A
compatible personality is the most desirable quality in a horse, yet it
is much harder to assess than gait or conformation. All horses have
distinct personality traits that make them more or less suitable for
various riding styles and disciplines. Riders and trainers who
understand how to work with, not against, a horse's temperament will be
rewarded with a happier, more successful human/equine relationship.
Dressage trainer Yvonne Barteau describes the four basic equine
personality types — social, fearful, aloof, and challenging
— and the different clues to identify a horse's primary
personality. Often the dominant personality type is complemented by a
secondary trait, creating, for example, the aloof-challenging or
fearful-social horse. Using clear signals and readily identi-fied
behavior patterns, riders can determine any horse's type and then use
this book's tips and techniques to improve training sessions.
Fun and enlightening as it is to analyze equine characteristics, it's
just as important to understand how the personalities of both the rider
and the trainer affect each horse. Barteau includes a
self–evaluation quiz to help the reader determine what her
own riding and handling preferences are and how she can use that
knowledge to work more effectively with her current horse or to shop
smarter when selecting a new equine partner.
Fascinating case studies, stories, and profiles of famous horses and
their riders offer readers real-life examples of how compatible
personalities work together to achieve great things!
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Ride the Right Horse
Understanding
the Core Equine Personalities & How to Work with Them
by Yvonne Barteau
Storey
Publishing,
2007
Order
a copy.
Reviewed
in
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Book Stall
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