This is a reasonable introduction to Dressage for anyone who has never had a go at it before, as it covers the basic principles and ideas behind the sport. I loved the tone as well - Green writes in a very friendly, accessible way that is very enjoyable. However, the book is outdated - it was first published in 1974 and a lot has changed. Maybe not so much the training and riding side, but the rules, regulations and expectations of the novice rider have. So although I did enjoy this, I would have to recommend more modern text to anyone wanting to compete for the first time in a Dressage competition.