Customer Reviews
Teaching Yourself to Train Your Horse
I bought your book, Teaching Yourself to Train Your Horse, as a result of browsing the internet. Thank you for your fine documentation of the best horsemanship techniques that I have ever read. You are simple and direct, cutting through so much of the bull that's out there to confuse novices who only want to get it right . You are the first trainer-writer to accurately summarize my continuing beliefs about working with horses.. Congratulations.
Vermont
You touch on so many things that need to be learned so well and yet are often overlooked in many equine books. I 've found your ideas on imprinting along my own lines of thinking. Having the foal imprint on you is clearly a great way to start a relationship. Are we ready yet for a relationship with our horses? Not abusive, not submissive, but a partnership? As with all other animals who do not share our use of a spoken language, in order to communicate with our horses we have to understand their behavior. Your book is a giant step in this direction.
West Virginia
Probably one of the most impressive things is how as a scientist you appropriately acknowledge other equine enthusiasts with their ideas and writings. This of course gives you great credibility and gives the reader the sense of wishing to read on, and a belief in you as a truthful horse person
Michigan
I have never quite been able to resolve, to my satisfaction, the similarities and differences between the positive dog training I've been using and the horse training methods I've used. Dialogue between positive trainers working with dogs and trainers working with horses seems almost non-existent. Those promoting clicker training for horses haven't convinced me of it's usefulness beyond the basic ground work and manners. It's frustrating trying to talk cutting through so much of the bull. Your book is simply magnificent. Perhaps the best horse book I have ever read. I've read Henry Wynmalen, Alois Podjhasky, Stephen Budiansky, Sally Swift, ect, and watched my share of John Lyons, but your book is more readable, clear, and insightful than any of the above. I particularly like your self disclosure about mistakes, your insight into horse evolution, and your kindness and respect for the horses.I will want to order more copies for Christmas!
Washington
It is a wonderful book! I was drawn in by the realness of your preface, and I kept reading it sequentially rather than skipping around in the book. The personal tone of your writing really draws me in and keeps me coming back to it. You speak- yep, you write as if you are actually speaking--to us, or to me in this case. I will be greatly enriched by this book, and will let you know of it's migration among those I know who are specifically working with horses. I already have several people I want to give the book to.
New York
Your book Teaching Yourself to Train Your Horse should be required reading. My first reaction was, "Why didn't I think of that?" Your subject matter is great and the pictures illustrate what you are doing. The hardest thing about a How To book is to convince readers that training a horse isn't a series of quick fix moves, and that it takes quiet, patient time. Another is that most amateur horse people know far less than they think they do. They train problems into their horses then try to train the problems out. It's never-ending. Your book's strong factor is that you get into the psychology of how a horse thinks, and this alone is the secret of success.
Texas: a long time rancher and a well known trainer of reining and cutting and other performance horses
I recently spoke to horse trainers about using positive reinforcement as a training method. The positive dog trainers seem to oversimplify horse training and don't seem to understand the subtleties and complexities inherent in riding a horse. The first few chapters of your book have helped me begin to bridge the gap. It's a relief to find information on training principles in a vocabulary that has meaning for me.
California
I finished reading your book, and I really, really liked it for a bunch of reasons. I like the way you explain logically why you are doing something, but keep the whole approach very do-able for the average backyard horse owner, who wants a good pleasant horse to ride. No fancy equipment, jargon, or artificial riding and training styles. I liked the way you explained your mistakes and near disasters while riding and training. I liked the concept of lifetime sacking out, important for dogs but critical for horses. I also liked your honesty about how dangerous horses are, and that there are no bombproof horses except maybe a dead one. I think too many people have Walt Disney images of dogs and horses, which serve neither the person nor the animals. I hope lots of horse people read your book, because they need to!
New York
I purchased your book Teaching Yourself to Train Your Horse last week. I've been scanning it and think it will do me a world of good.
Michigan
Thank you for having written a manual that is so useful to beginning horse trainers like myself!
New York
I think you did an amazing job - tons of pictures and good practical instruction.
Michigan
It is the best of the books on colt starting that I have read.
Alberta Canada
My daughter is delighted with the book I bought from you. She is using it in her training classes as she works with young women aspiring to be riders and trainers.
Minnesota
I am attaching a check for $30 for another copy of Teaching Yourself to Train Your Horse. It is for a friend at the St. Louis Zoo who has horses and will love it. I am reading it as an animal behavior book, but she will read it as a practical handbook.
Missouri