$15.95

 

Beyond the Mirrors remains a best seller since it became available in 1988.
"Wonderful new approach to helping people again appreciate the many human benefits that are part of an involvement with animals, especially the horse, and in how many ways that involvement can and does enrich our lives."
Bruce Davidson
In 1988 when he endorsed BTM, he was two-time World Champion & Olympic Team gold medalist. Currently he has more international titles to his name and continues to coach and train Three-Day event riders.

"This book should be helpful to many people, not just 'horse' people. In so many ways it points out different ways to approach life and its many small problems. With this approach, if we can get both horse and rider thinking the same way--each understanding the other--we would have a nearly unbeatable pair."
Bud Gochenauer
A western trainer and AHSA recognized Western Performance and Equitation judge.

"Beyond the Mirrors should have universal appeal. Anyone involved with horses should be sure to read it in order to better understand the relationship between himself and his horse."
Dur Thackeray
The late Col. Thackeray was an FEI International Dressage judge and recognized AHSA Jumper judge. 
 

$19.95

 

"In Search of Your Image will help riders acquire a better understanding of themselves, their horse, and the wonderful and unique communication that can exist between them. Inspiring reading for anyone who truly loves horses."
Phyllis Dawson
USA Olympic team rider and Three-Day Eventing trainer and coach.

"In Search of Your Image confirms my belief that you must first capture a horse's mind if you expect to capture the rest of his body. Set goals for yourself and your horse but remember, never fight him. If you do your I.Q becomes lower than that of your horse: and if you pick a fight, you'll lose, because you're fighting out of your weight division."
Jimmy Williams
The late Jimmy Williams was a trainer and instructor of Western, dressage, harness horses and jumpers. He is the winner of the 1960 AHSA Horseman of the Year, 1987 CPHA Horseman of the Year, and in 1989 was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, and was the 1989 recipient of the "Jimmy A. Williams Lifetime Achievement Award" presented by the AHSA and in 1993 was inducted into the Reined Cow Horse Hall of Fame.

 

$12.95

 

$38.50

 

First Review: "Jill K. Hassler-Scoop and Kathy Kelly are listed as the two authors on the front cover, but in reality there are nine other authors who lend their insights to The Riding Experience & Beyond. This collaboration has produced a journey of self-discovery.

Readers develop a deeper understanding of themselves as rider and of their horses. This awareness leads to "feeling," and that creates better riders. Hassler-Scoop and company walk readers down the path to better riding with a kind and easy hand.

The book's layout makes it easy to digest. The paragraphs are broken up with lists, illustrations, notes to the reader, quotations, and charts. The authors also use "Tales from the Trip," short stories about riders to help explain concepts discussed in previous pages.

The riding techniques described are classic, but it isn't just a book instructing readers where to put their hands, legs and seat. It delves into the mind and forces you to ask questions such as:

• Are you stuck in a rut and don't know why?
• Do you know why you ride, and are you doing what you want to do?
• Can you evaluate the current program you're in and decide if it is 'right' for you?

By answering the questions, you're able to define yourself and your relationship with horses, allowing you to discover what kind of rider or competitor you are. The authors also encourage "integration" or acquiring knowledge from a number of sources (traditional and non-traditional) to further your riding.

In the later chapters, the authors define elusive terms that may baffle some beginners. But those definitions and descriptions are helpful for instructors looking for a way to explain terms such as flexion, bending, looseness, rhythm or independent seat to their students. What makes this book stand out is its comprehensive coverage of the complete riding experience, for both riders and instructors."
Michelle Gstattenbauer - The Chronicle of the Horse Nov.'02

$38.50

 

“I was a bit suspicious when this book landed on my desk. Could $35 for this paperback be a good investment? Let me state unequivocally YES! Although the book is geared for the English riding instructor, all instructors will benefit from the advice contained in this nifty volume. If you are a riding instructor, this is one book you must absolutely have to read and read again. Between the charts, boxes and ‘Instructor's Reminder’ sections, this volume is a must-have for anyone in the business. Authors Hassler-Scoop and Kelly obviously know the territory they cover, and their enthusiasm for the topics shines through."
—–Horseman’s Yankee Pedlar review … Sept 2002

"A dream of many in the USA (both within therapeutic riding and without) is to one day have a universal "method" for producing both accomplished riders and expert instructors. This book is one step along this path, and provides food for thought and useful tools for all types of instructors. One of the authors, Jill Hassler-Scoop, has worked in therapeutic riding for more than 20 years. While writing for the instructor of able-bodied students, a great deal of the material in this book can be integrated into the teaching of riders with disabilities as well.

The first part of the book reviews the fundamental qualities of good instruction and the challenges faced by instructors. The authors write about ethical issues for instructors, burn-out (how to recognize and deal with it), using counseling skills for problem students, and tapping into your student's motivation. Other chapters are written for new instructors: getting started and basics of teaching. Other useful subjects covered are lesson structure and developing your eye. The section ends with "the instructor's toolbox" which includes simplicity of approach, flexibility, consistency and confidence, among other qualities.

The second part of Equestrian Education introduces "An American System of Learning." This system follows the general outline of the system used in Germany. The authors "hope to provide riders and instructors with a teaching framework that supports the wonderful variety of talents, skills, interest and horses that characterize the equestrian sport in the United States today."

