July
The Elements of Dressage- A Guide for Training the Young Horse
Kurd Albrecht Von Ziegner
Young horse or not, this is simply one of the best books ever written on the subject of Dressage. A perfect introduction for the novice, a refreshing reminder for the experienced or professional. I have given this book as a gift to dozens of my students.
Von Ziegner's qualifications are numerous, to include training as an officer in the cavalry school in Hannover, Germany; winner of the German Rider Cross in Gold, and operator of and internationally renowned riding school in Mechtersen, Germany.
If you are at all familiar with the German Training Scale, you will feel at home; however Von Ziegner mixes it up a bit. Placing relaxation as the first element on the scale, ahead of rhythm (regularity) and freedom (forward), he comments that "the relaxed horse is confident and able to learn"; that rhythm (regularity) "cannot be expected unless the horse is moving in a relaxed way"; and "freedom of the gaits should not be asked at the expense of regularity." Makes sense to me.
What also makes sense is his candid and down to earth delivery of the material. Even if you are riding training level, you will not be lost. And if you are riding FEI successfully, there are still little golden nuggets to be found in this book.
JW
August
Visions of Dressage
Elizabeth Furth
In honor of the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing (actually, the Equestrian events will be in Hong Kong), I decided to lighten up a bit on theory and focus on the artistic aspect of Dressage.
Visions of Dressage is truly a collector's item for the Dressage enthusiast. Covering the classical schools of France, Portugal and Austria as well as competitive riders of modern day, you will not find yourself at a loss for something beautiful to look at in this book.
Published in 1998, it features a multitude of breathtaking photos of the internationally competitive riders and their mounts of that era. Many of these riders are still often seen, though on new partners. The commentary offers little tidbits that would otherwise go unknown to us, and really gives us a sense of the partnership between the riders and their mounts.
Elizabeth didn't leave the judges out, and also includes many celebratory photos of winning teams from international competions in the 1990's.
Enjoy!
JW