With horses, we don't get a "do-over button," as much as we'd sometimes like one. We have to live with the choices we make, even when–looking back–we know there might have been a better way to communicate, a different way to teach a new lesson, or another means to reach the desired end.

In this smart, honest book chock full of valuable takeaways, gold medalist and renowned rider and coach Denny Emerson uses stories of the standout horses from his own riding career, which spans almost 70 years, to detail some of the things he wishes he'd known "then" that he knows now. With a candid willingness to share mistakes he's made over the years and clearly articulated ideas on how others can avoid them, he commits himself and those reading to finding more conscientious ways to ride, train, and work with horses. From basics like aids and equipment to more specialized subjects, such as rider fitness, emotional control, and how to determine what success with your horse really means, riders of all skill levels can gain valuable, hard-won knowledge from his bite-size lessons in life and horsemanship. Perhaps most importantly, Emerson insists that it is never, ever too late to change–for the good of the horse and for the good of oneself.