Book Review: Jane Savoie's Dressage 101

 I just finished a great book on dressage, called Jane Savoie's Dressage 101, by Jane Savoie. It was originally published as two editions, but a couple years ago the two books were published into one. It has a lot of information in it that can help jumpers, eventers, and other riders ind addition to dressage riders.

Summary

Amazon

 The book begins by explaining what the purpose of dressage is and how it can benefit your horse. It also talks longeing and the importance of a good seat before teaching two fundamentals of dressage---forward and straight. Next, it covers several other important things: paces, gaits, and rhythm. It teaches how to evaluate the walk, trot, and canter, and also explains the different types of each gait(collected, working, medium, extended). Then it explains contact before teaching about basic flatwork and lateral movement. The book has loads more information in it and is definitely worth checking out. It is organized in several stages broken down into chapters so you can work on thing and later progress to the next one.

Would I Recommend It? 
 I would recommend this book to anyone, even if she doesn't plan on competing in dressage. Dressage 101 contains information on making your horse more in harmony with, and collection, for example, can be helpful for jumpers as well because it gives them more power as they take off. I learned a lot reading it. The author has a clear and interesting way of writing, too. It is a book well worth reading!

The Dressage Chronicles Book Review

 Recently, I read a novel about dressage, called the Dressage Chronicles, written by Karen McGoldrick. It's a great, well-written book, and I would recommend it to any horse lover, even dressage isn't your preferred discipline.

The Dressage Chronicles

 Summary

 The book begins by introducing a college student named Lizzy who is looking for working student job with famous dressage trainer Margot Fanning. She gets hired as a groom, with dressage lessons to boot, and begins her journey in high-level dressage. Throw in a hard to please boss, a cheerful trainer, and hard-working take-charge co-worker, and you get the Dressage Chronicles. Throughout the book, Lizzy and her horse both learn more and more about dressage, and I even learned a little myself.

Why I Like It

 Unlike many other horse novels I have read, this one is very realistic and covers the small parts of horse ownership and showing---grooming, braiding, cleaning tack, putting on polo wraps(however imperfect they were at the beginning), and working hard to take care of horses at shows. I really like how Lizzy comes to Margot as an imperfect rider who had trained her own horse and competed only at the lowest level of dressage. You can really see how she progresses as she experiences life with the pros. 

 All in all, reading the book was an enjoyable, realistic horse experience. Those who show their horses in the arena will probably relate to what happens, and even readers who don't do dressage will understand the hard work of grooming horses. I would recommend this book to all horse lovers looking to read a book about horses that stills covers all the tiny things that only horse owners or those around horses a lot can relate to. Believe me when I say that I would give it a six rating if I could.