The emphasis is on developing a secure and independent seat in riders from the first moment they mount a horse. The ideal method would include work on the lunge line for all beginners. However, the authors realize that few of us have access to the "Ideal World" and they also offer "Real World" solutions to reach the same goals. The system is built in five "stages" which are in turn broken down into incremental steps. The lower stages lend themselves very much to all styles of riding, since the emphasis is on self-carriage, harmony of movement between rider and horse, and students' developing awareness of the "important factors that influence themselves and their horses."

All therapeutic riding instructors should study the exercises laid out in the stages one to three, even if they think they will never be teaching able-bodied students to move through the stages. There are explicit directions on how to teach a rider to correctly warm up a horse for a lesson. There are detailed hints on how to influence the rider's position while avoiding stiffness and apprehension. The theme of running thought the whole book is to help students rely less and less on the instructor by learning correct responses to various situations and absorbing the reasons behind the instruction. Food for thought for TR instructors.

One of NARHA's requirements is that certified instructors constantly improve their skills through continuing education. "Equestrian Education" should have a place in the library of any instructor serious about his or her professional development."
Summer 2002 Strides - Octavia Brown

Equestrian Education is a valuable source of information for every instructor who is trying to improve and refresh their skills.
Jimmy Wofford

Equestrian Education offers an organized and comprehensive approach to the development and improvement of the skills needed by riding instructors seeking to maximize their effectiveness with the students and horses they train. Because teaching riders with disabilities presents a variety of unique challenges, therapeutic riding instructors in particular will benefit from the guidance provided by this book.

Many practical strategies are offered in such areas as: problem solving, your students progress during the lesson, understanding the motivation and learning patterns of your students, incorporating flexibility and simplicity into lesson planning, and professional conduct and growth.

Equestrian Education is written in a positive and encouraging style that provides enjoyable reading.
Anthony Busacca

In these days of searching for a uniform system of educating and developing riding instructors, this work created by Jill Hassler-Scoop and Kathy Kelly may well become one of the guiding lights. In a logical and progressive manner it deals with the learning process of both teacher and student from the very beginning to fairly advanced stages. A lot of the content is well known territory for the experienced instructor, but can serve as a refresher course of methodology and the psychology of teaching.

For the person starting out in the riding field, it offers sound and clear advice on foundational teaching skills, as well as Integration of methods and ways to deal with the everyday reality of teaching riding.

There are illustrations in the form of charts, sidebars and plenty of examples from "real life" to make the text come alive and give the reader the impression of being part of the process, rather than just a receiver of information. Perhaps the most attractive feature of this publication is that it assures the eager but sometimes struggling instructor that some of the problems he or she is facing are neither unique, nor impossible to solve.
Anne Gribbons

Equestrian Education uniquely puts together the many elements of teaching that most instructors struggle for years to identify, and then gather that information throughout their careers. Jill and Kathy are offering a clearly organized and comprehensive program that is a great review for experienced instructors and an enormous benefit for those entering the vocation.

As an instructor of more than 25 years I could easily identify my own progress from the “young and eager” to the “older and wiser” stages. Much of the information offered would have helped me progress in a more organized way, and accomplished my goals without so much trial and error.

It is my dire wish to see a core of well trained riding instructors in USA to teach the many who seek honest and correct trainers. This book will help to accomplish this goal.
Cathy Frederickson

More about Equestrian Education-A must for all serious instructors
Recognition of the value of the German System of riding and training combined with the reality of a lack of a system in North America prompted us to develop and write the “Stages of Rider Education.” The value of a system is universally acknowledged, but circumstances can make it very difficult to define and follow a system. The solution proposed in Equestrian Education involves a section for each stage of learning called the “Ideal World” (based on the German System) followed by a section called the “Real World” (based on the challenges faced by North American instructors). Each stage is organized into sections on Goals, Theory, Important Points, the Ideal World, the Real World, and Practical Application; making the information easy to access and use. 286 pages, 53 charts and over 100 illustrations.

 

$45.00

 

"Finally, here is a book so very much needed in our industry today! I have been teaching for the past 35 years, and now I have something that I can refer to when I have a difficult student. I highly recommend this book for the instructor who wants to learn to teach, as well as to improve his/her teaching techniques. You won't want to put his book down. The book offers so many examples to help find a solution to a particular problem and come up with new lesson plans and approaches. I highly recommend this wonderful teaching tool."
Lynn Palm Pittion-Rossillon

"For years I have been frustrated that I had no book to recommend to supplement riding teachers' practical experience. Here is a book to encourage equestrians to think about and analyze what they are doing and to reach out to other areas of life to improve their riding and teaching. If every riding teacher spent time with this manual the quality of instruction in our world would rise dramatically. Likewise, students who read Equestrian Instruction will greatly increase their ability to become the best that they can be."
Lendon Gray

Equestrian Instruction is a wonderfully written book for riding instructors and equestrians of all disciplines and at all levels of riding. No matter what level of riding you've attained, it's important to understand the basics for you and your horse. Understanding your horse both inside and out is fundamental to the success of your riding. This book is a must for anyone who wants to improve both their relationship with their horse and their riding.

In the ongoing learning process we all have with horses and riding, this book will help to teach us how to improve our skills both as riders and as instructors, as well as to keep our horses happier (thus improving our performance). In conclusion, I believe this book would help anyone become a better horseman."
Margie Goldstein Engle

Q: What is the difference between Equestrian Instruction and Equestrian Education?

A: Equestrian Education contains the fundamental teaching tools PLUS the Stages of Rider Education, which serves as a guideline for what to teach.

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