The Rider's Pain-Free Back Book - New Edition: Overcome Chronic Soreness, Injury, and Aging, and Stay in the Saddle for Years to Come

. The first thing the orthopedic surgeons I have seen over the years tell me regarding my degenerative disk issue is that I must give up riding. They fail to understand that for many of us, horses are more than a sport, they are our life. Dr. Wasron gets that. Thus as someone who has ridden for years with back issues I appreciated the chapter on how the horse you ride's confirmation could be a major obstacle to riding pain-free, and he goes well beyond just telling you to find a horse without a rough trot. l Also appreciated the attention to different disciplines and how our body types are affected by the the positioning required by various equine sports. As someone who has ridden hunter/ jumpers and is the mother of a saddle bronc rider who also suffers from back injuries, this Dr. speaks from a lifetime of experience in dealing with the whole equine community.. The book gave me hope I can ride well into my 80's.

This doc speaks from experience as a rider, physician, clinician and with a clear voice. As an older woman, I have ridden for years, experienced my fair share of being chucked off a horse, ended up in the ER and can identify with the different horse types, tack, riding styles and horse motions that he describes. His years of practice as a neurosurgeon are condensed in this small book using mostly lay language to provide clear direction to those who want to KEEP a healthy body/back as well as for those who want to REHAB a back that is injured. Are the stretching exercises fun or pain-free, no. Is having a bad back that keeps you off your horse any fun? No. Take your pick. This is the best book I have found. I bought the Kindle version and a friend bought the book. I wish I had the hardcopy because for the exercises, it's much easier to see the images.

I'm almost finished reading this book right now and it is full of helpful tips and detailed info about keeping your back safe as a rider. I have had back problems for 20 years and I've done A LOT of reading on back injury and treatments, but this book is full of information and exercises I didn't know! So wonderful to have a horseman who is also an MD writing this book. My only critiques for this book are the author's repeated recommendations to use NSAIDs frequently, even when there is no pain...and his assurance that one can actually "overcome aging" as is stated in the subtitle of the book. Come on, no one can do that.

I bought this book and another, similar, book off Amazon. This book is by far the better book! For one, I loved how the author realizes that horse people are going to ride no matter what, so his goal is to try and help them be as comfortable as possible based on individual build, past injuries, riding style, etc.I even gave a copy to my chiropractor because he told me riding horses was bad for my back and I feel this book will best educate him on aspects of horseback riding and back health.

As a retired R.N, I was personally disappointed in this book but believe it would be very helpful to a non-medical person who just wants to know more about their back and how to possibly prevent or reduce their back pain. This book provides an excellent over all view of the human back and discussed multiple back conditions. The pictures and descriptions were wonderful. The information and terminology is explained in a very user friendly way (Kudos to the doctor :>) I have several back issues myself and found some of the excercises to be contrary to what I have been advised or instructed. However, this can happen with any type of medical condition and only serves to underscore the necessesity to consult with your own doctor or therapist. As so many "seniors" are getting into riding these days, I would love to see some one do a book on Yoga, core excercises, pilates, etc with some of our ailments in mind...such as blown disks, arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.

it is an ok book... I was hoping to get more riding tips and ideas for accommodations I could make while riding to decrease my pain while in the saddle. This book had hardly any of that. A good chunk of the book was about diagnosing type of pain in the back but i already know this. Honestly, I didn't learn much. The information wasn't bad, just wasn't what I was hoping for.

I purchased this right after rupturing a disk in my low back and found it extremely useful. It was great to read something so encouraging vis a vis keeping up my riding, and I found the positive attitude really helped to keep the blues away. The exercises are terrific: practical, achievable, and I can do them at home without taking an hour and a half every morning before I go to work. I also really appreciated the guidance on exercise reps - so many times you are told to do 3 sets of 10, no matter your current fitness level. I was so wrecked that at first I could only do 1 of each of these. I built up to five reps of everything and felt great the whole time. It has been a year since my injury and I'm pain free, chasing down cows, and can't even imagine starting my day without doing my exercise routine. Thank you, Dr. Warson!

I bought this book pre-order and it arrived very quickly. The author knows his stuff. I am an x-ray tech by trade, so nearly everything I read was understandable to me. He wrote the book so everytone could understand it- medical terms were explained, and there was an extensive glossary of terms. I got the book because my husband suffers badly from back pain and is an avid rider. I occasionally suffer from back pain- usually from doing too much sitting trot. The author was very complete in his assessment of the rider and even the type of horse they should be riding. Fortunately my husband and his horse are a great match, me and my horse aren't so good, but with some work I think we will be OK. The author also went through a series of stretches and also treatment options from traditional to alternative. I found it a very interesting book with a lot of information for anyone who is interested in riding. I even loaned it to my chiropractor who said he would probably get a copy because he treats riders as well.Happy reading,Kathy

Haven't had chance to read much yet

Really useful information

Good explanations of what goes wrong in the spine and some very useful exercises to help correct bad posture. It worked for me!

A well written sensible book that gives hope to people like me with serious back issues to get back into the saddle and to continue to take care of your back and to enjoy riding..

I bought this book for my wife who has suffered from being thrown from a horse 20 plus years ago and other injuries. She says it's the best book she's ever read on the subject and most helpful. She likes that it is written by a doctor who rides. I gave it four stars and will review this book again once she has had the opportunity to finish the book and start riding in the Spring