Teaching Safe Horsemanship: A Guide to English & Western Instruction [Hardcover]

Jan Dawson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 7, 1997

Safe riding is correct riding. That's Jan Dawson's motto, and it's the philosophy behind her book, Teaching Safe Horsemanship. Dawson's goal is to provide both English and Western riding instructors with an effective and safe teaching program. She explains how to assess a horse's particular characteristics in order to weed out potentially dangerous animals. She also offers guidelines for assessing instructors and students, including what makes a good instructor and what attitudes can get in the way of learning proper horsemanship. Since 80 percent of all accidents involve falls due to loss of balance, Dawson identifies the techniques that ensure that a horse and rider are in proper balance. Finally, since she is a lawyer as well as a riding instructor, Dawson includes a chapter on securing useful liability forms, what insurance coverage does and does not do, and how to handle accidents and lawsuits. Dawson and her husband teach the only equine law course taught at a law school in the United States.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Every instructor [should] get a copy." -- Practical Horseman

"... a new resource for our advanced riders who are preparing to learn how to teach!" -- Drusilla Malavase, Chair of US Pony Club Safety Committee

"This is a book that is recommended for every person teaching or responsible for students being taught." -- Doris Bixby Hammett, MD American Medical Equestrian Association News

From the Inside Flap

Equestrian accidents can happen -- but knowledge and foresight will often prevent or minimize a potentially serious incident. Author Jan Dawson combines her experience as a riding safety instructor and lawyer in this essential guide for anyone, professional or amateur, who works with riders. Dawson operates on a simple premise: correct riding practices are safe riding practices -- at any level. From understanding the needs and nature of horses through creating lesson plans, she explains the correct methods for myriad activities.

Teaching Safe Horsemanship begins with an overview of horses, their likes, dislikes, and what makes them behave properly and improperly. You'll learn to assess horses' characteristics and weed out potentially dangerous animals. Instructors and students are closely examined, too, including an analysis of the characteristics of a good instructor and an explanation of the teacher and student attitudes that hinder learning.

Eighty percent of all accidents involve falls due to loss of balance. Dawson helps you ensure that horse and rider are in proper balance -- to avoid falls and prevent injuries.

She explains the crucial factors for deciding when a student is safely ready to advance to a new skill. Dawson covers motivation and learning, adult students, stable guidelines, curriculum, and class management. She also emphasizes the importance of lesson plans, because structured plans require you to think out each part of the lesson and set measurable, attainable goals for students. A separate chapter explains securing useful liability forms, what insurance coverage does and doesn't do, and how to handle accidents and lawsuits.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (January 7, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882669729
• ISBN-13: 978-0882669724
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #974,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for new and experienced instructors, October 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Teaching Safe Horsemanship: A Guide to English & Western Instruction (Hardcover)

Jan Dawson provides great information on all aspects of a riding program. The sections on lesson plans, dealing with accidents and lawsuits, and safe school horses will be useful for both instructor and clientele in evaluating their current situation.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best book ever written for instructors, August 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Teaching Safe Horsemanship: A Guide to English & Western Instruction (Hardcover)

This book is excellent for all levels of instructors. It is easy to read and understand and applicable to all riding styles and levels. The exercises are self diagnostic and easy to use for all riders.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars basics basics basics, March 27, 2003

By 

BalmyTigeress (Bristol, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teaching Safe Horsemanship: A Guide to English & Western Instruction (Hardcover)

A solid little book about riding instruction. The whole volume puts a lot of emphasis on being safe around horses (as indeed the title suggests), it stresses basic safety rules and then devotes an appendix section on dealing with accidents and lawsuits. One great feature of this book are the review questions at the end of each chapter. I appreciate equestrian texts with that type of feature.