I had a rough last week. Fortunately it wasn't because of horses; they've given me enough gray hairs this winter. On Thursday, a friend tagged me in a Facebook post that pretty much saved the rest of the world from total annihilation as I was very close to going postal - how much crap can one person take?

It's Dwight's face that cracks me up the most. I know that's the look that Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, must have on her face when Izzy starts with his jackassery. I looked at that meme all weekend long, laughing harder each time. It's easy to get a little punchy though when you're on the edge.

Thankfully, while horses can drive us to the brink of insanity, they can also keep us standing squarely on our two feet. My own equine therapists, a Goddess and a Wild Card did their jobs well (sort of) over the weekend, leaving me mostly prepared to tackle Monday. My husband drew a name for last week's book give-away. Congrats to Mag for winning a copy of Is Your Horse a Rockstar.

Mag wrote, "I think mine would be the "mean girl" even though he's a gelding. He has to show everyone that he's in charge - pasture mates, stablehands, etc. I would love a copy to see if that's one of the choices!"

Mag's copy is in the mail, headed her way. And Mag, I'm wondering if your gelding might be The Macho Man, The Boss, or even The Prize Fighter. I hope you'll let me know!

I am sure that all of us think that our own horses are more sensitive (meaning "special") than others, but I am here to tell you that Speedy wins the "snowflake" of the year award. Right now, he is in the midst of tantrum that's been going on for a good month. Which brings me yet again to Dessa Hockley's book, Is your horse a Rockstar? 

If you haven't bought it yet, do it. I promise you won't be disappointed. I don't get anything if you buy the book, but it really is that good. In fact, I love the book so much that I am going to buy a copy for someone who wants one. If you want the book, leave a comment, but make sure to fill in your website or email address so I can get your snail mail address. I'll do a random drawing on Saturday (March 16).

The reason I bring up the book is that Speedy is having a pretty rough winter. He's abscessed several times, been diagnosed with Cushing's Disease, and torn open both front legs. All of that means he isn't getting very much positive attention. To him, it feels as though all I do is poke him in sore places or jam weird tasting stuff in his mouth. 

"Speedy is what Dessa Hockley refers to as The Goddess (Submissive, Energetic, Curious, Friendly). If he were a bit more dominate, he would be a Rock Star, and frankly, there are days when he does fall into that category. For The Goddess, the relationship is everything. Right now, Speedy's a bit pissed at me because he's not getting the saddle time he thinks he deserves. The ear pinning and tail swishing are dead give-aways that he's feeling slighted.

Speedy's mission in life is to be adored by me, and anyone else in his vicinity is welcome to jump on that band wagon as well. It doesn't matter what we do; he's happy to please as long as accolades and adoration are his reward. Cookies and candies are also expected. As The Goddess, he is, after all, a divinity."

I wrote that in January of 2017 - probably in the midst of some other injury. It is just as true today as it was two years ago. Speedy is so unhappy right now. Everything in his life sucks a big fat lemon. He now has to take a Prascend pill every morning which he hates. He hasn't been turned out in at least a month because I don't want him to re-injure his front legs or cause some new injury. And the worst thing to him is that he's no longer in regular work. I rode him last weekend, but then it rained all week, so I didn't get to ride again until this weekend.

While Speedy was happy to be out and being ridden, he was so resentful that everything I asked of him turned into a chore. Bandaging his legs caused drama. He didn't want to be bridled. He refused his peppermint candies. I was frustrated, and he was frustrated.

It's going to take some time to rebuild our relationship, and I have a feeling that I am going to be doing a lot of butt kissing over the next few weeks. And if Speedy has anything to say about it, there had better be some better treats involved.

Like I said, he's a Goddess. And a big fat "snowflake!"

Speaking of books ...

How could that blurb not suck you right in?!?! Many thanks to Cheryl for recommending this book to me. I haven't read anything this unique and heart pounding in a long time.

Because I liked Deerskin so much (a book I read over the summer), both Cheryl and Amanda recommended another title by Robin McKinley, The Hero and the Crown. They were right, it was also a great read. While it's not about horses, they do play an integral part to the story. And besides that, the horses are so well written about that they become characters just as important as the "hero." 

