RideBorders.com - Riding in the Scottish Borders

Horsy 'people'... often like a good horsy read. Where do you start?

RideBorders.com has some essential, equine reading tips.

We thought you might enjoy hearing what our local 'horsy' celebrities like to read so every month we'll be asking our favourite Borderers what they most enjoy. We'll also be asking them to review books for us and to open our minds to the wealth of equestrian related literature that goes far beyond how to 'pull a mane' properly.

Dr. Hilary Bowyer from Roxburgh is an inspiration to those who may feel they've missed the boat when it comes to taking up riding. Hilary only took up riding at the age of 49 yet now she rides several times a week on her young horse Fred. Hilary who recently became a grandmother is a devotee of 'centered riding' having found it gives her exactly the right sort of direction she was looking for to enable her to progress confidently with her horse.

'One Hundred Ways for a Horse to Train its Human' by Tina Bettison

This tiny book, priced at £3.50 is a painfully perceptive and wildly hilarious exposee of the horse/human relationship as seen through the eyes of your horse.  In the chapter on 'Taking your Human for a Ride,' "Mounting steps," we're told, "are marvellous. "You can have hours of fun moving away from them just as your human reaches the top step." And "Spooking is a highly versatile communication tool." The chapter on 'stable manners' is especially amusing. You'll never be able to look your horse in the eye in quite the same way again, once you've laughed your way through this tirelessly funny little 'training manual!' 

Recommended

Horse & Rider Fitness - Linda J Purves

So you think that you are fit enough to ride? Well just read this book and see if you still think that you are!! Linda Purves has written a comprehensive guide to fitness for horse and rider in a fascinating book from Quiller Publishing. Illustrated with quality photos and amusing cartoon drawings, she makes the fitness process really sound fun. No visits to the gym are necessary in her plans, only exercises that can be carried out in the course of your daily routine of looking after your horse, although some of them look a bit cringe-making if you are caught out by your friends!!

Until recently, says Hilary, I'd always had mature sensible horses but life has changed dramatically for the better since the arrival at age 4, (or was it really 3?) and now aged 6 (or is it really 5? ), of Fearless Fred our, intelligent kind and forgiving, Irish hooligan. Fred is constantly teaching me about horsemanship, relationships and riding but giving me loads of love, fun and confidence at the same time. I am so grateful for the natural horsemanship training methods that I have used with Freddie as with these I have forged a wonderful bond such that I have never had with any other horse.

I've chosen to review Centered Riding by Sally Swift and I hope this book will inspire other riders in the way it has inspired me.

Prolific author of historical novels, Liz Taylor from Melrose, whose astonishing high jinks while hunting with the Buccleuch as a child will doubtlessly be legendary one day!
Hellish dark and smells of cheese!

When we were growing up in Earlston, this was the answer my brother and I often gave if an unsuspecting adult asked what the weather was like outside.