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California Riding Magazine • August, 2009 Views & Reviews by Nan Meek |
Dressage riders are familiar with the concepts of collection and extension: A collected trot, for example, maintains the same tempo as an extended trot, but the individual steps are shorter and higher and cover less ground, while in the extended trot, the horse covers more ground with steps that are longer and lower. Dressage being the nit-picky sport (or art) that it is, there’s a lot more to it than that, but we’ll save further detail for the authors featured in this column. When it comes to dressage books, there’s been a huge transition from collection to extension. Dressage books used to cover a relatively smaller amount of ground than they do today. Now you can read about the German school versus the French, classical versus competitive dressage, even cowboy dressage, and chances are, your favorite big-name trainer has a book in print, as well. Admirers of Isabell Werth, Herr Egon von Neindorff, Kyra Kyrklund, and Dominique Barbier will have great beach reading this summer … or any down-time moments between horse shows and clinics.
For the “how-to” fans, Dressage School: A Sourcebook of Movements and Tips Demonstrated by Olympian Isabell Werth, written by Britta Schoffmann, takes the mystery out of more than 100 dressage movements, with clear explanations and photographs. Even better, the author and Isabell relate the movements to the training pyramid in a way that gives the reader one “aha” moment after another.
I’m not the only dressage rider who has eagerly awaited The Art of Classical Horsemanship, by Egon von Neindorff. Famous during his lifetime for what many regard as one of the last bastions of classical dressage – the Reitinstitut von Neindorff in Karlsruhe, Germany – and perhaps even more revered after his death, Herr von Neindorff left his collected writings to his heir and longtime rider, Melissa Simms, who has translated them into English. Now the rest of us are privileged to share in a rare look at the philosophy, knowledge, and techniques of this classical master.
When Kyra Kyrklund’s first edition of Dressage with Kyra: The Kyra Kyrklund Training Method was published some years back, it took dressage readers by storm. Now the revised second edition is even better than the original, with three new chapters (one on her famous horses) along with many new photos. The first edition made such an impact that one of my friends named her daughter Kyra. I wonder what kind of impact the second edition will produce. Dominique Barbier’s third edition of Dressage for the New Age is in color, in paperback, and incredibly beautiful as well as enlightening. Written with Mary Daniels and originally released in 1990, his philosophy and instruction are as relevant today, or maybe even more relevant. In his introduction, Dominique writes, “Horses teach us how to ask without aggression, how to love without condition, and how to avoid the destructive side of perfection.” Dominique teaches readers how to establish that deep communication with their horses.
Walter Zettl, author of The Circle of Trust: Reflections on the Essence of Horses and Horsemanship, has followed his previous wildly popular book, Dressage in Harmony, with one that should easily become just as popular. As an author, his profound love of horses shines from each page. As an instructor, he brings authority to his message of the need for care in all facets of the horse’s life, not just riding.
I couldn’t leave out one of my favorite dressage books, as relevant today as when it was published several years ago. Riding Through: An Olympic Medalist’s Lessons on Life and Dressage, by Debbie McDonald, combines her personal story with that of Brentina, and addresses “riding through” in the context of “throughness” as well as the larger meaning of overcoming obstacles. “We all have to learn about riding through,” she writes, “because that’s the only way we will arrive at our destination, whatever that may be.” As always, I wish you happy reading and happy riding!
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