| Part 1 | Why Horseback Ride? | 1 |
| 1 | Horseback Riding Is Fun | 3 |
| Why Ride a Horse? | 4 |
| Indoors, Outdoors, Anywhere | 5 |
| This Time, It's Personal | 6 |
| Do You Have What It Takes? | 6 |
| Don't Just Sit There--Do Something! | 7 |
| 2 | Horseback Riding Is for Everyone | 9 |
| Young Riders | 10 |
| Older Riders | 10 |
| No Excuses | 10 |
| Using Your Sports Skills | 11 |
| Using Your Life Skills | 12 |
| Using Your Language Skills | 12 |
| Just Do It! | 13 |
| 3 | Horseback Riding as Sport and Competition | 15 |
| How About a Little Competition | 15 |
| Investigate Your Options | 16 |
| Sedentary Spectating | 18 |
| It's an Event, a Driving Competition, and an Aerobic Workout! | 19 |
| Where Are the Shows? | 20 |
| Part 2 | Getting Started | 23 |
| 4 | Finding a Stable and a Style | 25 |
| Lesson Stables | 25 |
| Boarding Stables | 26 |
| Training Stables | 26 |
| Props Matter, Too | 26 |
| Do It with Style | 27 |
| English Riding | 27 |
| You Better Shop Around | 30 |
| The Balanced Seat | 31 |
| 5 | From Lessons to Leasing | 33 |
| A Good Lesson: More Than Just Riding | 34 |
| The Eyes Have It | 36 |
| Instructor Certification | 38 |
| The Option to Lease a Horse | 39 |
| The Fine Print: The Lease Contract | 40 |
| 6 | A Horse of Your Own | 43 |
| Colors and Markings | 44 |
| Stars and Stripes Forever | 46 |
| Conformation | 47 |
| Bodies in Motion: Gaits and Movement | 49 |
| Horses for Courses | 51 |
| What's a Type? | 56 |
| 7 | Practical Horse-Shopping | 57 |
| Evaluating an Equine Prospect | 57 |
| This Wasn't in the Brochure! | 62 |
| Worth Another Look | 62 |
| Fees and Services: Your Instructor | 63 |
| The Veterinary Prepurchase Exam | 63 |
| Make up Your Mind! | 65 |
| 8 | HorseKeeping Realities | 67 |
| The Cost of Accessorizing Your Horse | 67 |
| Horse-Keeping Costs Explained | 68 |
| Horse-Expense Worksheet | 69 |
| Time Is Money | 71 |
| Feathering Your Nest | 72 |
| Don't Put the Saddle Before the Horse | 73 |
| Red Tape: Health Papers and Boarding Contracts | 74 |
| The Terms of Your Lease: Your Boarding Contract | 74 |
| How to Groom a Horse | 75 |
| Good Horse Keeping | 76 |
| Baby Needs Shoes ... or Maybe Not | 79 |
| 9 | Sports Equipment: Saddles and Tack | 83 |
| Saddles and Stirrups | 84 |
| Bridles and Bits | 87 |
| Part 3 | Basic Riding Skills | 93 |
| 10 | Ready ... Set ... Ride | 95 |
| Fit to Ride | 96 |
| Get Ready to Ride | 97 |
| Mount Up and Work Out | 97 |
| Assume the Position | 97 |
| In the Saddle | 98 |
| Away from the Barn | 101 |
| 11 | Walk This Way | 103 |
| What the Horse Does | 104 |
| What You'll Do | 104 |
| Things to Do at the Walk | 105 |
| 12 | Time to Trot | 107 |
| What You'll Do | 107 |
| A Posting Tutorial | 108 |
| 13 | Time to Canter | 115 |
| What the Horse Does | 116 |
| What You'll Do | 116 |
| The Canter Depart | 117 |
| Different Types of Canters | 118 |
| Part 4 | Types of Riding | 119 |
| 14 | Riding Western Style | 121 |
| Showmanship | 122 |
| Barrel Racing | 122 |
| Reining | 123 |
| Cutting | 124 |
| Reined Cow Horse | 124 |
| Team Roping | 125 |
| Team Penning | 125 |
| Trail Riding | 125 |
| Basic Western Tack and Equipment | 126 |
| Your Western-Riding Duds | 128 |
| Ready to Ride? | 128 |
| Basic Western-Riding Skills | 130 |
| Your Western Horse: Gaits and Movement | 132 |
| Stop | 134 |
| Start | 134 |
| Turn | 134 |
| Exercises | 134 |
| 15 | Riding English Style | 137 |
| Hunter Showing | 137 |
| Show Jumping | 138 |
| Dressage | 139 |
| Eventing | 139 |
| Recreational Riding | 142 |
| Understanding English Tack | 142 |
