The Horse Agility Handbook: A Step-By-Step Introduction to the Sport

Over the past few decades, an evolution in how we go about training horses has encouraged horse owners to spend more time handling their horses on the ground in order to achieve good behavior, mutual trust, and a healthy partnership, before they ever think about getting in the saddle. In addition, horses are being discovered as ideal companions by many individuals who may have little interest in riding at all, but who do enjoy pursuing activities that are fun for both human and horse. These changes have created a generation of horsepeople eager to pursue the competitive and social benefits of Horse Agility, the first internationally recognized, competitive horse sport dedicated to those who most enjoy working their horses from the ground. In this terrific handbook, Founder of the International Horse Agility Club and horse trainer Vanessa Bee, shows you all you need to know to try it for yourself.

Like the hugely popular Dog Agility classes enjoyed by countless canines and their handlers, all over the world, Horse Agility involves a colorful obstacle course and subtle directions from a handler. The horse learns to complete the course because he chooses to--not because he is constrained, forced, whipped, prodded, or bribed. Bee explains there is no reason the horse cannot enjoy your time together so much, he will choose to "play" with you--over, under, and through obstacles, without a lead rope, even when loose in a large, grassy pasture.

• Understand Horse Agility goals


• Get the equipment you need


• Read your horse's posture


• Direct your horse's feet


• Practice beginning agility movements


• Increase "softness" in your horse


• Become your horse's "guide"


• Work your horse "free" (at liberty)


• Negotiate agility obstacles


• Build agility obstacles


• Plan agility courses


• Organize competitions and "play days"


• Start a Horse Agility club near you

With succinct, clearly explained lessons in everything from horse handling and body language to directions for obstacle and course construction, plus full color photographs throughout, this is the ideal introductory book for anyone interested in giving the sport of Horse Agility a try, or for those looking for out-of-the-box training ideas to keep horses interested in learning and happily engaged in all their interactions with you.

Vanessa Bee is the founder of the International Horse Agility Club. With a training facility in England and her own method known as Positive Horsemanship, she specializes in building relationships between the horse and the handler from the ground up. Vanessa has been around horses most of her life, working in racing stables throughout her teens, then driving competitively into her early twenties when she was given an "unridable" racehorse as a wedding present. Very soon Vanessa realized that there had to be a better way than the "bigger stick, bigger bit method" of riding commonly offered, and in the late nineties Vanessa began to read, study, and work with some of the greatest horsemen of the age. She soon discovered that there are as many ways of teaching horsemanship as there are horses and handlers in the world. As a qualified teacher with a degree in education, Vanessa has used her skills to develop a series of courses that teach people of all abilities and experience levels to achieve a positive relationship with their horse. She is the author of The Horse Agility Handbook; 3-Minute Horsemanship; and Over, Under Through: Obstacle Training for Horses, and Rainy Day Horsemanship. Vanessa lives in Devon, England.