Sally Speaks: What Centered Riding Means to Me It gives me great pleasure to be able to speak with you directly through this monthly eNewsletter. I know that you are going to like the educational information that you will be receiving about Centered Riding over the coming months and, hopefully, for many years to come.
Ever since I was a tiny girl, I have loved horses. My first introduction to riding a horse came when I was only two or three years old. Back then, the garbage man came along with a horse and wagon to collect the trash. My mom and I would wait by the window and rush out to see him as he arrived in front of our house. The excitement would well up inside of me as I ran out the front door and journeyed down the front path to see my four-legged friend. Up they would lift me to sit on the garbage man's horse. Of course, I didn't go anywhere, but just sitting on his back brought such a thrill! It imprinted a memory that would never be forgotten for the next ninety-three years. Who would have known back then that my rendezvous with the garbage man would be a sign of good things to come! Some sixty-three years later, at the age of 65, my love of horses inspired me as I started teaching the concepts of what is now known as Centered Riding. Upon my "retirement" from my job with the Holstein Association of America, I began to teach riding to my friends. Before long, I was traveling up and down the east coast teaching many people. Now the teachers I taught are teaching new teachers across the United States, Canada and in many European countries. Centered Riding has brought so much meaning to my life over the last thirty years. Now, at almost 95 years of age, I live with great satisfaction and pride, feeling that I have accomplished what I set out to do. I am blessed with the feeling that my life and my dreams have come full circle. It warms my heart when I receive correspondence from people all over the world, sometimes from young children, telling me what a difference Centered Riding has made to them as teachers, riders and for their horses. Centered Riding is not about lofty ideals or selling books. For me, Centered represents all that is good in today's world, and the people I have come to know through this "centered" journey have become my friends and family. As I write this today, I realize that Centered Riding was my vision of what can be when we tear down the human armor and give a little of ourselves to one another and our four legged friends. The Basics of Centered Riding By Sally Swift, Founder of Centered Riding In 1985, my first book Centered Riding was published by Trafalgar Square. I am so pleased that my book is now published in fourteen different languages. Together with my second book, "Centered Riding II - Further Explorations, more than 600,000 copies have been sold worldwide! "Centered Riding" is an innovative way of expressing the classical principles of riding using body awareness, centering and imagery. You can use Centered Riding for all seats and styles of riding. Centered Riding is based on a knowledge of human and horse anatomy, balance, movement and on understanding how the mind affects the body and both affect the horse. Centered Riding is based upon four basics as follows: [] Soft Eyes. Soft eyes encourage visual and physical awareness, better peripheral vision, and improved "feel." [] Breathing. Proper breathing involves using the diaphragm for better posture, relaxation and energy. [] Centering. Using the center of balance, movement and control located deep in the body gives quiet strength, harmony and power. [] Building Blocks (Balance). Using building blocks aligns the rider's body with the horse's body for improved balance, straightness, and ease of movement. These four basics, along with clear intent (for effective control, direction and use of aids) and grounding (for stability and balance) promote freedom of movement, confidence and harmony between horse and rider. Applying these basics to any discipline can help solve many problems riders will encounter. Judy http://iceryder.net http://clickryder.com
