Like a lot of people, I have trouble dealing with manuals, operating instructions and “how-to” books. I grind my teeth at just the thought of going through the hand-holding details, only to find that in the end the obvious has now been made obscure.

So, it took a bit of determination to dive into not one, but two, “how-to” books written by my fellow trainers and competitors, only to find that their books will do nothing to cure your insomnia or dull your mind.

Jane Savoie and Betsy Steiner have each served long years “in the trenches” of learning how to ride, learning how to show, and learning how to teach. With great generosity, they’ve shared their knowledge in words and pictures in two books that appeared on the shelves this year.

I liked Jane’s first book, That Winning Feeling, but the sequel is even more interesting and helpful. Jane has further developed her expertise as a promotional speaker and writer, with a lot of sports psychology in the mix.

Her new book, It’s Not Just About the Ribbons, has a flow and energy to it that, in my opinion, surpasses the first book. And she supports her theories with numerous “real-life” stories to bring her point home.

Some of her teachings are very simple, and she keeps them that way, which makes the reader comfortable in following her train of thought. With a good portion of humor and self-irony baked in, it’s easy to relate to an author who understands your fears and insecurities.

One of her many “hit-the-spot” subjects is in the chapter on frustration. Jane tells about riding in a clinic with Kyra Kyrklund, who rode several horses that just would not “play,” due to tension and confusion. But she never turned a hair.

“She sat quietly as she would if she was home in her living room, watching television,” writes Jane. “I could hear her saying, over and over again, ‘That’s your problem, not mine.’ She neither got upset, nor took a horse’s behavior personally. As a result, she was able to sort out difficulties more quickly than she would have if she had become frustrated and angry.”

I can easily relate to that story, since I also remember a clinic in which Kyra told us, “The fact that your horse won’t piaffe does not make you a bad person, you know.”

Jane was one of the first to emphasize the power of visualization in becoming a better rider. Again, she outlines several methods of visualizing for people who have trouble activating their “minds eye.”

You’ll find, as you go through the chapters, that you’ll recognize yourself on almost every page, and sometimes a very simple piece of advice will turn into a revelation.

Betsy’s book, A Gynmastic Riding System Using Mind Body & Spirit, comes from a different angle, concentrating on the relationship between the human body and the equine body. She too talks about the mental relationship with our horses, but the emphasis is on body control. Using the official FEI training scale as a basis, Betsy compares the horse’s physical attributes and development to that of the rider’s in a systematic building of both.

Pilates, the latest passion of the exercise gurus, is Betsy’s foundation. She weaves the exercises for the horse and for the rider together to create two athletes and to build their physical strength and stamina at the same time.

Of course, we all know that riding alone won’t keep us fit enough to ride really well, and that’s why the majority of our top riders are on some kind of physical workout program. But, you may ask, exactly what kind of exercises will improve the strength of my back, legs or upper body? Here’s the answer, laid out step by step, illustrated by loads of pictures.

Beginning with the simpler concepts of Pilates, Betsy slowly increases the demands on the rider, moving from floor exercises to the more advanced work on the “Reformer,” a truly unique invention in the world of exercise machines.

As you read on, the training scale that previously you probably viewed as a regimen exclusively to train your horse, becomes a program applicable to you. And slowly it dawns on you that lack of suppleness, impulsion or straightness is your problem just as much as your horse’s, and that there is a parallel between the things your body needs to learn and what your horse’s body needs to learn.

One of the key concepts is body coordination–of both horse and riders. Alignment of the horse to enable him to travel straight, and alignment of the rider to enable her or him to sit evenly and straight over the horse’s back, are discussed in detail.

But above it all reigns the word “core,” which in this book takes a central part and refers to three abdominal muscles, which are used in a dynamic manner during all movements and in all positions of Pilates training.

One of the many references to this, in the Betsy’s Tips sidebars, sums up what I think good riders do by instinct: “Much dressage work above the lowest levels requires a great deal of body coordination on the part of the rider. The aids for many movements require dead-on accurate timing, the ability to stay centered and grounded in your ‘core,’ the synchronized use of your entire body, and the ability to make rapid-fire changes in your body position.”

Betsy includes a pyramid of training for the student of Pilates, which deals with building your body to awareness, control and strength–and that dovetails with what we’re trying to create in our horses.

Betsy calls her system “Equilates,” and I believe she’s truly created a workable program. It’s easy to follow, although not so easy to excel at without a persistent and honest effort. I suspect I know where she’s going with this: She’s hoping to create horses and riders so in tune with each other that they appear to be Centaurs.

If you curl up in front of the fireplace in the company of these two books, before you know it your inner eye will cook up an image of you and your horse working together in harmony and balance, building strength and coordination as you go. And you’ll be eager to tackle a New Year full of challenges and rewards.