Testimonials

I’ve been taking riding lessons with Cindi Leisure for one year. Before that I had not been on a horse for nearly 30 years but remember the pleasure I had from riding western as a kid growing up in Texas. When I began with Cindi I did not know what my riding goals were other than I wanted to learn to ride reasonably well. I chose Cindi because I liked the idea of centered riding as it incorporates awareness of the rider’s mind/body, the horse’s mind/body, and awareness of how much “holding” patterns (stress and tension) affect both.

Cindi is an incredibly skilled teacher and is extremely professional and knowledgeable. If you have the good fortune to watch her ride you can see the quality in her remarkable presence, grace and skill. If you want to really see what “centered” is – watch Cindi ride. It’s hard to put into words, but you can recognize it instantly – even if you don’t know that much about riding. I believe she is an artist and probably one of the best teachers one can have. During the lessons, Cindi gives you her “all” during the entire session and is remarkably observant, empathic and dedicated. She believes in you, has confidence in you, therefore you feel much respected by her. I trust Cindi and she continually encourages me to reach just a bit further and challenge myself. However, she is very conscious of safety and never asks me do to anything that she doesn’t know I am capable of doing, even before I realize it. She has many ways of teaching the principles and techniques, so if I don’t get it one way she will find another way to communicate the skills until I do “get it”.

I decided to begin taking riding lessons several months before I turned 50. I have some back problems and some mild arthritis. Although I exercise regularly, before I began riding, I used to awaken feeling stiff had lower and upper back pain for years and have always had lousy posture. Now I have much less back pain and move with more grace and confidence. People at work tell me that I am more graceful. I also find myself incorporating many of the “teachings” into my daily life. The experience has made such a difference in my life and I look forward to my lessons as they have given me so much satisfaction, confidence and self-esteem. Thank you, Cindi.

In July of 2006 I began my rewarding lessons in Centered Riding with Cindi. It has been an inspiring and challenging journey, just what I was seeking at the age of forty-five. I had owned horses throughout my adult years and had ridden bareback all of my life but had never received any formal training.

I have been a massage therapist by profession since 1979 and Centered Riding has reaffirmed many things that I learned in my massage training. Centered Riding has taught me how to realign my body posture and connect more with my breathing patterns throughout the day and it has made a tremendous difference in reducing my muscle tensions. In my riding lessons my body parts were initially stiff and rebellious in learning how to function independently of one another, but with much diligence that has finally begun to change. I am much more aware of my body mechanics, breathing and centering from my core in order to maximize my strength and energy flow. I love learning the Centered Riding and Connected Riding techniques and have had the awesome ability to convey the same kind of energy to my horse.

Cindi has been an incredible instructor, teaching me with professionalism, diligence and creativity to accommodate my visual disability. I look forward to many more years of lessons to challenge me through the various levels of riding.

Student for 1 year

Cindi personifies the ideal combination of highly skilled, educated practitioner (she can ride!), and excellent, credentialed instructor. She is able to break down and verbalize the art and craft of riding into logical, progressive pieces that can be easily and readily understood by both body and mind.

Her ability to communicate the often subtle and crucial details of body placement, alignment, tone, carriage and more always with respect for the student's level of comprehension, skill and emotion for equitation has been pivotal to my education as an adult beginner rider.

Her willingness to invest in and help establish a firm basic foundation for riding in her students is evidenced by her dedication to reinforcing and polishing the essential basic body mechanics of equitation, again always with a high degree of professional sensitivity to the rider's skill and ability level.

Cindi gives 100% of her talent, skill and professionalism with the expectation that her students give back with a very healthy "try"!

Patrice