A Tribute to Sally Swift

Sally Swift is the most selfless, giving person that I have ever met. We all know of her incredible intelligence, and her ability to instill the knowledge of teaching that she possessed to all of the people that she met and all of her Centered Riding Instructors. She could have arranged for Centered Riding to bring her an impressive income, receiving a portion for any clinic given, but that was not important to her. She instead encouraged her instructors to give to a scholarship fund if they wished to give something back. 

I was fortunate to be able to work a bit  with Sally so that I could get to know her better. I remember when she was giving a presentation at the Ohio Equine Affair. There were several Centered Riding Instructors with her, and it was late at night. We were all exhausted and wanted to sleep. We were all in the same room with Sally. Sally, who was in her late eighties at the time, was writing notes about her presentation for the next day. That is how meticulous she was. She of course knew the material so well as it was HER material, but she said she wanted it to be perfect for that venue. Finally some of us just fell asleep anyway. We did not have her stamina.

Another time I was assisting at a clinic in Vermont. Sally had just entered the ring and sat in her chair covered with that wonderful sheepskin blanket. She had been sitting about 30 seconds when she said to me, "Mitzi, go fix that rider over there...her toes are clenched."I went over to do body work with that rider and, of course, that was just what was going on.

Another memory, and I am certain she would not mind me sharing, was at an ARICP convention in New Jersey. She was honored there among all those instructors. I have a picture of her sitting on a chair speaking with about twenty of us gathered about her on the floor as if we were listening to a wise Buddha, which she was. Sally went to the lectern to give her talk. I would guess there were over 350 people there. The stand on which she was leaning did not support her, and in the middle of her talk with all of those people listening, she fell!  She was helped up  and made her way a bit shakily back to the platform. But you could tell that the whole atmosphere of the room had changed. Everyone was so upset, so shaken by the incident that could have been so serious. So how did this wonderfully proper New England lady handle this.She said into the microphone, "Well, at least I didn't pee!" The whole  room erupted into laughter which released the tension and she continued with her talk.

My last memory of Sally was last fall when I was judging a horse show not far from Brattleboro. I looked up and there was Sally sitting by the side of the ring with the woman who cared for her. I was so surprised, honored, and pleased. She said that she had come to watch me, and then she said I was doing a "really good"job. As we all know, Sally was very supportive but did not give compliments lightly, so that meant so much for me.

I am in Europe now, and was in Ireland when I heard the news. So many people have emailed me or consoled me when they heard the sad news about her passing. But we all know that her legacy, her kindness, her focus, and her love for riders and their horses will carry us through the rest of our lives.


Mitzi Summers