Horsemans’ Yankee Pedlar
September, 2004
Awarded 5 Ribbons = Best in Show!
Lessons In Lightness, by Mark Russell and Andrea Steele,
Hardback: 178 pages, Publisher: The Lyons Press, The Globe Pequot Press; 2004; $22.95.
Summary: Useful, clear approach to classical dressage riding and good horse handling and riding.
Best for: English/Western riders to help our horses move with increased lightness, relaxation, precision and happiness.
This book is terrific. It is respectful of both horse and rider, written clearly and thoughtfully with an easy to use layout and beautiful illustrations that support Mr. Russell’s ideas. Photographs and illustrations are clear, succinct and helpful. The anatomical analysis is interesting and useful and does not require a doctorate in veterinary medicine for the reader to quickly make connections between structure and performance. Russell interweaves “natural horsemanship” theories and admonishes against over-reliance on draw reins and spurs.
If you don’t have time to read a book on riding better, but this one – just-the-right-length bullet points and bolded notes alongside the text make key information easy to assimilate for those with little time or a short attention span.
Seventeen chapters highlight: Understanding Lightness, Meet the Horses/How To Use This Book, Teaching Lightness, Working In Hand (The TMJ, Relaxing the Jaw, Lengthening the Horse Down, The Halt, Rein-back, Shoulders-In, Counter Shoulders-In, Half-pass, and Summary of Work-In-Hand), Longing, Body Mechanics of Horse and Rider, Tack and Accessories, Phase I: Beginning the Circle, Phase II: Building a Working Frame, Lateral Work Under Saddle (Shoulders-In, Counter Shoulders- In, Half-pass, Travers, Renvers) and Half-Halt, Rein-Back (Yielding the Chest), Developing the Canter, Cantering the Circle, Developing Collection, Transitions, Phase III: Counter Canter and Flying Changes. Key Terms and Recommended Reading are helpful if thin–a thorough Index would have been welcome, too.
With his graying mustache and aviator glasses, Mark Russell looks like the veterinarian next door. His tone is kind, patient, helpful and clear, always respectful to horse and rider. When Russell introduces the horses used in this book, with various breeds, ages, strengths and weaknesses of each and their background, it is a lovely reminder to the reader to tailor the education of each horse to his or her individual nature.
Lessons in Lightness: The Art of Educating the Horse
By Mark Russell with Andrea W. Steele
ISBN 1-59228-360-8
$22.95 hardcover 6x9 174 pages
Published by The Lyons Press, an imprint of The Globe Pequot Press,
Guilford, CT 06437 Available for purchase at www.GlobePequot.com
1-800-243-0495