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Guests | December 29, 2009

Alex Lemon: IMG Everyone Called Me "Happy"



I have nystagmus and diplopia and chronic pain and ataxia, and I can tell that I'm nervous and excited that my new book is out today because all of... Continue »
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1 Beaverton Pets- Horses Training and Behavior

Centered Riding

by Sally Swift

Centered Riding Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

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.

Review:

"Even the best riders know what it's like to hit a learning plateau-- a time when, no matter how hard you work, you seem to get nowhere. Such interruptions in a rider's progress often stem from a false or imprecise understanding of what he or she is trying to do, or the lack of a key image that could put things together, working in synchrony. For the rider who needs either or both of these (and who does not, from time to time?), Sally Swift's Centered Riding will prove indispensable. Wonderfully explicit in explaining and showing what should work how, Centered Riding is also wonderfully imaginative in finding just the right psychological images to help go beyond the mere mechanics. A work of truly remarkable originality and ingenuity, it cannot fail to help many riders attain their present goals, and then move ahead to set higher ones."--William Steinkraus, Chairman, U.S. Equestrian Team, Inc., Olympic Gold Medalist, Show-jumping, 1968, Mexico City

"A truly unique horsewoman, Sally Swift has tremendous compassion for and understanding of equine and human athletes. Through her own experience as a rider and from her years of helping so many riders throughout the country, she has honed and refined her techniques. The result is an exciting, accurate, and delightful text that will offer readers a new dimension to riding and the teaching of riding.

"Riders of all disciplines and at all levels will find her techniques fun and easy, and will discover themselves capable of astonishing and exhilarating breakthroughs in performance. Riding instructors will find the text to be an invaluable tool in communicating many of the concepts that lie at the heart of good riding.

"Centered Riding is a book that will be read and reread for years to come, providing timeless counsel for horsemen and -women who seek to improve and refine their riding skills and their ability to communicate these skills to others."--Tad Coffin, Olympic Individual and Team Gold Medalist, Three-Day Event, 1976, Montreal

About the Author

Sally Swift lives in Brattleboro, Vermont. Born in 1913, she has been riding since she was eight years old.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
litreader14, March 22, 2009 (view all comments by litreader14)
Ms Swift's classic book is almost beyond any review, but for those of you who do not know who she is, trust me, she is a spectacular teacher, who gives very useful and concrete exercises to perform while riding on one's own.

While most might think Sally Swift is just for dressage (classical) riders, her lessons are really for any rider. And I will give the example that I was a "hunt seat" rider for a university equestrian team, but because we were short of riders for Stock Seat classes (i.e. Western), I got to ride in those as well, and I was known (because I had a classical seat) as "The Marlboro Woman" and did very well as a Stock Seat rider.

What "Centered Riding" offers translates to all riding in very useful ways. It also translates to other disciplines as well, as many of the exercises are about posture and maintaining a "soft" focus, which means being able to see what goes on around one without focusing specifically on one thing. Personally, I find it useful in riding but also in ballroom dancing. So, there may be some cross-over interest here for people in other disciplines.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780312127343
Author:
MacFarland, Jean
Author:
Noble, Mike
Illustrator:
MacFarland, Jean
Author:
MacFarland, Jean
Author:
Emerson, Edward E.
Author:
Noble, Mike
Publisher:
St. Martin's Press
Location:
New York :
Subject:
General
Subject:
Horses - Riding
Subject:
Horsemanship
Subject:
Equestrian
Copyright:
Edition Number:
15
Edition Description:
Trade Cloth
Series Volume:
47
Publication Date:
January 1985
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
, Y
Pages:
198
Dimensions:
9.50 x 8.25 in

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