Dressage by the Letter: A Guide for the Novice

by Moira C. Harris

Book Overview

The word dressage means training in French. Training makes a horse more balanced, supple, and responsive to his rider. But dressage is also a sport in which the accomplishments of the horse-and-rider... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0876057261
• ISBN13: 9780876057261
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Howell Books
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A Good Intro and Starting Out Book!

This book is meant to introduce average everyday riders to the dressage world away from the "dressage queen" influence. The decriptions are clear and I feel Moira has demystified the basic idea of dressage from being a snooty sport to a good idea on how to get started in the dressage world as an average joe with a regular horse. The idea is that dressage training can benefit every horse and rider. The book shows how anyone from any of the riding disciplines can access dressage to either change training, cross train or enhance what they already do. I started dressage to help my horse focus in hunters, and ended up hooked. I wish the book had been around at the time, because I would of avoided some mistakes in my first shows with dress and procedures!It works- I am a bit biased, as my horse Red is on page 60- an arabian that switched from hunters to be a rather decent dressage horse. He won the class that we exited out of in the picture!Most of the people in the book are everyday people like me, on regular horses, enjoying a sport that only improves your horse's mind and training abilities. I highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to check dressage out and try a few tests!

Recommended by a Dressage Trainer

All of my beginning dressage students have this book on their shelves as part of my required reading. I chose it because it is a good basic overall for the novice rider. Moira Harris explains everything you need to know in an easy to understand manner. Many dressage books are too much for a beginner and may in fact frustrate instead of educate. DRESSAGE BY THE LETTERS is the perfect way to get your feet wet. But understand that is not intended to help you learn to train your horse, it is intended to help you start out in the sport of Dressage.