The Scorpio Races is done very similarly. Again, the story isn't about the horses, but they are characters just as lifelike as Sean and Puck are. I did have a few issues with the story as I read, but they resolved themselves by the end. Even now, a week after finishing it, I still think about Puck and Sean and their horses and wonder what they're doing. 

If you're looking for something well written that features our favorite equine friends, this book won't disappoint.
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Apparently, some of you have a secret connection to some really awesome books. Please share more!

I've already mentioned how much I love to read. A few weeks ago, I shared my summer reading list with you, and I have yet another sensational book to add to it. I'll get to that one in a later post. While I don't spend my evenings poring over horse books, I do occasionally dig one out to reference for specific issues.

Last week, the $900 Facebook pony shared her collection of horse books. I scanned each book cover and was a bit surprised that I have not one of the titles she shared. Weird, huh? Just how many different horse books can there be?

So, here's what I keep at home (I have a mound of others at school, but they're mostly kids' fiction).

This first pile includes all of my vet books.The one in the top right hand corner first belonged to my stepmother before she handed it over to me in the mid-1980s. It was published in 1973. It's astonishing that I've owned it for at least 30 years.

The next stack contains all of my dressage books. The Practical Dressage Manual by Bengt Ljungquist is my favorite for being the most reader friendly, but The Complete Training of Horse and Rider is my sentimental favorite. If I remember correctly, it was a Christmas gift when I was 15. It was only just a handful of years ago that I even knew who Alois Podhajsky was. I've owned that book for more than 30 years as well.

Next comes my collection of memoirs and biographies. Two in the top row were written by endurance riders, one of whom I was very lucky to meet in person, the legendary Julie Suhr. Google her. You won't be disappointed. She rode in the 2016 Rose Parade at 91 years of age. The lady has kicked some serious butt in her lifetime. 

This next pile is an assortment of random books, several of which get regular use. Not the endurance book, obviously, but back in the day, it was one of the few endurance books out there. I've written plenty of posts about the bit books and the rock star book, so you know those get read regularly.

And finally, there are my "I love horses" books. That pony book has also been with me for 30 years. I am pretty sure it came from a friend of my step mom's. My copy is an American edition publish in 1982, but it was first published in 1979 in Great Britain. The others are your run of the mill coffee table books, but I enjoy having them. 

I would dig seeing what you have in your library, so if you do an equestrian book collection blog post, come back and let me know!

In honor of my first official day back to work, I'd like to share my summer reading list. Each May, I encourage (beg) my students to read at least a few minutes each day of their summer vacation. Some read like crazy; they'll be on my Battle of the Books team, but most don't. 

As an educator, I find that it's important to keep on learning myself. I wrote a digital textbook last year that addressed the newly adopted Next Generation Science Standards. That took months of research. I also read all year long and share what I am reading with my students. They're always surprised that I read for fun. This summer, I read 16 books in 10 weeks.

I've been hooked on early to mid-twentieth century fare, which is not my typical area of interest. I am an eclectic reader for sure, but this recent change in taste is ... interesting. I tried to read a lighter piece in between the heavier ones because some were just meatyier and harder to digest.

With that, here's my summer reading list, in no particular order.

I keep at least 5 - 10 books ready to go in my Kindle. Between a few random titles I have waiting and the Dr. Thorndyke collection (22 novels and 32 short stories), I should have plenty to read during the school year. Of course, now that school has started, I'll be reading pages a day instead of chapters. 
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Have you read anything good lately?

Izzy woke up on the wrong side of the bed on Saturday morning. He stood politely for grooming and tacking up, but the instant I sat on him, he turned into a ball of tension and worry. For just a fraction of a moment, I thought about sighing in frustration, but then I grabbed his tension by the hand and said let's work it out together, brother.

I am pretty sure the tension was caused by our Friday afternoon happy hour. Instead of riding on Friday, I decided to take both boys up to the arena to just graze and hang out. Speedy appreciates those breaks in his routine. It would seem that Izzy does not. I followed Speedy around as he grazed while I turned Izzy out in the arena to follow us or play if he preferred.

Once Izzy made it to the far end where the evil corner lurks, his body grew rock hard with tension. I let him stand there looking in hopes that he would take a breath on his own and walk away, but then Speedy joined him in the staring which only validated Izzy's fear that a monster was somewhere at that end of the property.

