Complete Horse Riding Manual - William Micklem

...riding... I wouldn't call it complete in any shape way or form, and I wouldn't suggest it to riders of "any level". In fact, I think it would benefit mostly beginners. It is interesting enough, but there is no real insight into actually improving your riding... Unless you are a beginner.

There are a lot of pictures, and it is a pleasant enough book to look through. Some of the explanations are quite good, and you might find ...
...where you might just want an overview on something to do with riding..

If you are actually looking for a riding "manual", though, that will help you improve your riding, there are several books I would suggest over this one. I wouldn't actually call this a manual at all. I see it more as a simple "book about riding".

There are some very handy fitness programmes and such, for bringing horses back ... more

A good overview of riding... I wouldn't call it complete in any shape way or form, and I wouldn't suggest it to riders of "any level". In fact, I think it would benefit mostly beginners. It is interesting enough, but there is no real insight into actually improving your riding... Unless you are a beginner.

There are a lot of pictures, and it is a pleasant enough book to look through. Some of the explanations are quite good, and you might find it useful if you're doing a project, or something similar where you might just want an overview on something to do with riding..

If you are actually looking for a riding "manual", though, that will help you improve your riding, there are several books I would suggest over this one. I wouldn't actually call this a manual at all. I see it more as a simple "book about riding".

There are some very handy fitness programmes and such, for bringing horses back into work, etc There are some exercises to do, and things like that...

But mostly, I see this book as the "criteria" for what a rider should do, not how to do it.

However, "Complete Manual" is a very hard title to live up to, and I think it does it fairly well.
You would probably be better off getting a subscription to a good horse magazine, or investing in several different kinds of books...
But just because I don't find the book useful doesn't mean I consider it useless for other people.

If you're debating wether or not to buy this, try and see if you can pick it up in a shop and have a flip through to see if it's suited to what you need first..
If it's a gift, it's probably more the thought that counts, and I don't feel as though anyone would be dissatisfied with it. It's only if you come to it with expectations of improving your riding that you find it disappointing. 

...less