How Good Riders Get Good: Daily Choices That Lead to Success

ISBN: 1570764379

Author: Emerson, Denny

Condition: new

Exploring the many facets of the practice of riding horses, this guide focuses on the physical, financial, and emotional goals that a person must aspire to in order to excel at the sport. Personal drive, life circumstances, support networks, knowledge, physical skill, character traits, and the horse are some of the factors that can contribute to a riders success-this guide examines these elements and offers insights on improving those skills that can be honed and accept those that cannot. Featuring personal anecdotes and interviews with 25 top competitive riders in the United States, this examination of what it takes to be a great rider gives readers concrete ideas and plans for achieving personal riding goals. This book is exactly what you need to become a better rider. Its a smart, honest, on-target kick-in-the-pants, guaranteed to rev your engines as you see how a few changes in your life, a few smart choices and strategic moves, can transform you from a run-of-the-mill rider into a GOOD one.How does Denny Emerson know what makes a good rider? For one thing, he IS onehe is the only rider in the world to have won both a gold medal in international eventing and a Tevis Cup buckle in endurance. Plus, hes been around great riders, and taught those on their way to becoming great, for over 40 years.How will what Denny knows help YOU become a good rider? Its simple, really. Hes boiled the whole thing down into seven broad Areas of Choice that collectively determine whether you are a gonnabeyoure going to get it doneor whether youll be stuck in the wannabe category for decades.Youll examine how your choice of riding sport may or may not be the best for who you are and where you live, and how those frustrating hurdles known as life circumstances dont necessarily hold you back like you think they do. Plus, find out how to build a strong support team by winning people to your cause and choosing the right teachers and mentors.Analyze your physical self (your body, how it is formed and how you care for it) and your intellectual self (your horse smarts and how you are adding to them?or not) and apply the results to your gonnabe-good equation. Learn to take a good hard look at your partneryour horseand think critically about his ability to help you attain your riding goals. In addition, discover the nine key character traits of successful riders and how you can learn to call each one of them your own.Along the way youll read the stories of 23 of the worlds top riders from different disciplines and sportsincluding dressage, reining, driving, show jumping, endurance, hunter/jumper, and eventingand how they got good despite the same kinds of challenges and setbacks you face in your own day-to-day riding. Youll get an inside look at their path to success, as well as their very best tips for how to make it in the horse industry.