For the record, there's nothing there. Behind the trees are a couple of horses in a large field. Apparently, horses in a field are terrifying to well, horses in a field.

In any case, on Saturday, Izzy completely forgot how totally awesome he has been for the past two months. To his credit though, even though he was quite worried, he kept it together with only one felonious moment. Instead of walking for 10 minutes and then picking up a trot, we walked for nearly 20. The trot work wasn't great and neither was the canter, but he listened without any bolting or serious jackassery.

That evening, US Equestrian emailed me a useful video by Laura Graves about riding spooky horses. Laura Graves is my current idol and role model. Whenever I get frustrated, I bring that team to mind and am always encouraged. She and Verdades just took second place at the 2017 FEI World Cup in Omaha this past weekend with an 85.307% in the Grand Prix Freestyle. Her finish, the piaffe into a passage into an extended trot gave me goosebumps.

Anyway, here's a link to the spooking video if you're interested in checking it out. Essentially, Graves explains that spooky horses need confidence. The one thing in particular that resonated with me is how she really rewards bravery. When we reward their bravery, we help them build confidence. 

I also pulled out my copy of Is Your Horse a Rockstar? and reread Izzy's personality type, the Wild Card. Graves's advice tied in perfectly with what Dessa Hockley says about the Wild Card, "Once they feel safe in their world, they will love to show off and be on center stage ..." Hockley also talks about how difficult the DEAF (dominant/energetic/afraid/friendly) horse can be to ride when you are dealing with a dominant side that is also afraid.

By rewarding and praising Izzy's bravery, I am acknowledging his dominance while honoring his friendly, all things Hockley says are key to being successful with the Wild Card. On Sunday, Izzy was much more relaxed in general, but I decided to make the corner of death our lesson for the day. We've done this lesson a few times over the past few months.

We started out by just walking past the corner. Each time he passed by, I praised him for being brave which is very different from being "good."  We then moved on to trotting and ultimately cantering. He was quite willing to work for with me which was a major improvement over three months ago. 

In less than 20 minutes, he was cantering past the scary corner without throwing his body around in an effort to escape. I really think he knew he was being rewarded for his effort rather than the quality of his dressage work. He looked so proud of himself!

My toolbox is getting fuller week by week thanks to Chemaine Hurtado, and now, I can add yet another tool courtesy of Laura Graves, rewarding bravery. If Graves can get her Wild Card to the top of the dressage world, I am pretty sure I can get Izzy to at least First Level, maybe even Second!

In December, I did a review of the Mylers' book, A Whole Bit Better. Mine is an updated and revised fourth edition, copyrighted 2004. It's a great book but has since been revised again. In 2010, the book was republished under a new name, The Level Best for Your Horse. I just got my hands on a second edition, published in 2016.

It's no secret that I am a Myler bit fan. It's not that they're necessarily the best bit brand around, but they are nicely designed and constructed. I also appreciate the many options that the Mylers build into their bits. You can get the same mouth piece with different cheek pieces for example.

I wasn't sure that this re-written version would offer much more than was in the copy I already had, but some of their newer mouth pieces weren't in my book, and I wanted to read about them. With a purchase price of $13.95, less if you use a Riding Warehouse coupon, it was worth the risk. 

I am glad I bought it. One of the things I most respect about the Myler brothers is their ongoing effort to learn more about horses and how they work. Since writing their first book, the Myler philosophy about tongue relief has evolved. They've always been huge proponents of tongue relief for horses, but now they've gone on to say that, interfering with a horse's ability to swallow impedes his overall balance and motion. Tongue relief remains the underlying principle of the Myler Bitting System. It's about understanding your horse's personality so you can give him as much tongue relief as he can handle. 

They go on to explain that when they first assigned levels to their bits, they focused on a horse's training and his abilities. Could he do this or could he do that? Now, they've expanded their philosophy to focus less on the horse's ability and more on the horse's disposition. ​In the preface, the Mylers say A horse's disposition is perhaps the most important consideration in bit selection. ​I love this way of thinking.

The book has a number of chapters meant to be read: "Bitting for Communication," "The Anatomy of Bitting," and "Basic Bit Knowledge" for example. The true value of the book though lies in its encyclopedic structure. Interspersed amongst the more "wordy" chapters are those that have detailed descriptions paired with illustrations explaining how each mouth piece and cheek piece work: does it apply tongue pressure, how much? Does it rotate onto the tongue or not? Does it collapse on the bars and tongue, and if so, to what degree?

