'If only someone had told me...' is a thought that has crossed every horse person's mind at one time or another: when faced with some mistake; when looking back on a scenario that could have played out another (preferable) way; when analyzing results born of specific choices; when acknowledging regret. Gold medalist and renowned rider and coach Denny Emerson admits there have been numerous occasions when he's wished he'd benefited from another's guidance, and it is this that inspired this follow-up to his bestselling first book How Good Riders Get Good. Here you'll find more smart, honest straight talk intended to help equestrians at all levels. Using stories of the standout horses from his own riding career, which spans almost 70 years, Emerson details the things he wishes he'd known then that he knows now. With a candid willingness to share mistakes he made over the years and clearly articulated ideas on how others can avoid them, he commits himself and those reading to find 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, readers will gain valuable, hard-won knowledge. 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.