Balanced Horse

Sylvia Loch discovered classical High School riding in Portugal. In 1984 she founded the Lusitano Breed Society of Great Britain and was awarded an Honorary Instructorship by the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art. She trained with Former First Chief Rider of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna and founded The Classical Riding Club in 1995.

• Title PageDedicationIllustration CreditsEpigraphForeword by Carl Hester MBEWhy I Wrote this BookAcknowledgementsIntroduction1. BalanceQuestions and Answers2. The Aids for ImpulsionForward and Straight3. Rein AidsAsk and Give; Direct Flexion and Stretch4. The Role of the Inside Rein and Inside LegLateral Flexion and Bend5. The Role of the Outside ReinEngagement and Co-ordination6. The Role of the Outside LegEngagement and Canter Transitions7. The Weight Aids of the SeatCollection, Halt, Half-halt and Rein-back8. The Indirect AidsShoulder-in, Travers and Half-pass9. Changing the BalanceLengthening and Extension10. Refining the Weight AidsFlying Changes11. The Higher AirsThe Aids of the Upper Body; Piroutte, Piaffe and Passage12. One-Handed RidingAnd Finessing the Reins13. Perfect Balance in All ThingsThoughts for the FutureSchool ExercisesChapter by ChapterReferencesIndex

Sylvia Loch has written much about the art of dressage and the Iberian breeds. Indeed her book The Royal Horse of Europe is perhaps the most definitive work on the Iberian horse. The Balanced Horse is another well written book from the Loch stable. It is a book about communication – communication between horse and rider using a clear dialogue of subtle, almost invisible aids of the seat, leg and hand. But the author has used her communication skills one step further to convey this knowledge to the reader in, as Carl Hester says in his foreword, 'a user-friendly way that will help any rider at any level'. This is a book, not only for the rider, but riding teachers and judges would also benefit from the advice it contains.