Reading through the book prompted me to stop and reconsider what I am using on Speedy and why (a boucher with a French link mouth piece). I have some more thinking to do for sure.

As I continue to search for the best bitting situation for Izzy, I read what the Mylers now have to say about this particular correction bit: If the horse is relaxed, the tongue can pass comfortably under the wider opening. The pronounced corners of the port apply two points of pressure on the tongue for increased control. The result is a mouthpiece that offers maximum tongue relief for the horse, but very good control for the rider.

​That is exactly what I need for Izzy. But.

The correction bit isn't legal for dressage, mainly because of the curb action created by the Kimberwick cheek pieces. So even though Izzy is going super well in this bit, and even though the Mylers have designed this bit for long term use (unlike their other correctional bits), Izzy needs to eventually transition to the show legal bit.

So back to the book I went. There are four basic levels in the Myler Bitting System that recognize stages of learning balanced with a horse's disposition: Levels 1, 2, 2-3, and 3. Izzy, for example, should probably go in a Level 1 bit (most of the snaffles), but with his disposition, he needs a Level 3 bit that gives him the greatest amount of tongue relief.

The Mylers are now recognizing this need and are finding ways to guide riders in selecting a bit and cheek pieces that take into account a horse's disposition. I bought another bit - a Kimberwick MB 33, to help him transition to the legal Level 3 bit even though he might not be the trustworthy, finished horse that typically goes in that level of bit.

This bit, also a Level 3, should be the perfect transitional bit for Izzy. The mouth piece is nearly identical to the legal bit. The port is only slightly higher at 1½" and only slightly narrower which still gives him ample tongue relief. But unlike the loose rings of the show legal version, this bit has Kimberwick cheeks which will give me some mild leverage as Izzy's still learning to behave himself. Right now, I still need that control.

I think most riders would benefit from having this book on their shelf. It's a great resource to turn to as your horse becomes more finished and his bitting needs change. I also think more of us should have a better understanding of what our bits are doing in our horses' mouths. I know that I rode with a much different frame of mind over the weekend after having read this book. Knowing how to use my bit to give Izzy the tongue relief he needs will certainly make me a better rider.

I can use all the help I can get. Let me know what you think.

I've written about Dessa Hockley's book, Is Your Horse a Rock Star?, so many times now that the book should have its own category on my Topic bar. Seriously. But honeslty, the book is that good. The paperback sells on Amazon for $14.99, and no, I don't get a cut (although I should!).

When I last talked about the book, it was in reference to my big brown horse, Izzy. I still feel the same way. He is definitely the Wild Card - Dominate, Energetic, Afraid, and Friendly. Unfortunately for me, it's a bit of a lethal combination, but a continued desire to understand what motivates him is what brought me back to the book again.

It's not that I am trying something new every other day with him, but I am always searching for ways to better understand him. He's been a tough nut to crack. Most of my other horses have been less dominate than he is which makes it easier to get them on my side.

My favorite horse of all time, Montoya DSA, was The Macho Man (Dominate, Energetic, Curious, and Aloof). I absolutely adored her because her confidence was so freaking high. If you could hang on, she would get you through a race. She could read the trail ribbons better than most riders, and if she saw a hill, all she could think was bring it on! She ate up the endurance trail like it was candy. Figuring out what motivated her was easy: she just wanted to be pointed at a trail, any trail, and then be left to do her job.

Speedy is The Goddess (Submissive, Energetic, Curious, Friendly). If he was a bit more dominate, he would be a Rock Star, and frankly, there are days when he does fall into that category. For The Goddess, the relationship is everything. Right now, Speedy's a bit pissed at me because he's not getting the saddle time he thinks he deserves. The ear pinning and tail swishing are dead give-aways that he's feeling slighted.

Speedy's mission in life is to be adored by me, and anyone else in his vicinity is welcome to jump on that band wagon as well. It doesn't matter what we do; he's happy to please as long as accolades and adoration are his reward. Cookies and candies are also expected. As The Goddess, he is, after all, a divinity.

