The United States Pony Clubs Manual of Horsemanship: Book 3: Advanced Horsemanship HB - A Levels

by Susan E. Harris

Overview

This new edition includes updated and enhanced information on the most recent topics added to the Pony Club curriculum, including land conservation, horse health and safety, nutrition and veterinary topics, better organization for easy reference, and a full update of critical developments in riding, instruction, and competition.

This manual, the third of the United States Pony Club Manuals of Horsemanship, builds on the fundamentals covered in Basics for Beginners/D Level and Intermediate Horsemanship/C Level. Whether you are a Pony Clubber who has passed the C Level tests, a rider who has mastered the same skills, a riding instructor or a stable manager, this manual will enable you to increase your skills and teach you what you need to know to ride with correct, classical technique in advanced work on the flat, over fences, and in the open; to evaluate and school horses; to teach horsemanship; and to manage a stable efficiently.

Written for the North American horseman, this manual emphasizes sound fundamentals and classical methods based on knowledge of the horse and its systems. Whether you wish to compete in dressage, show jumping, combined training, or other horse sports; to train horses, teach riding, manage a stable, or simply enjoy horses and horsemastership at an advanced level, The United States Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship: Advanced Horsemanship/B, HA, A Levels will give you a clear and understandable guide. The USPC B Level is for active Pony Clubbers or horsepersons who are interested in acquiring further knowledge and proficiency in all phases of riding and horse care. The A, the highest rating, is divided into two parts: the HA, which covers teaching, training, and stable management, and the A, which covers advanced riding and schooling of horses at all levels. Many A Level Pony Clubbers have gone on to qualify for the United States Equestrian Team in various disciplines.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781118133507
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	12/09/2014
Series:	United States Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship , #3
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	648
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

The United States Pony Club is among the largest equestrian organizations in the United States, with thousands of members in clubs and centers across the country. Susan E. Harris is an international clinician, riding instructor, and artist. She has taught all seats and styles of riding and travels worldwide to give riding clinics and instructor-training courses in Centered Riding and Anatomy in Motion. In 2004 she was honored as a Master Instructor by the American Riding Instructor Association.

Read an Excerpt

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PREPARATION FOR ADVANCED RIDING Physical Fitness Advanced riding is physically demanding. You must be strong enough to maintain your position in motion, and your muscles and joints must be supple to absorb shock and follow the horse's movements. You must be able to ride actively for longer periods without tiring, and your muscles must be fit and accustomed to doing their job. Being fit also decreases your chances of injury. Riders need to be especially fit and strong in their core muscles (the deep inner muscles inside the abdomen.) You can strengthen and improve your core muscles through Pilates and similar forms of exercise that specifically work with these muscles. Mental Preparation Some considerations for preparation for advanced riding include: Mental preparation, which can greatly improve your riding and your ability to get the most out of instruction and competition. Important aspects of mental preparation include focus and thinking in positive terms, reminding yourself of what you want to do. It is also important to have a clear intent of what you want the horse to do. Mental rehearsal of your competition rides also prepares your body and mind to repeat movements as you visualize them. Body awareness helps you to feel what you are doing, and release excess muscle tension that keeps you stuck in incorrect habit patterns. This makes it easier to feel your horse's movement and reactions, and to ride with sensitivity, tact, and "feel." Even if you are not aware of how you use your body, your horse is. If you are stiff, crooked, or slightly out of balance, it interferes with his ability to move and carry you well. When a rider becomes aware of his body and improves, his horse often improves dramatically.

Table of Contents

A Note from the United States Pony Clubs, Inc. About the U.S. Pony Clubs, Inc. Notes about the USPC C-3, B, HA, and A Levels Before You Begin PART ONE Riding, Training, and Teaching Dressage and Training Principles Biomechanics: How Horses Move Riding on the Flat Riding over Fences Riding in the Open Longeing Bitting, Tack, and Presentation Teaching Horsemanship PART TWO The Horse Systems of the Horse Conformation, Soundness, and Movement The Foot and Shoeing Conditioning and Exercise Physiology PART THREE Horse Care and Stable Management Feeds and Nutrition Health Care, Diseases, and Veterinary Knowledge Stable Management Bandaging Travel Safety Resources Index