Cutting

Rating:
Summary: IF YOU'RE INTO CUTTING, THIS IS A MUST HAVE!!!
Review: This is a great book; well written and lots of photographs so you can see what he's talking about. So many of the horse training books are so phony - all in "horse talk" and you don't really understand what they mean. Not this book - it's easy to understand even for a beginner or a spectator.

Rating:
Summary: First-rate book by a first-rate horseman
Review: Written by a two-time winner of the National Cutting Horse Association's Futurity and member of the NCHA Hall of Fame, Leon Harrell's folksy and illuminating cutting horse text is an excellent introduction to this sport. Harrell addresses the basic concerns of the novice cutter (and those who are wondering whether this is the sport for them at all) in understandable and clear terms. He offers tips on everything from selection of tack to finding the right horse, provides detailed descriptions of his training methods, and details the rules of cutting competition. Harrell's anecdotes provide effective illustrations of his training techniques and also let the novice know what to expect in competition. He is generous with advice to the newcomer and also with praise to those who have helped him become the NCHA Hall of Famer he now is.

One of the most attractive features of this well-organized, beautifully-illustrated, clearly-written text is simply the feel of the book. Harrell writes about his horses like a man who loves them. His training methods are geared toward getting the most out of a horse, and making the horse enjoy it. He describes cutting as an exciting yet friendly sport, and when he advises the rookie cutter to ask for help from the best riders at a competition, the reader gets the feeling that anyone who asked Harrell for help would get all they needed. He describes his great horses (Smart Date, Nu Bar, Fizzabar, and the rest) with real respect and affection, and when he casually remarks, "I thought the world of [Fizzabar] and the mare thought quite a bit of me" the reader understands why.

Leon Harrell has made a fine career of training horses. He is especially good with the spooky, sensitive ones. After reading this book it is easy to understand why. Leon Harrell is an admirable trainer. He's clearly not too shabby as a man, either. If I am ever in Texas with a young cutting horse, I know who I'll call for advice.