Thinking about writing a book...

P

Partoow

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 January 2007
Messages
1,157
Visit site
Just a thought, and as it has been mensioned in my dim and distant past, about writing a book on ... well what i do ... teach, train call it what you will.
Now what i would be interested to know is, especially those whom i have given help in the past , is; Was the info helpfull? What sort of things would you like to see? And how would you like it putting? I.e i have always written on a personal level trying to make he reader feel that what they are reading is specific to them...does this work or not?
Sorry for all the questions but i am seriously thinking about it.
Also not trying to be self indulgent here!!!
 
I think its an excellent idea..... when reading books on training I like to see case studies (not that I am volunteering for this by the way!)

I also like to know a bit about the person, so you can get a feel for what they are like in real life (you see not taxing the lorry gives the benefit of not having to come down just yet!!!
grin.gif
)

I hope you do follow this through, as I will be interested to see the end result!
 
Brill idea IMO - you say it as you see it. If you want a case study I could do the walk work
tongue.gif


I would like to see a book that really takes the myth out of lateral work. When you read a lot of books they presume the rider reading knows the aids and refinement of them - ie they will say "if you have too much neck bend in your leg yield then you need to support more with your hand and leg" - what they don't explain is exactly WHAT you should be doing and what you should not be doing. Does that make sense...am tired!
 
I'll second that.... there never seems to be explannations of the aids for movements.... Good tip Weezy!

Partoow I'd more than happily be a case study with the heading "how to get more than 50% from your talented horse - solution, be totured by trainer"
 
Weezy that makes sense to me and it's something I'd like to see. From reading your explanations Partoow, I'm sure this is something that you do so I think writing a book is a good idea!!
 
Also seat aids, weight aids and overall refinement - I know that some people have written books along these lines but they are great tomes of preaching which means the reader loses the will to live
grin.gif
 
A book Madmare has lent me covers just this, explains what you should be doing ie what aids, where to put yourself etc.
Find it a great help. For years ppl assumed I knew what a half halt was! and it seems after teaching a few ppl that they didnt understand the concept of half halt either!
So in answer to your question, go for it
smile.gif
 
I understand all your points and my aim would be i think , exactly that to remove jargon, strip it down to what the essence is , like 'what the hell is being rounder????? You're on a horse not a ball!! So really trying to give an overall understanding not just good sounding words and phrases.
Explain what these movements that we find in dressage tests, esp the lateral ones are really about. most people see them as an end but they are actually a means to an end, usually in developing greater engagement and lightness especially in the shoulders , i would like to explain how.....
 
Absolutey a market for it - I think BBs used a good word *assume* - a lot of trainers assume that the riders know stuff, a lot of riders assume they know what they are doing - so a good *take a look at yourself and what you are doing* book, without sounding all preachy and condescending, would be perfect and a seller IMHO.
 
Yep I agree.... I cant even explain what I do when asking for a movement! people in the past have asked how do you do that.... I dunno,,,, I just do.... so breaking things down for people, I think would be an excellent idea, along with the sense of humour factor like being rounder "You're not riding a ball" type of thing!
 
Absolutely a market for it, I look forward to your posts and always read your explanations which are thoroughly enlightening. As BBs said a lot of trainers assume you know how to do things which 90% of the time isn't the case. Taking the mystery out of movements etc would be fantastic imho.
 
I think it's a brilliant idea too.
laugh.gif
Don't think I can be much help concerning what to put in it but your way of explaining things and your teaching is so effective that it would be a great idea and seller! Also your sympathetic (it's not the right word but it's the sort of feeling I mean) way with horses is inspiring and if you can capture it on paper it would be a sure winner.
If you want a non-flashy (no offence to flashy horse owners
smile.gif
) pony/horse for a case study you're welcome to Mr Darcy (we had a lesson with you at Llwyncwn's at worked on getting a 'jelly trot')
smile.gif
 
Cool ! Really passionate about this and there is a saying that Assume makes an ass from u and me!!
I never do that and this is so much something i have begun to see in every pupil i take on what exactly does or is something.
I like many of you have been able to get the horses i ride to do what i want but it has taken 20+ years to be able to explain it all by breaking it down and the making it accessable to the pupil.
Commonsense schooling and flatwork..... a title maybe???
 
I think such a book would be very useful.

The book I lent BBs is called "Dressage in Harmony" by Walter Zettl, who is an old fashioned German (or maybe Austrian.....) trainer based in Canada. It is currently the only book I have ever come across which actually explains how, why, and when aids are to be applied, from the simplest movements right up to GP. I have found this book invaluable, both for riding and teaching.

I would definitely be in the market for the kind of elucidation that partoow is talking about. The major things that Herr Zettl's book lacks are good photography to illustrate his points, and a discussion of what to do when things don't work the way they should. Also some discussion on test riding would be welcome. A clear description of the training scale, and why it is used as the foundation of dressage judging and riding would be useful to a great many readers as well.
 
Commonsense and Flatwork, great title. I'd definately read it if it explained things in laymans terms. Really struggle to understand things if it gets too technical. Instructor is always told to treat me like an idiot or small child when explaining things. Help with riding tests would be also be great but not sure if this is possible in words of one syllable.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think such a book would be very useful.

The book I lent BBs is called "Dressage in Harmony" by Walter Zettl, who is an old fashioned German (or maybe Austrian.....) trainer based in Canada. It is currently the only book I have ever come across which actually explains how, why, and when aids are to be applied, from the simplest movements right up to GP. I have found this book invaluable, both for riding and teaching.

I would definitely be in the market for the kind of elucidation that partoow is talking about. The major things that Herr Zettl's book lacks are good photography to illustrate his points, and a discussion of what to do when things don't work the way they should. Also some discussion on test riding would be welcome. A clear description of the training scale, and why it is used as the foundation of dressage judging and riding would be useful to a great many readers as well.

