Centered Riding

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional riding knowledge from a true master!
Review: After picking riding back up as an adult, I found that I was over thinking and had become a very rigid, "un-flowing" rider. After many lessons it still didn't click until I read this book! What a breakthrough! Sally Swift has the ability to explain the connection between you and your horse like no other author. I highly recommend this for any rider - beginner or advanced. Thank you Sally!

Rating:
Summary: The title says it all.
Review: And I mean all. I got very little out of this book. I needed more practical descriptions rather than "center yourself," "breathe," "let your arms be one with the reins," etc. Visualization and airy-fairy language is not enough. "Like" this book must have sprung from the 70s hippy era.

Rating:
Summary: FIVE STARS IS NOT ENOUGH!
Review: As a professional equestrienne I have no doubt that Ms Swift has revelutionized the equestrian industry. This is the only book you will ever need to improve your skills, develope a lasting and caring relationship with your horse and achieve every goal you set out to achieve. Her method transcends every discipline. Without Centered Riding you are slowly pounding your favourite mount into an early grave. Take this book to heart it may save the life of the horse you love.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite old standby
Review: As a rider and instructor, this is a great guide to any style of riding. I have given it as a gift to many of my students. Innovative teaching methods that work is what it boils down to. The methods are easy for young children to understand because there are a lot of imaginative descriptions and illustrations, but at the same time, will not dumb down riding for adults. It's not a how-to book, but more of a new way to look at your riding from the horse up. It's been around for years, and it's still on every horsepersons' shelf, and for good reason.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite old standby
Review: As a rider and instructor, this is a great guide to any style of riding. I have given it as a gift to many of my students. Innovative teaching methods that work is what it boils down to. The methods are easy for young children to understand because there are a lot of imaginative descriptions and illustrations, but at the same time, will not dumb down riding for adults. It's not a how-to book, but more of a new way to look at your riding from the horse up. It's been around for years, and it's still on every horsepersons' shelf, and for good reason.

Rating:
Summary: The REAL Riders' Bible! - for Non-riders, too!
Review: As a trainer, instructor, and breeder, I highly recommend this book for riders and non riders alike. It has become the bible of my teaching philosophy and has influenced my life, posture, and mental preparation in areas far beyond the realm of my horse-related career. I have recommended it to school teachers, and physical therapists (one who is using it to help my mother recover from traumatic brain injury as a result of a horrific car accident.) Easy to read and packed with illustrations, it can be absorbed by different learning types. My students are all advised to own it, and it's a gift I give to dedicated training horse clients. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: A great book for beginning or advanced riders.
Review: As an adult just starting to ride, this book helped me to visualize how to balance and explained some useful riding techniques. It also made me aware of how a rider's body really affects her horse! Though sometimes difficult to do the exercises during a formal lesson, these techniques can be practiced and referred back to as I progress. Great pictures and instructor recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Entirely useless
Review: Having heard so much about this great, breakthrough book, I was really disappointed. The approach to riding was certainly unusual, but I found none of the images helpful in any way, and in fact if you follow her images closely, you will end up riding incorrectly, as is apparent by the incorrect position seen in many of the pictures throughout the book. She falls into the common trap of thinking riding is about relaxing and balancing, rather than a highly athletic endeavor that requires strong isotonic contractions of many muscles, primarily the abs and thigh muscles.

Rating:
Summary: Very, Very helpfull
Review: I am 17 and training my own unbalanenced horse. By reading this book and learning to center my OWN riding, I was able to help him to become more balanced. I now have a better position and something to visualize when I am riding if I feel myself becoming uncentered. This book was extremely helpfull with my entire way of sitting. Many of her ideas can be transfered into other aspects of life too, dancing is one such example. I have found that all of her techniques too be helpfull in jumping as well as dressage. Dakota is now happier when I get on, and keeps his attention on me for a longer period of time

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely amazing! more than 100%!
Review: I do recommend this book for all riders, specially those that are having any kind of pain riding horses. Ms. Swift had a serious back problem and in her book she explains exactly why it happens and how you can save your body and your horse, using very good examples and pictures to show it. This book is tecnically perfect for riders that are looking forward to do a good work and to help their horses to have fun beeing ridden.