Welcome to my Home Page.
I am based 16 miles north of Glasgow, Scotland. I am available as a freelance riding and horsemanship coach throughout Central Scotland to work with you and your own horse at your premises. My teaching is based on the revolutionary Centered Riding® techniques pioneered by American Sally Swift; the emphasis is on developing body awareness and on helping riders to understand 'how' to do 'what' other instructors ask them to do.
What is Centered Riding®, and how can I benefit?
‘Centered Riding’ is a teaching & learning technique.
It emphasises building awareness in the rider, and helps riders and coaches understand the why and how of riding, not just what to do.
Traditional ‘what to do’ ways of teaching riding often come from a military background, where large numbers of fit young men were successfully taught to ride in a short space of time. Most riders nowadays are not cavalry recruits. Using Centered Riding techniques requires the coach to be aware of how a rider’s body and mind function and interact, and allows teaching to be sensitive to each rider’s aspirations, abilities, confidence and level of experience.
Once the basics have been taught the emphasis of teaching and schooling often switches to the horse; improving his way of going, teaching him new movements or ironing out problems. In the process, the profound influence of the rider's 'way of going' is consistently overlooked, with the result that the horse struggles to compensate for the rider, and the rider may struggle to follow the instructor's directions.
A Centered Riding® instructor has a good understanding of horse and rider anatomy and biomechanics, has studied balance, movement and the interactions between body and mind, and can apply this knowledge in a sympathetic and effective way.
Centered Riding® takes the focus back to the rider, providing exercises on and off the horse which enhance body awareness and feel, helping riders to recognise areas of tension and imbalance. It gives you simple, easily remembered and effective techniques and exercises to take away and use whenever you ride.
Centered Riding® techniques can be applied across all equestrian disciplines; lessons give riders tools to use during schooling, competition or training in their particular speciality. Everyone can benefit, from leisure riders to serious competitors.
Click here to find out more.
Centered Riding® lessons are £30 per hour for individuals
or £25 per person for a shared lesson plus travel.
What is Centered Riding®, and how can I benefit?
‘Centered Riding’ is a teaching & learning technique.
It emphasises building awareness in the rider, and helps riders and coaches understand the why and how of riding, not just what to do.
Traditional ‘what to do’ ways of teaching riding often come from a military background, where large numbers of fit young men were successfully taught to ride in a short space of time. Most riders nowadays are not cavalry recruits. Using Centered Riding techniques requires the coach to be aware of how a rider’s body and mind function and interact, and allows teaching to be sensitive to each rider’s aspirations, abilities, confidence and level of experience.
Once the basics have been taught the emphasis of teaching and schooling often switches to the horse; improving his way of going, teaching him new movements or ironing out problems. In the process, the profound influence of the rider's 'way of going' is consistently overlooked, with the result that the horse struggles to compensate for the rider, and the rider may struggle to follow the instructor's directions.
A Centered Riding® instructor has a good understanding of horse and rider anatomy and biomechanics, has studied balance, movement and the interactions between body and mind, and can apply this knowledge in a sympathetic and effective way.
Centered Riding® takes the focus back to the rider, providing exercises on and off the horse which enhance body awareness and feel, helping riders to recognise areas of tension and imbalance. It gives you simple, easily remembered and effective techniques and exercises to take away and use whenever you ride.
Centered Riding® techniques can be applied across all equestrian disciplines; lessons give riders tools to use during schooling, competition or training in their particular speciality. Everyone can benefit, from leisure riders to serious competitors.
Click here to find out more.
Centered Riding® lessons are £30 per hour for individuals
or £25 per person for a shared lesson plus travel.