There have been many other horses too, just check out My Horses in the menu above, but none have been quite so hard to figure out as Izzy. All of my previous horses (except for Sydney) have been pretty confident. While Mickey was pretty fearful of people, the second my butt hit his back, he gave all power to me and trusted me with his life. He was an amazing horse under saddle and used my confidence as his own.

I re-read parts of Hockley's book over the weekend for a bit more insight into Izzy's personality. One thing that she stresses repeatedly if you have a Wild Card is that you remain the boss, especially on the ground. This is a constant battle with Izzy.

He has always been a bit of a playful nipper, but lately, his nips have become more aggressive. He's not being mean, just VERY playful and intent on trying to one-up me. The other day, he got me in the shoulder hard enough to leave a temporary mark. Because I was standing on a fence rail, I wasn't able to smack him as soundly as I wanted to, but I made my point. He cantered off with his feelings hurt.

Over the past week, I've been vigilant to the extreme in letting him know that he is not permitted to put his mouth on me. Dang, but the booger is persistent. I'm more stubborn than he is though, and he is starting to develop a conscience.

Hockley's book has once again given me food for thought. My horse isn't broken or damaged in any way. He just has a personality type that isn't as easy as say The Goddess or The People Pleaser. The Wild Card is motivated by a need to be bossy (she calls it his big D), but with the fear gene running through him, he lacks the confidence to back up his bravado. That's okay. I have enough confidence for the both of us, and I am not afraid to use it. 

Izzy might be a bit of a Wild Card, but as they say, if you learn to play your cards right ...

If you like bits, you should probably pick up a copy of the Myler brothers' book about bits. The book has been updated since I bought mine; it's now called The Level Best for Your Horse. It's on sale for $11.16.

My version of the book is quite small, pocket-sized really, but the pages are packed with great information about how bits work, how to know if a bit is not working, and what all of the different mouth and cheek pieces are designed to do. It's written in simple terms without being too technical. Even if you're not a Myler bit enthusiast, the book is a great resource about bits in general.

The last 100 pages of the book make up the appendix. Each page shows a mouthpiece with an explanation as to the function of that bit and then how it might be used.

Included in the appendix is a section on cheek pieces and their function. In English disciplines, it's common to simply use the cheekpiece most generally seen in your sport. Many of my bits have Kimberwick cheek pieces because that's what endurance riders used when I was competing. I don't have any Dee rings because they're typically seen in the hunter ring.

The book explains the purpose of various cheek pieces including the loose ring, the eggbutt, the dee ring, the full cheek, and all of the western shanks.

After researching the various mouth and cheek pieces, I decided (with the help of my trainer, Chemaine Hurtado) on the loose ring low wide ported barrel bit. The loose rings will allow me to be super subtle when Izzy is willing. The low and wide port is dressage legal while also offering Izzy the maximum amount of tongue relief.

The Myler philsophy centers around keeping horses comfortable and relaxed. "When the horse is resisting the current bit, it is too much bit for him and he can't relax." When izzy decides to be naughty, the ported barrel won't allow me any control which is why I am going to stick with the correction bit for a while. When he's behaving, we'll switch to the ported barrel. Hopefully he'll develop some confidence and decide that it's easier working with me rather than against me.

Check out the book. For the price, it's a super handy resource that offers easy to undestand explanations about a piece of tack that we riders don't always think about.

I blogged about this book two years ago. You really should go back and read that post before continuing with this one. I'll wait for you ...

Were you able to figure out who your horse is? Back then, I wasn't quite sure who Speedy was. His sassiness led me to believe that he might be a Rock Star, but all doubt has since been removed. Speedy is the Goddess with strong leanings toward the Rock Star.

I had forgotten about the book, but working with Izzy so closely over the past few months got me thinking about it again. I know why Speedy does the things he does, but I found myself asking my trainer why Izzy does this or that. That was when I remembered that Dessa Hockley, author of Is Your Horse A Rock Star? tries to answer those very questions.

I spent quite a bit of time over the past week reading through the book again trying to determine which personality type most closely matches my big brown horse. The author suggests first determining whether your horse is lazy (L) or energetic (E). That's easy; Izzy is an E for sure. One look at all of the toys he's destroyed leaves no doubt.

He's also friendly (F) rather than aloof (A), but now that I've re-read the book, I can see how that can be tricky to choose. Speedy is friendly for sure, but with Izzy, I had to really think about it. Does he like me just because I dole out treats, or does he really want to hang out even if nothing is forthcoming?

