The Horseless Rider? What?
Actually, this text with the odd name is a unique riding manual. The author, an urban dweller, wrote the text to address the situation of riders like herself, that is people who like riding, but who cannot own a horse. Indeed, Ms. Burn viewed the situation as an advantageous one, rather than a problem.
Truth be know this situation applies to far more people than might be acknowledged. I've read from time to time of reenactors, for example that borrow horses. It would seem that these individuals are at least occasionally faced with the use of an unfamiliar mount. Nonetheless a rider can acquire a bookshelf full of texts that all are written as if the rider owns the mount being discussed, or at least fail to acknowledge that the rider might face an unfamiliar horse.
The goal of this book was to familiarize the rider with the unique problems facing a rider who has to ride unfamiliar, but not rank, mounts. It is a pretty good general overview of this topic. The author also sought to familiarize the rider with the various riding disciplines, covering in a very general way every form of riding. Even military riding is very briefly mentioned, although only briefly. This book was written a while ago, 1979, and the short treatment military riding gets shows that, at the time she wrote the book, it was really only being practiced by some diehards and policemen, reenacting being then in its infancy.
The book also covers, also in a very general way, such topics as stable management, and even just getting along with the stable owners.
Now, I freely admit that the vast majority of riders who stop here will benefit not at all from this book. Still, it would seem that a few folks in this situation might, which is nothing to be ashamed of at all. The book is very basic, it will not teach an individual how to rider. Moreover, as I mentioned below in regards to the Field Artillery Manual, no book is a substitute for riding instruction under a good, competent instructor. That fact cannot be repeated enough, and anyone who tries to ride a horse without some prior instruction of some sort by someone who knows what he is doing is really asking for it. This book is only a basic aid, sort of like an elementary textbook. But it is handy within its very limited area.
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