Zen & Horseback Riding, 3rd Edition: Applying the Principles of Posture, Breath and Awareness to Riding Horses [Spiral-bound]

Tom Nagel (Author), Sally Swift (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2010

Zen & Horseback Riding explains the location, importance and use of the psoas muscles. The psoas are the deep core muscles that link the upper and lower girdles of the body. They are the basis of all efficient body movement and can be used by participants in any athletic activity.
This book explains how to correctly use your body to obtain tone (strength with flexibility), self-carriage (stability and lift) and movement (vertically bilateral in rhythm) both on and off the horse. Zen & Horseback Riding is about using horseback riding as a means of self-development and training. It is about improving your riding and your life.
The Riding section has information about tone, engaging the psoas and hyoid muscles, self-carriage, breathing the Vertical "C," and movement. Information about time and space, pushing and pulling, time and resource management, habit and finding a balance is presented. Learn how this directly applies to both your riding and your life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It was in 2001 when Tom Nagel wrote Zen & Horseback Riding. It is a small, easy to handle spiral bound book with a soft cover. When he asked me to write the foreword for the new book I was more than happy to do so, because I absolutely love the book. Tom is an excellent writer, what he writes is easy to read. Throughout the book Tom has taken care to explain things simply and fully. He especially concentrates on the psoas muscles, how they function, and the importance of their correct use in tying the legs at the inner thigh to the lumbar spine as it levels the pelvis. The psoas muscles are also important in breathing. Tom emphasizes the importance of posture, breathing and awareness. Many of us know little about Zen. Tom has spent many years studying Zen and Zen Meditation and presents a wealth of knowledge in his simple way so the rest of us have a clear understanding of how it can influence us, our lives and our horseback riding. This is the core of this book. I liked this book so well after being given a copy that I couldn't wait to purchase six more copies for my friends." ------- Sally Swift, author of Centered Riding

"You can't ride without a seat. You can't get a seat without working on your posture. People keep trying to ride without a seat and/or a position...but, well, it just doesn't work. Gimmicks and gadgets only go so far. There is only one thing that rides the horse and that is your body. Tom Nagel's concise little book tells you what you need to know to get your body organized so that you can really SIT. I use this book in all of my Dressage in the Fourth Dimension clinics. It's a really important book!" ------- Sherry L. Ackerman, Ph.D., author of Dressage in the Fourth Dimension

"2011 Living Now Book Awards: Bronze Medal Winner: Yoga/Pilates/Bodywork Category --Jenkins Group of Traverse City, Michigan

"Don't let the Zen color your thoughts. Zen & Horseback Riding is the most applicable book about applying the principles of posture, breath and awareness to riding horses that I know of. Tom makes simple and understandable how to truly have self-carriage on the horse through engagement of the psoas muscles, hyoid muscles and softening of the solar plexus." ----- --Dr. Suzan Seelye, DVM, Healing Heart Newsletter March/April 2008 Vol 4

About the Author

Tom Nagel is an internationally recognized instructor and clinician. He has conducted clinics and trainings, given lectures, and done presentations throughout the United States and in Europe. Tom was the main speaker at the 10th Annual International Centered Riding Symposium in Brattleboro, Vermont. He was interviewed by Rick Lamb, of the national radio program, The Horse Show and was a keynote speaker at the 2007 Certified Horsemanship Association International Conference in Orlando, Florida. Tom's training background lies outside of horseback riding and his main expertise is in the basic biomechanics of how human bodies work. He has a third degree black belt in Aikido and is an advanced practitioner of Zen Bodytherapy, a bodywork discipline that combines deep tissue and alignment work. Tom started his Zen training in 1977 and became a certified Zen meditation instructor in 1986. This background gives him a unique perspective in how to help riders use their bodies efficiently first off and then on their horses.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 132 pages
• Publisher: Ko-gen Publications; Third edition (October 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974921327
• ISBN-13: 978-0974921327
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,932 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Pets & Animal Care > Horses > Riding
  • #36 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Horses > Equestrian

More About the Author

Tom Nagel discovered through his own horseback riding experience, that how bodies work on the horse is the same as how they work off the horse. He has been able to teach riders how to identify and engage their core muscles, the psoas muscles, to become better riders. Tom started conducting clinics for horseback riders in 2001. His two-day Rider's Seat clinics are described in the Clinics section of his web site at www.zenandthehorse.com

Tom's clinic participants encouraged him to write a book to reinforce and share the information he was presenting. As a result of the clinics and his book, Zen & Horseback Riding, he was invited to be the main speaker at the 10th Annual International Centered Riding© Symposium in 2005. This is where he met Sally Swift. When he asked Ms. Swift to write a foreword for his book, she said she would be happy to do so.

Tom's experience and expertise is in the basic biomechanics of how human bodies work. He practiced Aikido for 17 years and is an advanced practitioner of Zen Bodytherapy®, a bodywork discipline that combines deep tissue and alignment work. Tom started his Zen training in 1977 under the guidance of Zen Master Tenshin Tanouye Roshi and became a certified Zen teacher in 1986.

The 3rd Edition of Zen & Horseback Riding contains new information about time and space, pushing and pulling as well as time and resource management. Learn how these directly applies to both riding and life.

Tom's awareness of pushing and pulling initially resulted from an experience that happened at one of his clinics, when he realized he pulled on the steering wheel when driving his car. Later, through the feedback of a friend, Tom became aware that pulling was his habit in life.

Tom started presenting the concept of pushing and pulling in his horseback riding clinics and found it to be one of the most meaningful parts of the clinic. He initially wrote a chapter on pushing and pulling in Zen & Horseback Riding and later expanded this into the book, Simple Pushes: Finding Balance in Life.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Less is More February 6, 2008

By Dr. La Thibodeau

Format:Spiral-bound

Tom Nagel's book is a treasure of useful riding cues. I have a small library of riding books and Tom's is one of only three that I refer to on a weekly basis.

This book is very densely packed with information and thus deceptive. In zen, less is more, and it is also in this book. Read a paragraph, go on and then realize that there was a sentence in the last paragraph that resonated with your situation. Better read it again as you will not see it repeated over and over again as you would in a book with four times the words and less than half the content.

This is a book to treasure and keep close at hand. It has made me a better rider and changed the way I ride, sit and walk. All for the better.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Zen & Horseback Riding August 20, 2008

By P. Hunter

Format:Spiral-bound

Very good book. I applied my knowledge and riding experiences and tried subtle changes in my posture and various breathing exercises. This book shows different ground exercises for people to find certain muscles needed for correct riding and ability to use the aids to bring out the best in you and your horse. By doing the exercises and applying them to a riding session, it is a great eye opener.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Every rider needs this book!!! February 2, 2008

By L. B. Elston

Format:Spiral-bound

This book has changed my riding forever...and my horses are very grateful!!! Nagel's approach encompasses all aspects of my awareness...physical, mental, emotional and energetic. I have never found a book like this one, and I have read a mess of them!!

In clear, concise, easy to follow explanations, he has made me aware of just how little it takes to harmonize with my horse. When I got my first transitions, up and down, just by using my breathing...I cried!!!

I am a Centered Riding(TM) Instructor and I recommend this book to every one of my students, experienced or beginner. I also host clinics for the author, Tom Nagel. His excellent teaching and inspiring "Zen presence" multiply the book's effectiveness 100 fold!

Five stars aren't enough for what this little book has to offer! If you ride a horse, you want to read this book.