Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 798.23
EAN: 9780312127343
ISBN: 0312127340
Label: St. Martin's Press
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 208
Publication Date: 1985-01-15
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Studio: St. Martin's Press

Widely known for her innovative teaching philosophy stressing body awareness, the value of "soft eyes," proper breathing, centering, and balance, Sally Swift has been a pioneering riding instructor for half a century. In book form for the first time, her methods enable horse and rider to achieve harmony, working together naturally, without pain.

Unlike traditional teachers, Sally Swift does not believe in forced training techniques that cause stiff bodies and tense riding. Instead, through the use of vivid, unusual, and highly creative images that transcend mechanics ("Pretend you're a spruce tree; the roots grow down from your center as the trunk grows up"), plus a thorough knowledge of human and equine anatomy, this wise and inspiring teacher enables the conscientious equestrian to reassess habitual responses, in order to ride in natural positions, break through frustrating plateaus, and achieve ever-rising goals with comfort, vitality, and precision.

Precise illustrations and photographs never before used in riding books explain anatomy and image work to give mind and body new and relaxed approaches to the inner process of riding.

Centered Riding is for those with little experience all the way up to world class.

Customer Rating:
Summary: New rider
Comment: This video it pretty good. It is very slow so a little tough to watch but very imformative. I do plan on purchasing part II.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Good
Comment: Sally does a great job at teaching this critical aspect of riding. My child has leaped ahead and understands the dynamics of horse and rider together.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Best book on centered riding
Comment: This is really the only decent book on how to ride centered. The only problem is that the imagery is more confusing than it is helpful at least for me. But I am the kind of person that needs to be told how to do something(tilt your pelvis, relax your ankles) rather than be told to think like a tree(whatever that means!!!)

I still recommend this book because it does contain excellent detail on the proper way to ride. The anatomy lessons are excellent and explain WHY(based on physics) you have to sit a certain way. I just find myself rereading this book over and over to get a full appreciation of the information.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Sage Advice for Novice Equestrian
Comment: Being a novice rider who has been interested in zen methods and meditations for years, I would have bought this book even if it contained only this one piece of advice that I've seen in no other publication. The advice: Ask someone to check your posture while you're sitting on the horse, looking at you from behind because one side is usually stronger than the other and the stronger side tends to be shorter. This unevenness can be observed from the back because the line of the spine and the pant's seam do not come over the horse's backbone. The author then explains how to correct this problem, even though it feels wrong at first and it takes time to become comfortable with balanced riding.

Sally Swift's use of visualization to practice correct breathing, maintain soft eyes, etc. is also quite useful to me, because it gives me a way to direct my attention to the discipline at hand and less to trying so hard to do it right.

"Centered Riding" is a book that I was thrilled to find and it will be a valuable reference to me as I begin to learn to ride correctly on the sweet and gentle Standardbred gelding that I recently adopted from the Second Wind Adoption Program in West Union, West Virginia.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: CENTERED RIDING
Comment: excellent book for any rider.great book to keep for future reference. excellent drawings that help you visualize what the author is referring to for certain lessons.

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