There are five main sections in the book: Gaits; Transitions; Circles; Lateral Work; and Mini-Patterns. Each exercise covers two pages, with an overhead diagram showing the pattern created in the arena, as well as a drawing showing the desired effect in the horse. Each page has a step-by-step description of how to ride the exercise, a list of benefits, cautions to consider while doing it, and occasionally, extra notes. All the illustrations are pen and ink drawings; there are no photographs.

Some of the exercises are a little the same, I will agree with a previous reviewer on that point. But all are worth working on and getting right. The format of the book encourages you to take it to the arena with you, with a spiral binding that allows the pages to lay flat. The only thing I'd like to see is to have the pages all laminated, but that surely would have increased the cost, so I'll live with it the way it is. All in all this book is well worth owning, whether you're an Dressage rider, barrel racer, or simply a riding enthusiast who wants to increase the skill set of themselves and their horse. Don't hesitate to buy it, it's well worth the price.


Western meets English   June 1, 2000
 49 out of 50 found this review helpful

This is a really first class book that any reader should be able to put to good use. There are many books that claim to teach you how to ride better or make your horse go better but few that deliver on their promises. This is a book that delivers.

The real strength of this book lies in its blend of Western and dressage exercises. My horse and I are most familiar with dressage movements, so the Western based exercises had some novelty value for me - and provided a change for my horse. Cherry Hill explains a number of complicated movements in very simple terms and offers excellent advice as to how to get results. Her recipes for teaching the collected walk and achieving flying changes are the best I have read anywhere. Her instructions are simple, direct and work.


Useful   May 21, 2000
 3 out of 9 found this review helpful

I read this book with the hopes of finding some new things to do with my QH mare. the exercises are entertaining, but some of them seem so similar that they shouldn't be considered separate exercises. I wish someone would design an exercise book that could be implemented somewhere besides an arena.


a great book for any level or riding type   December 31, 1999
 9 out of 12 found this review helpful

This book is easy to understand. I ride many types of riding and i felt that it helped me understand my horse better in all areas of riding. This is a book I will use with all my horses I have.