Denny Emerson, the eminent three-day event rider, was especially impressed with Swift's concepts and techniques. "'You've got to write this down,' he told me," she says. His and others' enthusiasm led to her first book, which in turn sped the already growing network of Centered Riding enthusiasts and clinicians.
Still Blooming
You could say Swift has taken the concept of "late bloomer" to new heights. "She established Centered Riding at a time in her life when most consider themselves done with serious work," notes Susan Harris. "She's the ultimate lifelong learner. She never gets to the point where she thinks, 'There. I'm done.'"
Clearly, much of her success in founding Centered Riding has been due to sheer determination. "She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it," observes Bump. "She doesn't mince words, either. If she needs to tell you something, she'll tell you straight out, boom. She's honest."
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- How the body works is at the heart of Swift's innovative approach to riding.
- Photo by Darrell Dodds
Though she no longer travels, Swift still conducts clinics and instructs at Bump's Brattleboro facility. Her world isn't limited to horses and teaching, however. "There are many sides to her," says Bump. "She and her sister both love to sail. She also loves music, especially classical. She goes to many concerts and has many musical friends. She's even applied the basics of Centered Riding to musical instruction--there's now such a thing as Centered Singing."
Indeed, Swift says, two things guaranteed to make her cry are a brass marching band ("I don't know why") and a beautiful performance with a horse. Her most prized possession, though, is her ability to teach.
"I feel so happy to have come full circle and be teaching again," she says. "Life has fed me well, and I'm content. It seems doors have opened for me all along the way. I think that's because I've learned if you have a decision to make, don't force it," she adds, reflecting what might be called t'ai chi of the mind. "Sit back and watch the world go around a little, and the right choice will come to you."
Now that her second book is out, she says she's ready to behave more like a retired person. "I know Centered Riding can manage without me," she says with satisfaction. "I can sit back and let the world roll."
Somehow that seems an unlikely prospect for this hard-working, pioneering horsewoman.
CENTERING ON THE BASICS
The principles of Centered Riding rest upon these basics:
- Breathing from your abdomen, using your diaphragm to draw air in as effortlessly as a bellows. This so-called "belly breathing" enhances relaxation and lowers your center of gravity. The effect on your horse can be dramatic--you can actually "breathe him to quietness," says Swift.
- Soft eyes, or a broader-view gaze, as opposed to a focused stare. Soft eyes allow a greater field of vision, increased awareness of your own and your horse's body, less tension, freer forward movement and better breathing. "Hard eyes inhibit your breathing and produce tension," says Swift.
- Building blocks, or proper balance, with each part of your body aligned according to your and your horse's center of gravity. This enables you to remain properly positioned and your horse to move with freedom and fluidity. "Think of children's building blocks and how they must be stacked to remain standing," suggests Swift.
- Centering, a mostly mental process with a surprisingly physical result. Centering is finding and operating from your true center, located down low and deep inside you, just in front of the bottom of your spine. Centering lowers your center of gravity, giving you a deeper seat and extraordinary security in the saddle. "It makes you bottom-heavy, like one of those pop-up dolls that are weighted at the bottom so they always right themselves, no matter how you tip them," says Swift.
- Grounding, or becoming fully aware of your connection (through your seat, legs and feet) with your horse and (through your horse) with the ground. "Being grounded enables you to feel at one with your horse and to influence his movement without developing resistance in you or in him," says Swift.
For more information on Centered Riding principles, materials and clinics, visit www.centeredriding.org.
