Beth Baumert's first book, When Two Spines Align: Dressage Dynamics, was a popular and critical success. Lauded by Olympian Carl Hester as the book he most frequently quotes at clinics, it examined the ways the physical bodies of horse and rider work together-the physics behind riding in balance. In Baumert's new book How Two Minds Meet, she takes us beyond physical harmony to look at the minds of both horse and rider, each complete with its own set of emotions and mental capabilities. Readers will explore: How the mind of the horse works. The rider's "two minds"-the analytical mind and the sensory dimension of the mind (with which the horse more readily identifies). Specific ways to get into the "non-thinking place" where the best communication between horse and rider takes place. Principles of Learning that enable riders to improve the use of the traditional, knowledge-accumulating part of their brains. Nine ideas for boosting your ability to learn, retain, and apply knowledge that's useful in training horses. Methods for organising and "filing" information so it can be best utilised. How to ensure the horse is physically comfortable (balanced) under saddle to allow for a meeting of the minds in the first place. Not only does Baumert explain how to optimise the use of the "thinking mind" in order to become a better learner in the saddle, she provides techniques for maximising mental and emotional harmony with the horse, a state of unity that feels so good, Baumert calls it the "charming addiction"-once a rider has it, she wants to attain it again and again. Feeding this addiction is possible, says Baumert, with the thoughtful, practical insight she shares in these pages.

Within riding there exists a fundamental conflict of interest: The rider needs to have control - their confidence depends on their ability to control the balance of their own body as well as that of their very powerful horse. The horse, by nature, needs to feel free-free in both mind and body to express himself through physical movement. In this book, author Beth Baumert, writer and editor at the internationally recognised equestrian magazine Dressage Today, resolves this conflict by taking a close look at the individual components that make up riding and dressage. Beth provides insight gleaned from years of working with the best riders, trainers, and judges in the dressage world, and details practical ways riders can learn to harness the balance, energies, and forces at play when they're in the saddle. Readers will discover how to use 'positive tension' and what the author calls the four physical 'Powerlines' - Vertical, Connecting, Spiralling, and Visual - to become balanced and effective in the saddle. Readers will then find ways to understand and manage the horse's balance and coordination challenges, including the fact that he is inherently crooked and naturally inclined to do too much with his front end and not enough with his hind. Ultimately, the rider learns to regulate and monitor the horse's rhythm, energy, flexion, alignment, bend, the height and length of his neck, and, finally, his line of travel by properly aligning their spine with his. When the centre of gravity of a balanced rider is directly over the centre of gravity of a balanced horse, that place where two spines align becomes the hub for rider and horse harmony - a dynamic and remarkable riding rapport that yields beautiful performance.