As soon as I pull into the barn's drive-way, Speedy calls for me and waits at the fence. Izzy does the same thing even if he's not quite as vocal about it. He loves to come out and play with me and relishes being groomed. He loves to nip at my sleeve and lip my hair. He watches me work and loves to "help" clean stalls. He's one of those that is always in your space. So even though his brand of friendly isn't quite as sweet as Speedy's, I feel comfortable labeling him as Friendly (F). 

Is Izzy curious (C) or afraid (A)? I think that right now he has more A running through him than C, but I am pretty certain that as he gains life experience his A will become a strong C. In his stall, where he feels comfortable, he's all about curiosity. When I introduce a new toy, he doesn't hesitate; he can't wait to explore it.

Outside of his stall is a different story. When we go somewhere new, which is not as frequently as I'd like, he definitely clings to me and worries. He loses all of his confidence when he doesn't know where he is. The thing that leads me to believe this lack of confidence will change is that once we've been somewhere before, he's less nervous about it on our second visit. For now, he gets the Afraid (A) label.

The last thing to determine is whether your horse is dominant (D) or submissive (S). Izzy is hands down dominant. He takes great joy in muscling me around and like Hockley says, "You may see it as just friendly until they push it to the next stage, and you move back and give ground in some way and they smugly say, 'Gotcha.' " Yup. That's Izzy. 

So. What personality type does Izzy have? He's DEAF - Dominant, Energetic, Afraid, Friendly - otherwise known as The Wild Card. Hockley says that "DEAF" fits them perfectly as it can be difficult for the rider to be heard over their fear.

Here's what Hockley has to say about the Wild Card ...

As I read through the pages describing the Wild card, I found myself nodding over and over again. I find that I can never lose my temper with Izzy, and strangely enough, I don't ever feel the need. His shenanigans are clearly his way of voicing his opinion and more often than not, those opinions come from his fear and insecurity. How can you get mad at that?

During my lessons with Chemaine, she has stressed that I be methodical and firm. THIS is the way we are going to do it, and that's that. Hockley echoes that same idea when she says, "This IS the way we are doing it."

Hockley also stresses that groundwork is an excellent way to establish boundaries with the Wild Card. I have found this to be very true with Izzy. When he starts to get a bit too pushy, I pull out a dressage whip and my 12 foot lead rope and get to work. Within a session or two, he once again respects my space.

I've also found that he really enjoys being lunged in the sliding side reins. He finds it very safe and relaxing. He seems happy to circle me all day long at whatever gait I've asked for. In her book, Hockley confirms my experience by stating, "Ground driving or long lining is also an excellent exercise to establish dominance ... He learns that you are there for him and can help keep him safe."

Knowing that there are reasons for Izzy's rebellious moments makes it much easier to avoid triggering them and easier to deal with them when they happen. Since re-reading Hockley's book, I've been much more vocal in my praise, especially while lunging. I can practically see his (not-so-little) chest swell with pride when he knows he's doing it right. 

I've also been more careful about acknowledging his dominant side. He doesn't like to be nit-picked or over-loaded. He likes to be good at what he's doing and nothing will trigger a temper tantrum faster than pushing him past his comfort level. While I can't let him decide what we're doing, I've been focusing on keeping firm boundaries so that he knows what is expected. It's his choice to play along. I think he appreciates a sense of control.

Hockley provides a list of DOs and DON'Ts for each personality type. Even before reading her book, I found the things on the list to be true for Izzy:

Do
Protect them - every day.
Repeat lessons often - good thing he doesn't get bored because we do a LOT of repeating!
Be their boss - I do tend to be an in-charge kind of person.
Honor their energy - perfect for me because I have a ton of energy too!
Keep a steady training program - I am not a once-a-week rider so permission to ride a LOT is great!

Don’t
Overload them - recipe for a temper tantrum.
Skip steps in training - not a chance.
Show weakness or fear - not my style.
Have huge expectations - I do for the future, but I'm pretty patient.
Jump into new territory - not interested in jumping, and I've already moved on from endurance. I think it's safe to say that I'm sticking with dressage for a while.

I've said this already: if you haven't bought this book. Get it. It's totally worth the $15.