New equestrians are handed the keys to a deeper level of communication and harmony with their horses in this great starter guide to dressage. With her lighthearted style, Jane Savoie takes the mystery out of training and shows how dressage techniques can be used to improve every horse's athleticism, performance, and well-being, regardless of the rider's chosen sport. Starting from the building blocks of dressage--forward, straight, rhythm, gait, and contact--this handbook delivers an excellent starting point for neophytes. Simple details for flatwork, explanations of the process of suppling, a sample schooling session, and chapters on troubleshooting pesky problems are all clearly presented for the rider with little or no dressage experience. Hundreds of photos, diagrams, and drawings are also included to enliven the text.

Jane Savoie is the author of many dressage titles, including Cross-Train Your Horse and That Winning Feeling! She was the reserve rider for the bronze medal–winning dressage team in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and has won nine Horse of the Year awards as well as three National Freestyle Championships. She divides her time between Berlin, Vermont, and Wellington, Florida.