spinoff: Required Reading "Bookclub?"

[subk]

That thread talks about some great books and some great lists of books http://www.equisearch.com/horses%5Friding%5Ftraining/english/eventing/wofford%5Fwinter%5Freading%5Flist%5F122107/

I had been thinking about this since last week when I posted some questions that had come to mind after reading a couple of classics. Would anybody like to do a "book club" on COTH with maybe a jumping book on Jimmy's jumping reading list?

I've never even done a book club in real life much less an internet one, but surely if anybody is interested we could figure out a fun way to do it! We could pick a book then give everybody enough time to order it if they don't have it already. (So it should be a classic that would be great in your horsey library!) Maybe talk/post about it a chapter at a time. We could post about your thoughts, experiences with some of the theories, disagreements, etc.

Anybody game? Suggestions on a book?

UPDATE: http://chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?p=3818305#post3818305

[RunForIt]

Count me in...my "real life" book club disbanded this year after 8 years together - we've all moved too far away from each other to keep it going in person. BUT, we still talk books via phone calls, emails, and believe it or not, LETTERS!!!!! :D :cool:

[IrishDeclan]

I think this is a great idea and would love to be involved. Let's figure out a way to make this work!!!! :)

[lyssap39]

I'm in if we could figure out how to make it work!!

[VCT]

I'm in too

[catmchorse]

Sounds like fun! I am a bit of a book fiend, so any excuse to collect good books works for me :yes:

[Jealoushe]

It's a cool idea. Maybe we could pick a date and have a thread to dicuss the book on that day?

[pinkdiamondracing]

I am in too!! Certified book worm here, always was, always will be!!!

[RoeVee]

Me too! Cool idea!! :yes: Could we have this be part of the 'my COTH' - we could start a Book Group.

[patterson]

Me too!

[RunForIt]

by Sara Gruen? Amazing story...and the author also has 2 other pieces:
Riding Lessons and Flying Changes. I have everyone I know reading Water for Elephants, especially us over 40 and 50 and 1 year from/60 types. Book Club happens or not, pick up a copy. :cool:

[ddashaq]

Count me in! I am a major book worm, especially horse books.

RunForIt-- I have read all three of Sara Gruen's books. I liked Water For Elephants best by far. I am not a huge fan of horse fiction as it tends to be a little unrealistic.

[RunForIt]

Count me in! I am a major book worm, especially horse books.

RunForIt-- I have read all three of Sara Gruen's books. I liked Water For Elephants best by far. I am not a huge fan of horse fiction as it tends to be a little unrealistic.

ditto - thought we'd best keep the thread alive with at least a horsey reference - and it's valid! :D :cool:

[Mariequi]

Yuh huh. Fer shur! Just say when.

[subk]

OK let's do it! We have to pick a book.

At first I thought maybe the "The de Nemethy Method" which I have but haven't read in years. It's got cool gymnastics at the end so after reading we could each go do some practical application. Went to amazon and it's out of print with the best used price at $150. So maybe not.

The only jumping book on Wofford's list in print (I think) is Steinkraus' Reflections on Riding. Here http://horsebooksetc.com/index.php?p=product&id=308&parent=0 for $18 and with cheaper and used options on amazon. I've heard really good things about it but have no idea how it would be for us.

Wofford's column here: http://www.equisearch.com/horses%5Friding%5Ftraining/english/eventing/wofford%5Fwinter%5Freading%5Flist%5F122107/ refers to three XC books he mentioned previously in his Practical Horse Column for Jan 08 but he doesn't site them and I can't find the magazine. Can anybody run those titles down?

We Don't HAVE to do a Wofford pick except that everything I've read that he suggested has be exceptional. It really doesn't have to be jumping either. On the dressage list "Riding Logic" would probably be the most available. I wish I knew the XC list...

So what do ya'll think?

[Rescue_Rider9]

I am game I will start researching some books! I love books and love to add them to my library!!!

[RunForIt]

will pull it out again and begin reading til y'all decide...:cool:

[3horsemom]

i would love to join.
2 of my favorite books are thomas maguane's some horses and alois podhajsky's my horses,my teachers. hope we can keep a mix of fiction and on-fiction. i work at a book store so i will always have a suggestion or two.

[canyonoak]

All the books mentioned so far are available far cheaper than prices given--and I have all of them,bought in the past few years.

Use any of the good book search engines or even google and check out prices on eBay as well.

www.dealoz.com

www.addall.com

www.half.com

just for starters often prove great resources.

even amazon.com often lists used copies far cheaper than one might expect.

