"Everyday I keep on learning," says renowned horseman George Morris. "Every horse I ride, every student I teach, every clinic I give, every class I watch, every book or article I read, every conversation I have teaches me something." Morris has now accrued more than 70 incredible years of riding, training, and horsemanship experience, gleaned from the very best in the equestrian industry, all around the world. Here, he aims to share what he feels are the key points of all that he has learned over the course of his illustrious life with horses. "Looking back on my life, the luck I've had, the shoulders I've been able to stand on..." he says, "that is why I am writing this book: to just try, just try, to pass it on!" Readers will find Morris's trademarks: swift to the point, with an emphasis on clarity, he highlights the finer points of the equestrian life and the responsibilities he feels it bears. He moves deftly between topics, touching on rider position and competency; horse training and schooling (both on the flat and over fences); caring for the horse properly, with empathy and the intention to do right by his nature; and ultimately, competing the horse successfully while keeping him sound, willing, and comfortable in his work. With an in-depth introductory section on stable management contributed by John Madden, and featuring a visual feast of over 300 gorgeous images--many of them starring acclaimed international show jumper Beezie Madden--this is a one-of-a-kind reference from an equestrian force without parallel.
About the Author: George H. Morris is an American trainer and judge of horses and riders in the hunter/jumper disciplines, and is considered a founding father of Hunt Seat Equitation. Morris began riding as a child. In 1952, at the remarkably young age of 14, he won the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Finals and AHSA Hunt Seat Equitation Medal Final at Madison Square Garden, making him the youngest rider to do so. He went on to train numerous riders at his Hunterdon stables, who won consistently on the East Coast.Morris has represented the United States in many international competitions as both a rider and coach. In 1959 his team won the gold medal in the Pan American Games and he won a team silver medal and placed fourth individually at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Morris rode on eight winning Nations Cup teams between 1958 and 1960. Morris' students have medaled in the 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2004, and 2008 Olympic Games. Morris has acted as chef d'equipe for numerous winning teams, including the 2005 champions of the Samsung Super League, the gold medal team at the 2008 Hong Kong Olympic Games, and numerous team and individual medals in the World Equestrian Games and Pan American Games. Originally published in 1971, and now in its third edition, Morris' Hunter Seat Equitation is often recognized as the definitive work on the subject. Morris has also authored several other books and videos on riding and judging, including George Morris Teaches Beginners to Ride: A Clinic for Instructors, Parents, and Students, The American Jumping Style, Because Every Round Counts, Classical Riding with George H. Morris, and his bestselling autobiography Unrelenting.