able and beautiful. A foal can walk, trot and gallop within hours of its birth. The horse knows how to be a horse without human help. But when we ride, drive, train and judge horses, we soon discover that not all horses move equally well. Even though there are over two hundred breeds and types of horses and many different disciplines and styles of riding, the horse's basic mechanism and nature are the same. At the heart of Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement is what is natural and common to all breeds, and herein lies the broadness of this book's appeal to riders, instructors, trainers and judges?anyone concerned with equine movement. Lifelong horsewoman Susan E. Harris addresses in her writing and in her more than 300 superb drawings?which demonstrate the kind of nuance and detail photographs do not permit?the following topics:

• basic structure and anatomy
• the cycle of movement
• gaits and transitions
• balance and movement
• poor movement
• flexion, bending and lateral movement
• conformation and movement
• shoeing and movement
• how a rider affects movement.

Her chapter on practical tips for improving the horse's movement will be especially valuable to the rider, whether he or she is in reining, show jumping or dressage. Indeed, the information given in this book will go a long way toward enabling horsemen to interfere less and thus permit the horse to achieve the best movement it is capable of achieving. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

See how your horse moves and become a better rider!

Horses are born to move—a foal can walk, trot and gallop within hours of birth. But not all horses move equally well, and the way a horse moves can have a real impact on how you ride. In this unique book, Susan Harris presents more than 300 eye-opening drawings that show you exactly how horses move. She illustrates movements common to all horses, pinpoints movement problems, reveals how a human in the saddle affects a horse's movement and helps you become a better, more accomplished rider.

• Get a close-up look at horse gaits and transitions
• Observe the differences between good and poor movement
• Find out how balance and conformation affect movement
• View flexion, bending and lateral movements
• See the impact of shoeing and riding on movement
• Discover practical tips to improve your horse's movement

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Howell Book House; 1 edition (March 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764587889
• ISBN-13: 978-0764587887
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.4 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #142,919 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > Medical Books > Veterinary Medicine > Equine Medicine

More About the Author

Susan E. Harris is a renowned horsewoman, artist, riding instructor and international clinician who conducts Centered Riding clinics and Anatomy in Motion™ demonstrations in the United States, Europe and around the world. Her unique Visible Horse presentation, in which she paints the skeleton and muscles on a living horse, has been a popular attraction at clinics and expos. With Peggy Brown, Susan created the Anatomy in Motion™ Visible Horse and Visible Rider DVDs.

Susan Harris is a regular contributor to EQUUS magazine, and also illustrates other horse books. When not writing or traveling, she enjoys riding her Clydesdale cross gelding, Masquerade. Her website is www.anatomyinmotion.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must buy for the serious horseman, March 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement (Howell Reference Books) (Hardcover)

An excellent presentation of the elements of balance in the horse's movement at various gaits. The illustrations (Did Ms Harris do them?) are grand and support the text very well. It is an excellent resource.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and easy read, April 17, 2007

By 

J. Coxon (Santa Ynez, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement (Paperback)

I would recommend this book to anyone looking to fully understand the basic gaits, movement and conformation of the horse. There is information on the natural gaits of the horse and how a rider can enhance or hinder the horse's movement and balance. The format will assist both novices and advanced equestrians. It is written in easy-to-understand language. The information is also very accessible simply by browsing through the illustrations. This book would be a great addition to any horse enthusiast's library.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for every horse lover!, May 6, 1999

By 

C. P. Williamson "spadesmaster" (Lafayette, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement (Howell Reference Books) (Hardcover)

Yes, Ms. Harris did the sketches. Her sketches really capture the movement of the horse and enables you to breakdown the gaits and jumping actions to see what is really happening. Utterly fascinating!