Dawn Ruthven

Classroom #1 (RCMP Barn)

10:15am - Centred Riding

Dawn brings us her vast knowledge of Centred Riding, a balanced, gentle, and effective riding technique developed originally by Sally Swift. In this lecture, Dawn will touch on the importance of correct body work, specific areas of the body rather than muscles, the four basics and grounding in riding. She will also explain the Alexander Technique and how this technique applies so strongly to Centred Riding.

This summer Dawn Ruthven hopes to become a Centurion. To do so, you must ride a test at an A level competition in front of recognized judges, and you and your horses' age must add up to 100 years. To say Dawn has grown up with horses is putting it mildly. She was riding at age 2 in India where she was born to Scottish parents, her father being a cavalry officer, and also a polo player. Dawn carried on riding all through her school years. Dawn began giving riding lessons to neighbourhood children, and soon a wonderful group of people formed the first Pony Club, which eventually developed into about 140 children, with lessons being taught at 8 rings around the area.

Dawn also became interested in dressage. Seriously lacking the depth of knowledge needed for dressage, a group was formed to start Cadora. She applied for her Judging Certificate in 1962. Concentrating mainly on dressage, Dawn had been judging in Canada for 28 years and in the States for 10 years, before retiring in 2002.

Dawn became very interested in Sally Swift's Centered Riding. In 1986 she started taking trips back and forth to the States to work on her qualification to teach Centered Riding. Working her way through the levels every year, she got her level IV Instructors Qualification in 2000. She has been teaching Centered riding in the States and Canada for the last 20 years. It has given her an appreciation for the difficulties involved in riding, and how essential it is to develop the goals of Centered Riding, namely focus, awareness, balance and feel.