Centered Riding® is not a style of riding, like English or Western. It is not a discipline like Dressage, Jumping, or just trail riding. It is not a method of training the horse. What CR is however, is a methodology for learning, the goal of which is to produce riders who are both mentally and physically balanced, and do not block the horses movement. The horse knows how to walk, trot and canter by itself, watching them out in the field shows this. But when the rider is on his back, the situation is radically changed. Now the horse must balance for both. The rider gets in the horse’s way; feet become heavy resulting in tripping and transitions that are both leaden and jarring. A horse suffering from discomfort, tension or confusion will never have a free, supple and balanced body. A centered and balanced rider with good awareness of their own body and a feel for the horse’s movement can help that horse develop the correct musculature that is necessary for it to move with balance and freedom. These techniques were brought together/developed by Sally Swift, pulling from diverse sources such as martial arts, the Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais and others. They were refined by decades of teaching both competitive and non competitive riders, and finally published in book form where the term Centered Riding was coined. The books ran to many editions, were translated into many languages and finally a second book was published. Both books are still in print. Finally the Centered Riding association was created to promote awareness, provide educational services, and qualify CR instructors and clinicians