Recommended Reading List

 

There are so many wonderful books on classical horsemanship, some of them literally thousands of years old. I can't possibly list them all. But I will list some, and this list will evolve as I read new books, or remember some I had forgotten...

Master Nuno Oliveira

Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Grant Millham

As you may know from my Philosophy page, I lean heavily on Nuno Oliveira's teachings. So let's just start there. And let's start with my own mentor's wonderful and instructive book about her years learning from the Master. That and others like it are available from Xenophon Press, which has become a powerhouse of classical horsemanship publications. The majority of the rest of the books may be found on Amazon.

 

Xenophon Press

 

~ 'The Legacy of Master Nuno Oliveira' by Stephanie Grant Millham

~ '30 Years with Master Nuno Oliveira' by Michel Henriquet, a collection of letters, notes and photographs.

~ 'The Wisdom of Master Nuno Oliveira' by Antoine de Coux

 

Anything you can find by Nuno Oliveira (some of his books are out of print) such as:

 

~ Reflections on Equestrian Art by Nuno Oliveira

 

Anything by Charles de Kunffy such as:

 

~ 'Dressage Illuminated' in which he writes what is probably my favorite description of riding on contact, ever.

 

Anything by Reiner Klimke such as:

 

'Klimke on Dressage - From the Young Horse through Grand Prix'

 

Other

 

~ 'The Art of Classical Horsemanship' by Egon von Neindorff

~ 'Classical Schooling with the Horse in Mind' by Anja Beran

~ 'Tug of War' by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann

~ 'A Balancing Act' by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann

~ 'Gymnastic Exercises for Horses Vol. II' by Eleanor Russell ( a student of Nuno Oliviera)

~ 'Gallop to Freedom' by Frederic Pignon and Magali Delgado (of Cavalia fame)

~ 'Dressage in Harmony' by Walter Zettl

~ 'The Circle of Trust' by Walter Zettl

~ 'Racinet Explains Baucher' by Jean Claude Racinet

~ 'The Complete Training of Horse and Rider' by Alois Podhajsky

~ 'My Horses, My Teachers' By Alois Podhajsky

~ 'Dressage Formula' by Erik Herbermann

~ 'Klaus Balkenhol, The Man and His Training Methods' by Britta Schoffmann

~ 'Misconceptions and Simple Truths in Dressage' by Dr. HLM van Schaik

~ 'School of Horsemanship' by Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere

~ 'The Art of Horsemanship' by Xenophon (written in about 350 BC!)

~ 'Riding Towards the Light' by Paul Belasik

~ 'Practical Steps in Rehabilitating Your Horse' by Sara Wyche