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139 of 141 found the following review helpful:
 Best Guide to Ground WorkJan 11, 2002
By K. Havis
"avid reader"
I own a challenging horse, and have tried many different systems of ground work with her - Parelli, Lyons, Centered Riding, etc. All of them had some effect, but none have really changed her exciteable nature and dominant attitude.
After using some of the exercises in Dancing With Horses, my mare has a totally different attitude. She is much more submissive, much more trusting. It is remarkable.
The book is visually beautiful. The photographs are very helpful in demonstrating the exercises, and are very pretty. The instructions in the text are clear. The horses - and the author - are very handsome, so there are aesthetic benefits as well.
The author describes a certain exercise, and says it will have a profound effect on the horse. I'm accustomed to marketing hyperbole, so I read it, but took it with a grain of salt. And what he wrote was true. Doing that one exercise made an immediate difference in my horse's attitude.
I can't say enough good things about this book. I hope you'll buy it and reap the benefits.
...
Happy trails.
85 of 87 found the following review helpful:
Really fantastic magical book for true horse loversDec 30, 2002
By Julie Steele
This book held me absolutely transfixed. It is the best horse instruction book that I have ever seen without doubt. I have recently become the owner of a 4 year old thoroughbred gelding who has been taken out of race training. I spent a long time playing with and getting to known this horse in his paddock before I owned him, and this book has given me superb instruction on how to continue with his development and continue to strengthen our bond day by day.
I was becoming very disillusioned with traditional horse training books, which were totally focused on pleasing the rider without any concern for the horse whatsoever. This book is wonderfully visual, very easy to read, very uncluttered and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to understand horses, because these methods really do work.
59 of 60 found the following review helpful:
Dancing With HorsesMay 10, 2001
By Kim Walnes
I am a former member of the USET 3-Day Team with my horse, The Gray Goose. This book is phenomenal, and is the missing link between natural horsemanship and classical dressage.. Klaus's techniques were learned from Spanish monks who kept alive the traditions of training from the Knights Templar. He emphasizes the person's responsibility in training their horses, and gives clear, consise instructions about how to achieve leadership with horses while maintaining their wonderful spirit and personality. Exercises for both horse and rider are given to achieve oneness in handling and riding, and the spiritual aspect of training is also covered. I have started my own horse over using these techniques, and the effects have been profound and dramatic. I highly recommend this book, and also his video tape of the same name.
27 of 27 found the following review helpful:
 subtitled - Get control of your body languageNov 10, 2003
By Vivien Dostine
"Viv"
On initial browse though this book you may be put off by the very flowery language and some of the interesting but not terribly helpful info (like which peasant saddles KFH likes) but do perservere. Many if not all of the principles are the same as other 'Natural Horsemen' however the difference with this book is the effort that KFH goes to explaining and showing with precise photos HOW to use your body to communicate with your horse.I found that it took a couple of readings to get the best out of this book and have returned to it many times since then. KFH himself states that you should not begin ANY of the exercises until you have read the book from cover to cover and then begun to read it again. I have to agree despite my initial dismissal of this (huh? he thinks I'm simple ) The layout of the book is a little difficult to follow, there are examples of Klaus' work with young feral horses interspersed with clinics that he runs (providing illustrations of the communication techniques that the book is all about) exercises to perform and 'how to ride' chapters. However, despite all of these foibles I found this book to be very useful. The clarity and detail in both text and photos of specific exercises - such as leading, working on a lunge or liberty work makes up for its shortcomings. For the first time an author details HOW to use your body in groundwork with a horse - the use of mimcry, the positions and 'zones of dominance or subservience' when working with a horse, what signals and actions will get a horse's attention and how to specifically communication such ideas as 'stop', bring your hind end under (collection), turn or come past. If you wish to improve your communication skills this is an excellent guide.
16 of 16 found the following review helpful:
Fine Horseman Shares InsightsSep 12, 2005
By C. Bond
"horseman"
The author is obviously a very fine horseman, and we are fortunate that he chose to share his insights into that tricky business of dominance and leadership. The body language he uses is different from some of the round pen teachers. More importantly, he combines "Obey Me and Love Me" in the same sentence. In some ways, he also teaches us to be better people. If you want to be followed, be someone worthy of being followed. Carry yourself like someone worthy of being followed.
His model goes back centuries to the training system of the Knights Templar (disregarding any political considerations). Truly a remarkable horseman and a remarkable book, with many, many illustrations.
As a person who works with Thoroughbreds, for whom not much is accomplished by "making them move" because of course that's what they WANT, this book sets forth a possibility that one can lead with dignity and kindness.
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