[/ QUOTE ]
Is it the one he has written in conjuction with some others or the one written solely by him 'Dressur in Harmonie' just out of interest?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Explain what these movements that we find in dressage tests, esp the lateral ones are really about. most people see them as an end but they are actually a means to an end, usually in developing greater engagement and lightness especially in the shoulders , i would like to explain how.....

[/ QUOTE ]

That sounds like it will make a really good book, and from what I've read on here from you you'll manage it
smile.gif


My RI was trying to teach me, and my shire x how to ride shoulder in to lighten her shoulders and forehand, and we tried it the technical way... and got nowhere. The breakthrough came when she said "it's just going on an angle up the arena, stop thinking so much about which leg goes where and when" and bingo, we got some decent strides
laugh.gif
 
My trainer keeps toying with the idea of writing a book but has come to the conclusion that it's very hard to do and get proper credit for what you write.
It's possible to not be a particularly good trainer but write quite a popular book and vice versa.
It seems that dressage books now have to be very confrontational and have punchy titles to attract interest and by doing that, you're limiting the market hugely.

Eg- Tug of War is quite popular but really has a very limited market- there's certainly an aspect of preaching to the already converted!! Phillipe Karl's book is the same (Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage) it's a great book but probably mostly read by his inner circles.

My trainer is therefore maybe going to go down the website route, just to be a little bit different!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Just a thought, and as it has been mensioned in my dim and distant past, about writing a book on ... well what i do ... teach, train call it what you will.
Now what i would be interested to know is, especially those whom i have given help in the past , is; Was the info helpfull? What sort of things would you like to see? And how would you like it putting? I.e i have always written on a personal level trying to make he reader feel that what they are reading is specific to them...does this work or not?
Sorry for all the questions but i am seriously thinking about it.
Also not trying to be self indulgent here!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Can I reserve a copy??
laugh.gif
 
I would love it if you wrote a book!
I've read, re-read (and read again!) almost every piece of advice that you have ever posted on here, the way you write about how things should feel really gets through to me.
The amount of times when I'm riding that I find myself muttering about sliding my shoulder blades down my back, having heavy elbows and helium balloons in each hand is just ridiculous!
blush.gif


So yes, the info you have posted has been very helpful (even if it was directly aimed at me!) and I sort of think you should just keep on doing what you're doing. Case studies are always fab and I personally would like to see more 'normal' horses and riders used for case studies/photographs... as although the warmbloods and serious dressage riders are utterly gorgeous and impressive they can be a bit intimidating when you are trying to compare yourself as a mere mortal to them, it seems like a complete uphill struggle
frown.gif
 
Yes, it's a good idea, but... eek, don't want to make myself unpopular here, is it actually possible to learn timing and feel from a book? god knows i tried, and i tried lots of different trainers too, and luckily i EVENTUALLY found one with the absolute thorough knowledge and grounding and patience (which i'm sure, from comments on here by those you've taught, you have too) to teach/show me HOW and WHEN to do things, and to tell me, again and again and again, without getting bored or impatient, when it was right and when it wasn't. i really really don't know if that is possible in a book, because obv you can't have the book in one hands and the reins in another!
i think that until you make the connections yourself, you need that totally educated and patient person on the ground to tell you when it doesn't look how it feels, and, in the early stages, to say "yes, that's it, just there, did you feel it?" and if you say "no", not to get annoyed (as some trainers do!) and to patiently tell you again how to get it right, and repeat the praise when it is right, until you can put the right feeling together in your head.
well, i hope that makes sense!
i agree that most dressage books assume that the rider knows HOW to do things, and don't bother explaining a lot of essential stuff.
frown.gif
 
I'd buy it as well. I find your posts on here very well-explained, partoow, and often I try out the things you suggest on my horse (or sometimes just on my chair at work) and have a little epiphany moment , going "Oh THAT'S what she means !".

I think being able to explain things clearly and in non-technical language is a really skill, and something which few people have. I find Mary Wanless is good at doing it, probably because she often departs from conventionally horsy terms and gets right down to descriptions of what each muscle should be doing and how the body should feel. I know her style and approach doesn't necessarily work for everyone, but it is clear and explicit.
 
I've always wondered why there isn't something like Harry Boldt's book in English. The one chapter translated is fantastically useful but breathtaking expensive and I think something similar but expanded and not £200 might be a bestseller! The use of diagrams and pictures really takes the mystification out of movements and requirements without giving too much information.

I'm in the process of trying to hammer something out myself and have thought of something similar but it's not really my area of expertise/interest. It sounds much more like what you do. I certainly buy a clear, uncomplicated guide-type book for reference combined with real life experience.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Yes, it's a good idea, but... eek, don't want to make myself unpopular here, is it actually possible to learn timing and feel from a book?

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree Kerilli, thats why something a bit more interactive such as a website is better for 'distance learning' as users can explain their specific problems, post photos and videos and get individual tailored feedback.
It is therefore more accessible for most people and you can pitch to all levels more easily.

I do think good books still have their place but it is so hard to cater for an appropriate range of standards
 
I would just like to add - of course I agree with what has been written above re trainers assuming knowledge etc but I think, if someone wants to search, they will find a few great books on what and how to do things. What in my opinion is missing is a good book on how to TEACH how to ride. Most books, including BHS instructors manuals are, hmm...IMO not exactly useful.
A good equestrian coaching manual is what I would personally love to read and see on the market! One that maybe finally manages to drum into riders and instructors that technique and style are not fancy elements of dressage but an intrinsic part of equestrian education of any rider (riding school rider as well!!).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top