Centered Riding is not a style of riding as are dressage, hunter seat, or Western. Rather, it is a way of reeducating a rider’s mind and body to achieve greater balance in order to better communicate with the horse. Founder Sally Swift revolutionized riding by showing that good use of the human body makes a world of difference on horseback. Early in her work, she established what she calls the “Four Basics” — centering, breathing, soft eyes, and building blocks—which, together with grounding, are the main tenets of her method. When a rider learns and maintains these basics, then harmony between horse and human is possible.

Sally Swift’s first book, Centered Riding, made its revolutionary appearance in 1985 and continues as one of the best-selling horse books of all time. This second book doesn't replace the first one, it complements it. In the intervening years, Centered Riding continued to evolve, and Sally inevitably developed many new concepts and fresh imagery, all of which are presented here.

Sally Swift iwa world-renowned as the founder of Centered Riding® and had been leading a revolution in rider awareness for 30 years. Many of her groundbreaking techniques for riders are drawn from her use of the Alexander Technique, the study of anatomy, and other bodywork methods used for her own physical therapy to treat scoliosis. The book Centered Riding first took the horse world by storm in 1985 with innovative ideas such as “building blocks,” “soft eyes,” “centering,” and “breathing.” Sally continued to develop her ideas over the years and proudly oversaw a Centered Riding® organization with an active membership and many instructors Sally trained herself to carry on her legacy of good riding. Sally died in April 2009 three weeks shy of her 96th birthday.

Ch 1 The Validity of Centered Riding
Ch 2 Mechanics of Learning
Ch 3 Four Basics and Grounding
Ch 4 Use of Self
Ch 5 Learning Balance and Relaxation
Ch 6 The Following Seat
Ch 7 The Horse Is Your Mirror--His Body Reflections Yours
Ch 8 Raise the Horse's Back Through Transitions
Ch 9 Develop the Horse's Muscles through Circles and Turns
Ch 10 Gain Extra Stability from Riding in Three Seats at Trot
Ch 11 Discover Shared Energy
Ch 12 Feel the Alternating Sides of the Horse's Body
Ch 13 Improve Communication through the Quality of Your Aids
Ch 14 Learn Straightness Before Lateral Work
Ch 15 The Joyful Canter
Ch 16 Hands That Help, Not Hinder
Ch 17 Centered Jumping
Ch 18 Reducing Pain through Centered Riding
Ch 19 What You Have Learned from Centered Riding