Pets

Eight equestrian-specific workouts to suit any rider's body, age, ability, and schedule.

It is no secret that riders often neglect their own needs in order to ensure their horses' are met. Countless dollars go toward massages, chiropractic work, and various other therapies that keep our equines comfortable and performing their best. We carefully schedule their training programs to achieve peak fitness at just the right time, and we juggle our personal lives—careers, family, you name it—around it all. But horse sports are a partnership, and if we want our horses to be at their best, then we have to be at ours, and that means paying careful attention to our own athletic bodies. Most riders argue they simply don't have the time to work out and still give their horses the time they need, so certified personal trainer Laura Crump Anderson has written a book that specifically targets the ever-present dilemma of how to fit fitness into a horse-crazy lifestyle.

Beginning with explanations of why strength, flexibility, and balance is important to achieve out of the tack, Anderson provides important rules and guidelines for stretching, weight training, and cardio to keep you safe. A lifelong equestrian herself, she then approaches the scheduling issue head-on, helping readers determine where best to fit in the minutes they need in the places they need to be anyway—the tack room, the arena, the barn aisle. Using only basic items you are likely to find around the stable, she keeps equipment needs straightforward, recognizing that the less likely it is you forget something, the more likely it is you'll get that workout in.

Readers are then treated to eight original fitness routines and two stretching routines. Full color photographs of top riders, including Jan Byyny, Sloane Coles, Kaitlin Clasing, Lauren Sprieser, and Sharon White, and USEA Groom of the Year Rachael Livermore demonstrate how to perform exercises effectively, and step-by-step instructions ensure you get it right.

Improve your dog's movement, comfort, and longevity while opening exciting new doors to better communication and a more meaningful relationship.

We all want our dogs to live pain-free, and we all want ways to connect with them. The Masterson Method® is an interactive approach to animal bodywork that follows and uses responses of the animal to your touch to find and release tension in areas of his body that affect:

A lifelong horse person, Jim Masterson developed his method for the purpose of releasing tension and improving movement in the performance horse. An interesting benefit was that it led to improved communication and trust, and a better overall relationship with the horse. Since dogs go with horses “like peanut butter and jelly,” Jim says, it was only natural that he began to use his bodywork on canines, too.

The techniques used in the Masterson Method rely on reading and following the subtle changes in the dog's body language as you work with him. Once you learn to read his body language, you will be “on the same page” and communication is established. Your dog recognizes that you understand what his body language is saying, that there is no threat to his well-being, and that he feels better when you work with him. In these pages you will learn the steps to incorporating the Masterson Method in your dog's life, bringing happiness to both of you.

By using these techniques, and knowing the responses to look for, you will be able to:

This book includes:

The Masterson Method is practical, easy to use, and results oriented. You see the results in the dog's responses during the bodywork, and in his behavior, comfort, and movement afterward. Beyond Dog Massage is the ideal instructional guide for all those seeking a better quality of life for and deeper connection with their dogs.