For more than 30 years, Lee Ziegler has been one of the foremost advocates of gaited horses in North America and Europe. Through her writing and in her clinics, she has introduced countless riders to the pleasures of riding a horse that is calm, obedient, relaxed, alert, sure-footed, easily maneuvered, and consistent in his gait. Now, in "Easy-Gaited Horses," Ziegler offers a comprehensive guide to riding and training gaited pleasure horses. And unlike the old methods that called for manipulation of a horse's hooves or other gimmicks that could be cruel, Ziegler offers training methods that are gentle, humane, and produce a gaited horse that can be ridden in his gait barefoot, trimmed to his natural angles, with a mild bit, or even without one. Ziegler begins by defining various types of gaits, explaining how they look to an observer and how they feel to the rider. Next, adopting a whole-body approach to training, she reveals the importance of understanding equine anatomy. She then discusses how to introduce the horse to a variety of gaits: the ordinary walk, the flat walk, the fox trot, the running walk, the saddle rack, and the canter. She explains how to ride a multi-gaited horse, how to handle gait problems, and even how to retrain an easy-gaited show horse for pleasure riding. Ziegler also discusses how to train gaited foals and colts and explains what preparation is necessary before taking the young horse on his first ride. As riders grow older, comfort on horseback becomes more of an issue. That's where easy-gaited horses step in. Their unique, smooth gaits allow riders to enjoy time in the saddle with minimal physical exertion.
For more than 30 years, Lee Ziegler has been one of the foremost advocates of gaited horses in North America and Europe. Through her writing and in her clinics, she has introduced countless riders to the pleasures of riding a horse that is calm, obedient, relaxed, alert, sure-footed, easily maneuvered, and consistent in his gait. Now, in "Easy-Gaited Horses," Ziegler offers a comprehensive guide to riding and training gaited pleasure horses. And unlike the old methods that called for manipulation of a horse's hooves or other gimmicks that could be cruel, Ziegler offers training methods that are gentle, humane, and produce a gaited horse that can be ridden in his gait barefoot, trimmed to his natural angles, with a mild bit, or even without one. Ziegler begins by defining various types of gaits, explaining how they look to an observer and how they feel to the rider. Next, adopting a whole-body approach to training, she reveals the importance of understanding equine anatomy. She then discusses how to introduce the horse to a variety of gaits: the ordinary walk, the flat walk, the fox trot, the running walk, the saddle rack, and the canter. She explains how to ride a multi-gaited horse, how to handle gait problems, and even how to retrain an easy-gaited show horse for pleasure riding. Ziegler also discusses how to train gaited foals and colts and explains what preparation is necessary before taking the young horse on his first ride. As riders grow older, comfort on horseback becomes more of an issue. That's where easy-gaited horses step in. Their unique, smooth gaits allow riders to enjoy time in the saddle with minimal physical exertion.
Enjoy a comfortable long-distance ride on a well-trained gaited horse and you'll be surprised at how easygoing these handsome animals can be. But unique challenges can arise when horse owners more familiar with the standard walk, trot, and canter try to train these complex and multigeared horses to gait correctly. Author Lee Ziegler guides riders through the finer points of developing and maintaining these extra gaits, using humane training methods that stress patience and good horsemanship.
“A valuable resource, whether you're an experienced owner or buying your first easy-gaited horse….Ziegler's approach stresses gentle, humane training using the principles of good horsemanship. Trail Rider Magazine Lee presents the what, why, and how of easy gaits….A must-read for those who mistakenly believe gaits are best achieved through pain and force. Natural Horse A thorough, well-written look at training the pleasure horse….Ziegler is a top clinician in Germany and the United States and brings 30 years' experience with gaited breeds to this book. It's a keeper. Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar”
"A valuable resource, whether you're an experienced owner or buying your first easy-gaited horse....Ziegler's approach stresses gentle, humane training using the principles of good horsemanship."
Trail Rider Magazine
"Lee presents the what, why, and how of easy gaits....A must-read for those who mistakenly believe gaits are best achieved through pain and force."
Natural Horse
"A thorough, well-written look at training the pleasure horse....Ziegler is a top clinician in Germany and the United States and brings 30 years' experience with gaited breeds to this book. It's a keeper."
Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar
Lee Ziegler writes on easy-gaited horses for such publications as The Fox Trotter Journal, Horse and Horseman, Walking Way, Gaitway Magazine, The Canadian Walking Horse News, and The Gaited Horse. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Discover the comfort of easy gaits! It's easy to fall in love with gaited horses, says author Lee Ziegler, and not just because they tend to be handsome animals with good dispositions. More important, their special gaits are comfortable to ride over long distances (unlike the jarring trot), making them a trail rider's dream come true. Whether it's the running walk of the Tennessee Walker, the fox trot of the Missouri Fox Trotter, the Rocky Mountain Horse's saddle gait, the Icelandic Horse's tolt, the Paso Fino's largo, or the Peruvian Paso's sobreandando, each easy gait can be smooth and delightful to experience. Riding and training one of these horses, however, may be like changing from a one-gear pedal bicycle to a 20-speed model. Easy-gaited horses are complex, multi-geared individuals and present unique challenges for a horse owner who is more familiar with the simple walk, trot, and canter. Ziegler guides you through the fine points of developing and maintaining these extra gaits, using humane training methods that stress good horsemanship. The book includes: Charts comparing the different gaits Best equipment for easy-gaited horses Ground exercises to develop coordination, flexibility, and trust Solutions to common gait problems Mounted exercises to improve the easy gaits Sample lesson plans
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