Customer Reviews
A timely reissue of a great classic - By: L. Y. Skipper, 12 Jul 2003 
This is a long-overdue reissue of a classic: Philippe Karl’s book is rightly regarded as the definitive book on long-reining. The title is a little misleading. M. Karl, a member of the famous Cadre Noir, gives us far more than a simple manual of long-reining. What he has produced is a book which, despite its slimness, is packed with information about many aspects of the art (and it is an art) of training horses. After giving us a brief history of work with the long reins, the author treats us to a description of the elements of equine gymnastics. This is a concise explanation of the fundamentals of equine locomotion, including properties of the gaits in dressage, followed by the anatomy of movement, & a very useful index of gymnastic progress. The chapters on long reining itself covers the equipment used, the aids including use of the voice, correct use of the lungeing whip, manipulation of the reins, & the basic figures & movements. Jumping obstacles on the long reins is covered, followed by a progression to more complex figures & movements, illustrating that while work on the long reins is certainly an excellent way to prepare young horses for ridden work, it can also be used alongside later, ridden work, to great effect.
The quality of the illustrations is superb. Along with many excellent photographs depicting M. Karl riding as well as long reining, the text is interspersed with marvellous line drawings illustrating equine movement & the different gaits, as well as showing the different figures & movements & their variations.
Too many people in the horse world believe that working from the ground has no real value. Reading this book would open their eyes! No matter what you want to do with your horse, Philippe Karl’s book will help you with your horse’s gymnastic education. Try it & see!
