Learning to Ride Horses and Ponies

Children's Literature - Patricia Timbrook

"The rider is going around on the right rein and is on the 'down' beat of the trot. Is she on the correct diagonal?" Or, "Can you tell which of these horses is cantering on the correct lead?" Budd skillfully weaves questions such as these into the text of twenty different topics and helps the reader "saddle up." She gives tips, uses diagrams, how-to lessons, and do's and don'ts to teach the beginner and the more advanced student. As one in a series of three, this oversized 64-page photo-essay stays true to its series title: THE complete guide to horses and ponies.

School Library Journal

Gr 4 Up-Featuring a design reminiscent of teen magazines, this thorough, solid set presents information on double-page spreads with content-rich layouts that include colored boxes, checklists, and liberal use of full-color photographs. The attractively presented material is clearly written and accurate. Breeds is the weakest title as the use of action shots often makes it difficult to see the distinguishing features of the breed under discussion. However, a useful fact file on each type of horse is a plus, as are the discussions of the meaning of hot-, cold-, and warm-blooded breeds. Care is an excellent introduction to the intricacies of keeping an equine friend, covering stabling options, feed and feeding, grooming, shoeing, common ailments, etc. An outstanding overview of the details beginners need to familiarize themselves with, including the basic gear, lessons, and more, is offered in Learning to Ride. Each volume includes a list of books, videos, and Web sites for further information. Although The Random House Book of Horses and Horsemanship (1991) remains the genre's bible, these titles deserve a place on most shelves.-Lisa Falk, Los Angeles Public Library.