55 Corrective Exercises for Horses: Resolving Postural Problems, Improving Movement Patterns, and Preventing Injury - Hardcover

Ballou, Jec Aristotle

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1570768676 ISBN 13: 9781570768675

Publisher: Trafalgar Square Books, 2018

Synopsis

Over time, horses (like people) acquire postural habits, compensate for soreness and injury, and develop poor movement patterns. This limits performance ability, causes unsoundness and health issues, and ultimately undermines the horse's overall well–being.

Jec Aristotle Ballou has made a name for herself advocating for the horse and providing sensible instruction in his schooling, conditioning, and care. Her bestselling books and popular clinics are designed to enable any horse person to correctly apply proven principles that bring measurable progress while avoiding boredom and confusion. In her latest collection of mounted and unmounted corrective exercises, Ballou demonstrates how we can actively work to improve the horse's posture and movement, whether he is an active performance or pleasure mount, an aging or older horse that benefits from gentle exercise, or one being rehabilitated following injury, illness, or lack of conditioning. Ballou's positive cross–training techniques are free of shortcuts, and her guidelines for analyzing the horse's posture and way of going help readers gain a new awareness of the equine body. Applicable for all disciplines, this is an integral collection that optimizes how the horse uses his body and helps ensure he stays sounder and healthier for more years of his life.

About this title

About the Author

Jec Aristotle Ballou has spent her life studying classical dressage, including 10 intensive training residencies in Portugal, two in Holland, and one in Germany with the late Egon von Neindorff. Most recently, she spent time in Melbourne, Australia, with Manolo Mendez, original head rider of the Royal School of Equestrian Arts in Spain. She has trained and competed through the FEI levels in dressage but has also competed in long distance trail riding, Ride & Tie, breed shows, and almost everything in between. Ballou won three consecutive East Coast championships in distance riding, becoming the youngest rider in history to win the prestigious Vermont 100–Mile Competition. A proponent of interdisciplinary study, she serves as an advisor to the Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA). Ballou is a tireless advocate for the horse, committed to promoting understanding that proper biomechanical movement and athleticism can never happen as a result of shortcuts, force, or hurried training methods. Through her clinics, articles, and bestselling books—including 101 Dressage Exercises for the Horse and Rider and Equine Fitness—Ballou aims to meet what she sees as an enormous need within the equine industry for simple, clear, and practical information (www.jecballou.com).

Review

“Overall a very informative book that will be well received by those that seek to improve their knowledge of the movement and posture of the horse and wish to learn how to improve his wellbeing with simple exercises that can be done easily everyday. Recommended reading for riders of all levels.” Catskill Horse Magazine

“Jec Aristotle Ballou is back at it again with another informative, picture-filled book with the primary focus of optimizing horse movement. From everyday tips to breakdowns of elaborate exercises with bars, Ballou sets you up with tactics to try in the saddle and on the ground for peak performances.” Horse Journals

“55 Corrective Exercises for Horses is easy to follow and beautifully laid out, with well explained exercises, tips and loads of photographs. The ringed binding makes it easy to use and reference. This book would be an asset for any horse person who wants to understand how to help their horse optimize the way he uses his body for a longer life of soundness and health. And with this in your library, you will never run out of things to do with your horse, no matter what your end goal is.” Horse Journals

“Ballou breaks the 55 exercises down into easily-digestible steps, organized by type of work (corrective, postural, bodywork for bad habits, groundwork and daily exercises) . 55 Corrective Exercises For Horses can help put more tools at the rider's disposal to keep our horses performing their best.” HorseNation.com

“Easy-to-follow great get-out-of-the-arena work.” USDF Connection

Edition details

• Publisher: Trafalgar Square Books
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1570768676
• ISBN 13: 9781570768675
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 184