Customer Reviews

BodySense: Revolutionize Your Riding with the Alexander Technique

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First let me say, I took Alexander lessons and they have made a wonderful difference in not just my riding but also my health. Unfortunately this book will not give you the information to apply Alexander techniques to your riding, depite the author's attempt to explain what Alexander is about.

This new edition of the (imho) best book available on the AT applied to horseriding is a must-have for any rider who wants the elusive independent seat. Horse-riding tuition so often neglects the whole subject of the RIDER'S way of going and focuses on "position" rather than the quality of thought and the quality of muscle tone necessary to establish clear and relaxed communication between horse and rider. Once that is present, the desired "position" is easy to acquire and maintain. In fact, the correct position is a side effect or consequence of the natural poise regained by learning and applying the Alexander Technique, in everyday life as well as in riding Not only does this book do "what it says on the tin" ( ie, cover), but it is also an excellent general introductory book on the Technique itself. Sally is to be commended in particular for managing to avoid the "evil" of separating "mind" and "body", so hated by Alexander and so common in some recent introductory books on the AT. Like any AT teacher, I have quibbles with a few sentences, but these are very few and far between, and, as an experienced teacher (20 yrs)who works regularly with riders, yet is not a rider, I have found the book an invaluable resource for myself and my "horsey" pupils. You cannot learn the AT from a book, as it is experiential learning, (like horse-riding itself) but the clear text and pertinent illustrations are an excellent introduction and accompaniment to Alexander lessons.
Dr Miriam Wohl ([...])