Jennifer Howard

The Making of Maximus Jennifer Howard

In this book the young horse, Maximus, describes how he has been handled and trained from an untouched youngster, into a 'made' riding horse. It demonstrates a process that is thorough, logical and progressive, allowing the young horse to become accustomed to each step without any time pressures. All his training is described in detail, by him, together with his comments on how he is handled. His tack is shown in the illustrations, and his reactions to various new stages are expressed by him. The principles involved are Calmness, Patience, Small Steps, Praise and Reward. His young rider, Deborah, is described by him as mostly gentle but firm, considerate and competent. Suitable adult help for her is included where necessary. The objective of The Making of Maximus is to demonstrate a practical system which minimizes the risks involved in training, and is quietly progressive, emphasizing the horse's point of view towards his training.