[missamandarose]

Oh, fun!

I need to get away from reading historical fiction epics (3 Michener's and 1.75 Rutherford's in the past year...). Not that I don't enjoy reading *all* 1200 pages of those books... I just need to mix it up! ;)

[Kairoshorses]

I'm up for it--and I like the idea of alternating (if you like) between functional and fiction.

We could certainly post here--or we could do a chat or have a separate list (I'm a member of the very active T3DE2010 Yahoo group--we email, though we could chat, too.).

And Jimmy Wofford is my hero. I've read everything of his (and watched his videos). So I think reading something he suggests is groovy. :lol:

[Rescue_Rider9]

How do you start your own yahoo group? I think that would be best. If someone tells me how I will get it started and we need to pick a book before I go out and buy a new one. :) I like reading and am in the middle of Training the CrossCountry horse by Andrew Nicholson. Pretty good so far. We could do that one or pick another one.

[spaceagevalkyrie]

Oooh, sounds fun!

[Sonic Boom]

I would LOVE to do this! Please do add me to whatever list there is. Non-fiction and ocassional fiction would be great!

My TB racing library is grand, my eventing/dressage library is VERY much a work in progress!!!

[dab]

Mind if a hunter rider joins? This sounds like a great idea to me --

From Jimmy's 5 jumping classics, I own Steinkraus and Chamberlin's books -- Haven't looked at either in ages, but I remember Chamberlin's as being a bit of a struggle for me to get through -- Chamberlin's is also one of my trainer's favorites, so it would be nice if I made myself more familiar with it --

[LazyTrot]

Yes, count me in too! BTW "3horsemom" those are 2 of my favorite horse books as well! Now who will organize us all??

[Coppers mom]

Don't forget ebay! I actually went on after reading the other thread, and at least 3/4 of the books suggested were on ebay for astounding prices. Most of them were no more than $3-$12. You have to search under books in general though, searching for Equestrian and then books under that category showed nothing.

[longrun]

I'll give it a go. How about Jimmy's book? "Training the 3-Day Event Horse and Rider" to start. Probably a re-read for most but would bring up some ideas, get us started and then we could go from there? I was just looking at the conditioning for the T3DE thread so I know I'll be taking it back out again soon anyway!

[veebug22]

Oooh, can I join? I'm not an eventer (except for the occasional cross-country dabble), but I always check out Wofford's columns for book recommendations, including the eventing titles. For the past year I've been buying books off eBay to hone up on my reading of the "classic" titles. They have great deals! I would love to be part of a group doing this, and able to discuss them afterward and keep each other motivated!

[Sonic Boom]

I'll give it a go. How about Jimmy's book? "Training the 3-Day Event Horse and Rider" to start. Probably a re-read for most but would bring up some ideas, get us started and then we could go from there? I was just looking at the conditioning for the T3DE thread so I know I'll be taking it back out again soon anyway!


Sinful as it is, I have actually not read Jimmy's book yet! So for me a new book, and for those it's a re-read, perhaps they would enjoy discussing in a book club setting?

[3horsemom]

Yes, count me in too! BTW "3horsemom" those are 2 of my favorite horse books as well! Now who will organize us all??

great minds..........:)
well, i am into books and horse so by definition i am a walking anachronism. i have no idea how to set up a chat room.
i think we need to pick a book.... since subk came up with the idea i think the honor should be subk's.

[subk]

Here's my choice: "Reflections on Riding & Jumping" William Steinkraus.

It's widely available and since it still seems to be in print relativity inexpensive. http://www.amazon.com/Reflections-Riding-Jumping-Winning-Techniques/dp/1570760438/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232462843&sr=1-2

So many of the books I want to read are out of print--even Jimmy's is like $50 used--and I really want to keep this very doable for lots of people. This is $20 new on Amazon and you can do even better used.

I'll start a new thread on the book choice...

Here's the new thread: http://chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?p=3818305#post3818305

[foxhuntingkiddo]

Jimmys is actually back in print and can be bought for like $25 in BoB or Dover i think. Steinkraus is an excellent first choice!

[flashykatt]

Wow, I'm stepping ahead of myself since I haven't even posted anything to this thread yet, but I got all excited at the idea of a Book Club for horse books! :D:D:D

So I started a Yahoo Group for it at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/COTHBookClub (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/COTHBookClub)

It's currently set for anyone to join. It can always be tightened up if it gets ugly, lol.

Anyone want to help moderate it?

[Kairoshorses]

I just joined! I ordered the book! Yippeeeeee!