| Your English-Riding Duds | 143 |
| Basic English-Riding Skills | 145 |
| Your Horse: Gaits and Movement | 146 |
| Stop, Start, and Turn | 148 |
| Exercises and More Exercises | 149 |
| 16 | Jumping for Joy | 151 |
| Rider Position | 152 |
| Fun with Grid Work | 153 |
| Jumping Courses | 156 |
| 17 | Happy Trails to You | 159 |
| Plan Your Trail Ride | 160 |
| Dressing for the Great Outdoors | 160 |
| Don't Leave Home Without It | 160 |
| Watch the Weather | 161 |
| File a Flight Plan | 161 |
| Trail-Riding Etiquette | 161 |
| Training on the Trail | 164 |
| 18 | Going the Distance | 167 |
| Competitive Trail Riding | 167 |
| Endurance Riding | 168 |
| Ride 'n' Tie | 171 |
| Mounted Orienteering | 171 |
| Mounted Patrol and Mounted Search and Rescue | 172 |
| 19 | Foxhunting or Fox Chasing? | 175 |
| What Is Foxhunting? | 175 |
| History and Tradition | 177 |
| Cubbing | 177 |
| It's Not a Drag | 177 |
| Who's Who | 178 |
| How to Get Started | 179 |
| Getting Off to a Slow Start | 182 |
| 20 | Polo and Polocrosse | 183 |
| Are Polo Ponies Really Ponies? | 183 |
| The Game of Polo | 184 |
| Polo-Match Traditions | 186 |
| Polocrosse Anyone? | 187 |
| Part 5 | Horses, Horse-Sense, and You | 189 |
| 21 | Know Your Partner | 191 |
| Horse-Handling Skills | 192 |
| The Horse's Report Card | 195 |
| Go Right to the Source and Ask the Horse | 200 |
| Socially Speaking | 201 |
| 22 | Physical Fitness for Better Riding | 205 |
| Physical Benefits | 205 |
| What Can You Do? | 206 |
| Where Are You Now? | 207 |
| Injuries Happen | 209 |
| Slow and Steady Wins | 210 |
| 23 | Mental Fitness for Better Performance | 211 |
| Thinking About Riding | 211 |
| Setting Goals and Tracking Progress | 214 |
| Write It All Down! | 214 |
| Your Horse's Mental Fitness | 215 |
| 24 | Learning to Learn--to Ride | 217 |
| Learning 101 | 217 |
| The Fear Factor | 218 |
| The Older Beginner | 220 |
| Your Family: Sabotage or Support? | 224 |
| Part 6 | Dressing for Success and Upgrading | 227 |
| 25 | Proper Riding Clothes | 229 |
| Hats and Heads | 229 |
| Boot Camp | 231 |
| Riding Duds | 234 |
| Show-Ring Attire: Dress to Impress | 235 |
| 26 | Seasonal Sports Clothing | 239 |
| Summer Riding Clothes | 239 |
| Spring and Fall Riding Clothes | 241 |
| Winter Riding Clothes | 241 |
| 27 | Upgrading Your Horse | 245 |
| Starting Over | 245 |
| Horse Shopping, Again | 246 |
| Breeds and Registries | 246 |
| Crossbreds | 258 |
| Types and Brand Names: Warmbloods | 258 |
| 28 | Upgrading Your Instruction | 261 |
| Starting Again with the Same Instructor | 261 |
| Taking It to a Higher Level | 263 |
| What's a Clinic, Anyway? | 263 |
| Finding a New Instructor | 267 |
| 29 | Getting Competitive | 271 |
| Hunter Competition | 272 |
| Jumpers Competition | 272 |
| Western Competition | 273 |
| Equitation Competition | 273 |
| Dressage Competition | 273 |
| Eventing Competition | 274 |
| Know Before You Show | 275 |
| Show-Prep Countdown | 277 |
| At the Show | 278 |
| Your Show Checklist | 279 |
| Part 7 | More Horse Activities | 283 |
| 30 | Holidays in the Saddle | 285 |
| Go West, Young Rider! | 285 |
| Equestrian Vacations Abroad | 287 |
| Vacation Preparation | 288 |
| Vacation Time! | 290 |
| 31 | Going to Riding Camp | 291 |
| Summer Camps for Kids | 291 |
| Horse Camps | 292 |
| 32 | More Fun with Horses | 295 |
| Horse Fairs | 295 |
| Western Events | 297 |
| Rodeos | 298 |
| Equine Museums | 298 |
| Farm Tours | 300 |
| Appendixes | |
| A | Glossary of Horse Talk | 301 |
| B | Resources | 313 |
| C | Where to Shop | 325 |
| Index | 329 |
