Book Review - by Anne Gribbons
Chronicle Dec. 31, 2004
A GYMNASTIC RIDING SYSTEM Using Mind, Body & Spirit

Reprinted by permission of The Chronicle of the Horse.
Visit www.chronofhorse.com to subscribe

Betsy's book, A Gymnastic Riding System using Mind, Body & Spirit, comes from a different angle, concentrating on the relationship between the human body and the equine body. She talks about the mental relationship with our horses, but the emphasis is on body control. Using the official FEI training scale as a basis, Betsy compares the horse's physical attributes and development to that of the rider's in a systematic building of both.
Pilates, the latest passion of the exercise gurus, is Betsy's foundation. She weaves the exercises for the horse and for the rider together to create two athletes and to build their physical strength and stamina at the same time.
Of course, we all know that riding alone won't keep us fit enough to ride really well, and that's why the majority of our top riders are on some kind of physical workout program. But, you may ask, exactly what kind of exercises will improve the strength of my back, legs or upper body? Here's the answer, laid out step by step, illustrated by loads of pictures.
Beginning with the simpler concepts of Pilates, Betsy slowly increases the demands on the rider, moving from floor exercises to the more advanced work on the "Reformer," a truly unique invention in the world of exercise machines.
As you read on, the training scale that previously you probably viewed as a regimen exclusively to train your horse, becomes a program applicable to you. And slowly it dawns on you that lack of suppleness, impulsion or straightness is your problem just as much as your horse's, and that there is a parallel between the things your body needs to learn and what your horse's body needs to learn.
One of the key concepts is body coordination - of both horse and riders. Alignment of the horse to enable him to travel straight, and alignment of the rider to enable her or him to sit evenly and straight over the horse's back, are discussed in detail.
But above it all reigns the word "core," which in this book takes a central part and refers to three abdominal muscles, which are used in a dynamic manner during all movements and in all positions of Pilates training.
One of the many references to this, in the Betsy's Tips sidebars, sums up what I think good riders do by instinct: "Much dressage work above the lowest levels requires a great deal of body coordination on the part of the rider. The aids for many movements require dead-on accurate timing, the ability to stay centered and grounded in your 'core,' the synchronized use of your entire body, and the ability to make rapid-fire changes in your body position."
Betsy includes a pyramid of training for the student of Pilates, which deals with building your body to awareness, control and strength - and that dovetails with what we're trying to create in our horses.
Betsy calls her system "Equilates," and I believe she's truly created a workable program. It's easy to follow, although not so easy to excel at without a persistent and honest effort. I suspect I know where she's going with this: She's hoping to create horses and riders so in tune with each other that they appear to be Centaurs.