Many clinicians offer strong instruction in building a relationship with the horse but too often exclude safety concerns and teaching the skills necessary for safe and fulfilling use in the backcountry. They don't show students how to tie up a horse's foot should you have to restrain him to pull porcupine quills, and they don't teach basic knots and hitches. Enter Dan Aadland, a seasoned equestrian and breeder who shares expertise gained from riding backroads and teaching clinics. Aadland first teaches students to understand the natural impulses of the horse and how to stay safe, a method he calls "survival horsemanship." He then moves on to training both horse and rider in the basics of trail riding, including saddling, mounting with control, trail savvy, types of trails and obstacles, domestic and wild animal encounters, and staying cool in stressful situations. Other helpful topics covered include: Essential neck rein skills Elementary packing A mule primer Safe trailering Low-impact trail riding And much more! With Train Your Horse for the Backcountry, riders will be ready for safe backcountry exploring in no time.

Go Horse Camping is an essential resource for riders who want to go on overnight trips with their horses. Whether you're trail riding, endurance riding, or going to a horse show, this book has all the information you need, and takes the confusion and stress out of planning a trip. It provides a step-by-step approach to determining potential destinations and travelling partners, as well as the skills and gear you'll need to embark on your adventure. Checklists covering everything from emergency equipment to clothing, horse gear, trailers, and accommodations will assist you in organizing every detail. And dozens of hilarious illustrations will keep you laughing while you plan and pack. Go Horse Camping is a must-have for anyone wanting to enjoy the incredible connection that comes from camping with their horse. So don't wait--grab the book and go horse camping!

A revised edition of the inspiring bestseller, now in paperback with new good rider profiles! This book is exactly what you need to become a better rider. It's 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 one—he 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, he's 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? He's boiled the whole thing down into seven broad "Areas of Choice" that determine whether you are a "gonnabe" or whether you'll be stuck in the "wannabe" category for decades. Examine how your choice of riding sport may or may not be the best for who you are and where you live. Find out how those frustrating hurdles known as "life circumstances" don't necessarily hold you back like you think they do. Learn 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 "gonna-be-good" equation. Take a good hard look at your partner—your horse—and think critically about his ability to help you attain your riding goals. 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 you'll read the stories of 23 of the world's top riders from different disciplines and sports—including dressage, reining, driving, show jumping, endurance, hunter/jumper, and eventing—and how they "got good" despite the same kinds of challenges and setbacks you face in your own day-to-day riding. You'll 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.

Horses, Hitches and Rocky Trails is often referred to as the packer's bible. Written in the language of the West, it is a complete and often humorous presentation of the method of packing horses into the wilderness. Amplified by the brilliant drawings of artist Joe Back, the book is for both the amateur and professional packer.

The ABC's of Trail Riding and Horse Camping goes beyond the scope of traditional horse-riding books, revealing hundreds of field-tested tips to improve your next outdoor adventure. With clear descriptions organized alphabetically for quick reference, this guide by veteran trail riding and camping clinician, Robert Eversole divulges the best-kept secrets of the experts.

A highly illustrated guide to simple yet effective methods for keeping horses sound, healthy, and performing their best. Over time, horses (like people) acquire postural habits, compensate for soreness and injury, and develop poor movement patterns. This limits performance ability, causes unsoundness and health issues, and ultimately undermines the horse's overall well–being. Jec Aristotle Ballou has made a name for herself advocating for the horse and providing sensible instruction in his schooling, conditioning, and care. Her bestselling books and popular clinics are designed to enable any horse person to correctly apply proven principles that bring measurable progress while avoiding boredom and confusion. In her latest collection of mounted and unmounted corrective exercises, Ballou demonstrates how we can actively work to improve the horse's posture and movement, whether he is: An active performance or pleasure mount. An aging or older horse that benefits from gentle exercise. A horse being rehabilitated following injury, illness, or lack of conditioning. Ballou's positive cross–training techniques are free of shortcuts, and her guidelines for analyzing the horse's posture and way of going help readers gain a new awareness of the equine body. Applicable for all disciplines and full of quality color photographs to explain the exercises, this is an integral collection that optimizes how the horse uses his body and helps ensure he stays sounder and healthier for more years of his life.

When it’s you against the wilderness, you need to be prepared for whatever life can throw at you. Whether you’re planning to hike the Pacific Crest Trail or camping off the beaten path in your nearby state park, being out in the wild comes with inherent risks. From the everyday disruptions to the extreme circumstances, the Total Backcountry Survival Manual has you covered. With high-quality design, intricate detail, and a durable flexicover—this manual is the perfect gift! While you’re heading into a world of fun and adventure, you’re heading into a world of possible trouble - if you’re not prepared. Luckily the experienced backcountry trekkers, guides, and sportsmen at Outdoor Life are here to get you through any outdoor endeavor. Prepare and Plan From those fishing weekends sleeping under the stars to the hike of a lifetime, preparation is important. Crucial tips for map reading and how to properly pack all your gear, accompany the like of the gear guide and important hydration information. Trail Threats How to get by a damaged section of the trail, deal with mountain lions and coyotes, injury prevention and more. Camp and Eat Responsibly To spotting a good camping site off the trail, to getting sustenance that’s safe to eat, to controlling a campfire – find all the practical skills you need to (literally) live on the trail. How to Make it out Alive Put simply, how to get out of there when everything goes wrong. Find these top tips and more in the Total Backcountry Survival Manual, all brought to you by the professionals who have been there - and made it out alive.