Alexander Technique instructor highlights the benefits
for both horse and rider

The Alexander Technique is a system to integrate the mind and body, evolved by FM Alexander. It aims to re-balance the whole organism and restore efficient functioning. It does this by treating the mind and body as one and by dealing with causes rather than symptoms. Its basic premise is that humans tend to abuse their body's natural posture and balance by adopting bad habits (rather like badly schooled horses) so that the body loses its natural balance and movement reflexes and succumbs to tense and strained movements.

The technique is taught on a one-to-one basis and encourages the student to rcover natural good use of their body. It is a wonderful experience for anyone in any walk of life, but for the rider, is even more exciting. The technique offers the rider an upright posture, free of rigidity - the foundation of the riding position. Having a strong and supple back, and knowing how to use it is a major concern to all riders, along with the independent use of limbs achieved freely and efficiently.

Not only can the rider apply the principles of sitting with poise and balance on the horse but the horse will start to use itself corrctly without pushing or pulling. As the rider frees and lengthens the spine, they gain precise use of the legs, unhampered by old restrictive movements and the same happens to the horse. Communication between the two becomes clearer and more subtle.

"The Alexander Technique makes the rider more aware of their own posture, balance and coordination and, if the rider has better self-carriage on the horse, it makes it easier for the horse to go correctly" says Laura Fry, international dressage rider.

Applying the Alexander Technique can have a beneficial effect on the mental state of the rider. It develops a more judicious attitude and reduces over- reaction. The Alexander Technique compliments rather than substitutes for good riding tuition and is a valuable aid for the rider and thereby beneficial to the horse.

Gloria Pullen has been involved with horses from childhood and has a lot of professional experience both as a rider and and an instructor in all the disciplines - show jumping, eventing, dressage and even racing. Nowadays Gloria's main interest is classical dressage, particularly in the style of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, and she has had extensive tuition from two former pupils of the school, Charles Harris and Danny Pevsner, both fellows of the British Horse Society (the latter also a teacher of the Alexander Technique).

Gloria trained as a teacher of the Alexander Technique under Walter and Dilys Carrington. She qualified in 1984 and has since been teaching professionally, both privately and on the training course for AT student teachers at the Constructive Teaching Centre in London. She specialises in combining the priciples of the Alexander Technique with the teaching of horsemanship and has taught in many different countries. Gloria gives lessons on a one to one basis. She works with riders on the horse or on a saddle mounted on a wooden horse.