Connected Riding: An Introduction can be your first step to dancing with your horse. Based on biomechanics of movement, Connected Riding teaches riders to synchronize their movements with those of their horses to create more ease and better performance. In this book, you'll learn how to influence the horse's movement through an effective position and an elastic connection, allowing you to let go of compressive, energy-draining techniques. If your riding has become stressful, painful, frustrating or "stuck," Connected Riding can help you, because it will restore motion, life and partnership to your riding; a method for all disciplines and all levels of riding!

A practical guide to using reward-based training techniques to create a true partnership with your horse. This leads to lifelong connection, effective problem-solving and joyful performance.

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.

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.

The director of the riding program at Sweet Briar College for more than 30 years, Cronin is a well-known and highly respected trainer and riding instructor. Here he presents a clear and practical guide to getting the most out of a horse in a humane and sensitive way.

Horses, by their very nature, are mythic creatures — they represent in our collective imagination aspects of the human journey at its greatest. In Riding into Your Mythic Life, therapeutic riding instructor Patricia Broersma invites readers on an experiential journey of transformation with these powerful creatures, offering ways to explore life’s events as part of one’s own mythic journey. Broersma has developed her theories over twenty years of working with horses and children with special needs, as well as through a twelve-year series of horse camps for teenagers and weekend workshops for adults. Riding into Your Mythic Life offers readers the opportunity to explore and expand human potential through powerful experiences with horses and mythology. These experiences teach skills for developing intuition, compassion, and leadership, and ultimately for stepping into one’s greater life.

With proper training, any horse can become a great riding companion out on the trail. It's a matter of learning how to adapt your experience to your particular horse. Fully illustrated lessons in trail riding start with the differences in working with a retired jumper, an actively competing reiner, or even a natural-born trail horse. The section on riding techniques helps you use what you already know from hunter-jumper, dressage, or other experiences. Both solitary and group riding get special attention, as does handling different types of parks and paths. The full range of possible spooking challenges covers encountering animals, heavy traffic, weather, and children, as well as tripping, hoof injuries, mounting and dismounting in unusual situations, and other emergencies.

Recently updated and extended, Trail Riding joins the experience and enthusiasm of equestrian Micaela Myers with the wisdom of Horse Illustrated to bring this definitive guide to beginning trail riders. The book covers the fundamentals of America's #1 equestrian pasttime;from picking out the right gear and training your horse for the trail to planning your jaunt and learning proper trail manners. Complete with step-by-step instructions, countless tips, full-color photos, and an easy-to-use glossary, this guide takes the guesswork out of trail riding.