Reschooling the Thoroughbred

Rating:
Summary: Beginner Level -- ZERO STARS.
Review: I assumed this book would give me good ideas for exercises, different training techniques, helping to get them bending both directions, bitting, etc. I was sorely mistaken. If you have worked with horses (not just TBs or racers) for even as little as one or two years, then you already know the stuff covered in this book. This book is more for someone who knows nothing about a TB or the racetrack. For example: the chapter on "Teaching the ex-race horse to jump" was 6 pages long, and 3 of those 6 pages discussed how to use cavalletti (plain cavalletti, like how long, how high, how to build them, etc.) and the other 3 pages were on the same beginner level, i.e. don't get in his mouth, and don't be ashamed to use his neck for balance. Now, I don't think anyone has any business trying to train any horse to jump if they don't already know this. Not to mention the fact that the pictures are so dark that you only see black blobs and outlines of the horses. I returned the copy I bought.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, excellent, 5-star rating...buy this book first!
Review: I found the book to be very helpful. Brought up all the little points I wouldn't have considered (but are very logical) such as racehorses are used to having the rider given a leg up so it might react negatively to a usual mount. Forewarned is forearmed! The transition from racing to dressage has so far gone smoothly due in large part to the help I received from this book.

Rating:
Summary: Reschooling the Thoroughbred
Review: I started riding TB's in Virginia as a 16-yr old. When I was 50 I bought my first TB off the track. He was an "old campaigner" with 5 years of racing, a very kind guy, but an extremely challenging project. Despite my obvious experience with riding in general and Thoroughbreds in particular I might have given up on him. I found this book to be very inspirational and helpful. I could better train him knowing how his life as a racehorse had been conducted. 7 years later, he's now a mellow 15-year, restored to soundness and a sense of purpose, happy in his work, large of heart, popular in the barn, and a big puppy dog. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves the breed and wants to give a racehorse a second chance.

Rating:
Summary: Reschooling the Thoroughbred
Review: I started riding TB's in Virginia as a 16-yr old. When I was 50 I bought my first TB off the track. He was an "old campaigner" with 5 years of racing, a very kind guy, but an extremely challenging project. Despite my obvious experience with riding in general and Thoroughbreds in particular I might have given up on him. I found this book to be very inspirational and helpful. I could better train him knowing how his life as a racehorse had been conducted. 7 years later, he's now a mellow 15-year, restored to soundness and a sense of purpose, happy in his work, large of heart, popular in the barn, and a big puppy dog. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves the breed and wants to give a racehorse a second chance.

Rating:
Summary: Nice book but more for inspiration than for a how to book
Review: This was a well-written and interesting book. I enjoyed it for the simple fact that I am an avid lover of the Thoroughbred horse. She gives a lot of racing information as well as facts about various racers which I enjoyed. However, this book is only useful for "training" ideas for the rank beginner. Now I am an amateur. I've had a couple of horses since since I was 17 and am now 25. My exposure has been limited and I own a TB cross that was never raced and raised in a natural envioronment but was very green. All the things she suggests in her book for a smooth transition for exracers I could have figured out just by using my common sense! Pure inspiration and nothing more unless you are TOTALLY new to horses period. For example, she mentions that exracers are used to mild snaffles and should be left in mild bits or hackamores and not severe ones like many amateurs attempt to use for control. Well-that's pretty obvious unless you are cruel or totally ignorant of bits/hackamores!

Rating:
Summary: Nice book but more for inspiration than for a how to book
Review: This was a well-written and interesting book. I enjoyed it for the simple fact that I am an avid lover of the Thoroughbred horse. She gives a lot of racing information as well as facts about various racers which I enjoyed. However, this book is only useful for "training" ideas for the rank beginner. Now I am an amateur. I've had a couple of horses since since I was 17 and am now 25. My exposure has been limited and I own a TB cross that was never raced and raised in a natural envioronment but was very green. All the things she suggests in her book for a smooth transition for exracers I could have figured out just by using my common sense! Pure inspiration and nothing more unless you are TOTALLY new to horses period. For example, she mentions that exracers are used to mild snaffles and should be left in mild bits or hackamores and not severe ones like many amateurs attempt to use for control. Well-that's pretty obvious unless you are cruel or totally ignorant of bits/hackamores!