Intriguing sounding dressage/philosophy book

[Naiad]

I just did a search, and I cannot see any discussion of this book on the EE Forum. This book "Dressage in the Fourth Dimension" by Sherry Ackerman has the thumbs-up from some great trainer/riders (based on quotes on the back cover of the book and her acknowledgments, it is clear that she has worked with/been inspired by great classical trainers). She has also been interviewed in Horses for Life magazine. The "sneak preview" pages on Amazon for her book intrigued me. This writer is both a philosophy professor *and* a dressage rider, and she talks about how these two hats that she wears are really one hat. This book will tackle the philosophical components of dressage riding, human/horse interactions and how it affects human experience and spirituality - but the real twist is that it is written by someone who knows her high-level philosophy inside out as she is a philosophy professor (it may be a rather wordy book so it may not appeal to everyone, but being a professor myself, this is the kind of book that I may love!). I think that I am going to order it now and give it a try.

Has anyone on here read this book?

p.s. I just read some stuff on her web site, and she has written other non-horsey books too on sustainable living and philosophy, she also gives dressage clinics. Definitely a well-rounded person, and definitely a different sort of lady as one can tell from the videos that I just watched on her web site.

You can take a sneak preview at some pages of this book if you follow this link:
http://www.amazon.ca/Dressage-Fourth-Dimension-Sherry-Ackerman/dp/1577316231/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3TTRPU9OVU5T&colid=2DEJVY2AQR60Y

[Naiad]

This book arrived! Egon Von Neindorff (sp?) was one of the people she trained with, and the likes of Ritter etc. have written comments on the back cover. Speaking of which, I also ordered the Von Neindorff book - looks great.

Will report back on the Ackerman book. It is a slim book, mainly a book of thoughts about how classical dressage connects to philosophy, not a "how-to" book.

[shoveltrash]

dunno how i missed this!  (followed your link just now from night-mare's thread )
REALLY like what i read, in fact it reminds me a lot of Erik Herbermann's philosophy.

this snippet from the forward sums up what i believe lies in the heart of horsemanship :
"it is the ultimate trick of the divine that <sic> the reflection, exploration, and self-knowledge required eventually catapult truly serious riders out of their egos and into a state of union with not only their horses but also a deeper, mystical reality, a "fourth dimension of the spirit."

interesting, it must be the influence of Egon von Neindorff......since both the author and EH rode with him?
Erik is very emphatic about the spiritual aspect of riding/training.

so, have you read thru the whole book yet?

[ukica]

dunno how i missed this!  (followed your link just now from night-mare's thread )
REALLY like what i read, in fact it reminds me a lot of Erik Herbermann's philosophy.

this snippet from the forward sums up what i believe lies in the heart of horsemanship :
"it is the ultimate trick of the divine that <sic> the reflection, exploration, and self-knowledge required eventually catapult truly serious riders out of their egos and into a state of union with not only their horses but also a deeper, mystical reality, a "fourth dimension of the spirit."

interesting, it must be the influence of Egon von Neindorff......since both the author and EH rode with him?
Erik is very emphatic about the spiritual aspect of riding/training.

so, have you read thru the whole book yet?

Looks really interesting.  Would love to hear your review.

[Naiad]

I actually starting reading this sitting in the midst of spring flowers in the Spanish Riding School Cafe outdoor terrace when I was in Vienna in April!! Seemed a perfect place to take in this book.  

I got really into it. Although it was pretty wordy/intense and you really have to have your thinking cap on at times. Funny thing is that I got back to Canada, and somehow started reading something else and did not finish the book.   Perhaps it was just not the same reading it in cold Calgary compared to springtime in Vienna. But I now intend to pick it up and continue reading it through to the end!!  

[shoveltrash]

so does this mean i need to go to Vienna to read the book?
what a FAB excuse for a trip

just lemme know when you're going again!