101 Arena Exercises: A Ringside Guide for Horse & Rider (Plastic Comb)

by Cherry Hill (Author) "A gait is any of the footfall patterns of a horse, such as a walk, trot, canter, or gallop..." (more)
Key Phrases: head across the long diagonal, lope right lead, working pirouette (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This ringside exercise book is a favorite of riding instructors and enthusiasts. Classic exercises and original patterns and drills are presented in a unique "read-and-ride" format. The book can be hung like a calendar or draped over the rail of the ring for quick and easy reference. Exercises such as working walk, canter, two squares, half halt, and flying changes progress through skill levels for both English and Western riders.

From the Publisher
1996 Colorado Authors' League Top Hand Award for Specialty Writing

First Place in Editorial Excellence in Service to the Reader from American Horse Publications in 1993

1994 Journalism Award from The American Farmers Association

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Product Details

• Plastic Comb: 224 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (January 9, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 088266316X
• ISBN-13: 978-0882663166
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #28,189 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #14 in	Books > Home & Garden > Animal Care & Pets > Horses > Riding
  #18 in	Books > Home & Garden > Animal Care & Pets > Horses > Showing & Training
  #18 in	Books > Sports > Individual Sports > Horses > Equestrian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Western meets English, June 1, 2000

By	Julian P Killingley (Wakefield, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This is a really first class book that any reader should be able to put to good use. There are many books that claim to teach you how to ride better or make your horse go better but few that deliver on their promises. This is a book that delivers.

The real strength of this book lies in its blend of Western and dressage exercises. My horse and I are most familiar with dressage movements, so the Western based exercises had some novelty value for me - and provided a change for my horse. Cherry Hill explains a number of complicated movements in very simple terms and offers excellent advice as to how to get results. Her recipes for teaching the collected walk and achieving flying changes are the best I have read anywhere. Her instructions are simple, direct and work.

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful series of exercises for horse and rider..., March 2, 2001

By	Laura Haggarty (Northern KY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I really like this book, and so does my trainer (in fact, I'm giving it to her for her birthday!) Strictly speaking, it's almost more of a manual than a book. As the title indicates, it contains 101 exercises for you to use in an arena with your horse. All the exercises shown are maneuvers to be done while mounted, none are in-hand work. Most work with either English or Western styles of riding, although some are slanted more one way than another. Dressage enthusiasts will recognize much of the work here, as will some of the Western specialists.

There are five main sections in the book: Gaits; Transitions; Circles; Lateral Work; and Mini-Patterns. Each exercise covers two pages, with an overhead diagram showing the pattern created in the arena, as well as a drawing showing the desired effect in the horse. Each page has a step-by-step description of how to ride the exercise, a list of benefits, cautions to consider while doing it, and occasionally, extra notes. All the illustrations are pen and ink drawings; there are no photographs.

Some of the exercises are a little the same, I will agree with a previous reviewer on that point. But all are worth working on and getting right. The format of the book encourages you to take it to the arena with you, with a spiral binding that allows the pages to lay flat. The only thing I'd like to see is to have the pages all laminated, but that surely would have increased the cost, so I'll live with it the way it is. All in all this book is well worth owning, whether you're an Dressage rider, barrel racer, or simply a riding enthusiast who wants to increase the skill set of themselves and their horse. Don't hesitate to buy it, it's well worth the price.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and Benifitional!, November 2, 1999

By A Customer

I got this book and with in 10 exercises and about a week Te was more supple and moving better. He is even listening better. Get this book! It is well worth it!