The American Way Of Training Hunters & Jumpers: Vol. I--Beginning To Jump Correctly; The American Way Of Training Hunters & Jumpers: Vol. II--Beginning Course Work; The American Way With Ponies; Horses: Starting Safely

Olympic Gold Medalist Debi Connor hosts and instructs "The American Way" series aimed at show riders. Although the packaging for all three tapes carries a 1993 copyright date, the actual productions are from 1989, 1992, and 1993, with technical qualities running the gamut from amateur to fair. The opening volume of The American Way of Training Hunters & Jumpers is an amateur production that delves straight into the instruction with little introduction. Connor demonstrates various paces for putting horses through their flatwork, as a preliminary to jumping. Next she shows viewers how to take a horse across cavalletti rails, followed by a series of mounted rail jumps. Two unnecessary reviews round out the program, which has fair to poor audio and video, and beyond focusing on Connor as she makes her jumps doesn't really take advantage of the video medium (no slow-motion, arrows, close-ups, etc.). Vol. II is slightly better in overall production value, contains quite a bit of the information offered on Vol. I, and includes instruction on bending the horse, flying lead changes, and a medical ­onceover by vet Daniel M. Flynn. Again, fair to poor production values, as well as misspelled titles ("opposit" for "opposite;" "cantor" for "canter," the latter being an easy gallop, while the former refers to a religious official in a synagogue who sings or chants prayers) belie the fancy packaging and slick press kit which accompanied the tapes. Finally, The American Way With Ponies, aimed primarily at young girls involved in show riding takes a broader approach to its subject than the previous videos, including interviews with specialists on the subjects of selecting the right pony, choosing the proper equipment and attire, "vetting" a pony, judging pony shows, and breeding ponies. The interviews are conducted informally with interviewees often ranging across many topics; unfortunately, the background sound is quite noticeable during several of these. Later in the program, some of the same instruction as that on the earlier volumes is used to teach young girls how to work with cavalletti rails and beginning coursework. While better produced than the earlier volumes the "pony" tape has its share of production faults. Too, the information is a strange mix of the important and the extraneous (the pony breeder segment is almost completely superfluous). Those seriously training for horse shows would benefit from some of the information on the program (especially if the person has access to a trainer), but those who are generally interested in purchasing a pony for recreation will find little of value here.Horses: Starting Safely, on the other hand, while also not glitzy, is a good, solid program which benefits from useful, straightforward information delivered by a knowledgeable host. Professional horseman Al Holborn, who teaches horsemanship at Chemetka Community College in Salem, OR takes viewers through the basics of horse safety, ranging from the various safety zones around a horse to the proper way for loading and unloading both single and double-horse trailers. What's nice about Holborn's presentation is that it's a no-fat, no-boilerplate, straight skinny approach. For instance (and I never thought I'd be saying this), it's a wise hombre who hugs a horse's ass when he passes around him or her. Worse that can happen is a rude push; but if you're standing three or four feet in back of the horse, you can receive a bone-breaking kick. Another good point: never stand behind a horse trailer and urge the horse out--a horse is very fast (and the tape shows just how quickly a horse can back out of a trailer). The owner with horse sense stands to the side of the trailer. Besides an excellent introduction on how to physically handle oneself around a horse, the tape also demonstrates how to safely catch loose horses, how to safely halter a horse, how to handle a horse in a confined area such as a stall, and offers viewers a good introduction to basic horse psychology. In this last section, Holborn points out various physical signs that horses display (hoof pawing, tail swishing, ears forward, etc.) and what they may mean. All in all, the person interested in purchasing a horse would do well to watch this informative guide to horse safety.The American Way With Hunters & Jumpers, Vols. I and II and The American Way With Ponies are not recommended. (Available from: Specialty Marketing, 10 Byington Place, Norwalk, CT 06850; (203) 831-2894.). Horses: Starting Safely is recommended. (Available from: Quality Books, 918 Sherwood Dr., Lake Bluff, IL 60044-2204; (800) 323-4241.)