This is the book I refer back to time and time again for everything eventing related particularly fitness. It was written in 1990 but is still relevant today.
Ginny was ahead of her time for many things and though some of the equipment is outdated the horsemanship, stable management and the lengths that they went to in order to produce top horses shines through.
The book takes you from an unbroken eventer right up to 4* and includes advice on how to break your horse, introduce the work and what they should be doing along the line. The fitness grid is still the best I have seen giving you advice on how for the horse needs to be for novice event (I read this as BE100/Novice now as things have changed quite a bit) and right up to preparing for your first three day.
Everything is well explained and I often read the book time and time again and pick up something new which is appropriate to where the horse is in his competitive career.
The joy of this book is that you can find it cheap on Ebay and on Amazon because of its age.
Definitely a fantastic book. I also remember reading one with ‘event groom’ or ‘three day event groom’ in the title and I’m sure it would be just as relevant today – I bet the rider who pulled his horses bridle off at Bramham wishes he had followed the advice on tieing your top plait to the headpiece of your bridle anyway…
Its just new, but finishing on a good dressage mark is everyones ideal, im reading Sylvia Lochs new book “the balanced horse, aids by feel not force” and its a super book, beautifully written and illustrated, im sure itll go on to be an equestrian classic.well worth a read
I have that one too Fiona – in fact I can see it from where I’m sitting now. Lots of sound old-fashioned advice, although I’m not sure that many people clip their horses from head to toe after the dressage at a 3DE anymore!