Susan E. Harris

Susan E. Harris is an international clinician, riding teacher, equestrian author, and artist from Cortland, New York. She has taught all seats and styles of riding, and has trained, shown, and prepared horses and riders for competition in many equstrian disciplines, including hunters, jumpers, dressage, equitation, eventing, western pleasure and performance, saddle seat, and the pleasure and versatility breeds. Susan directed 5-H Acres School of Horsemanship, a nationally accredited riding instructor school, for 10 years, taught college equine studies and physical education equitation courses, and has been active in training and establishing certification standards for American riding instructors since the 1970s. In 2004 she was honored as a Master Instructor by the American Riding Instructor Association.


A Senior Centered Riding Instructor and Clinician, Susan apprenticed with Sally Swift, the founder of Centered Riding®. She teaches clinics in Centered Riding and in Horse Gaits, Balance, and Movement for instructors, trainers, judges, and riders of all levels and riding interests. Susan's demonstrations, "Anatomy in MotionT: The Visible Horse", in which she paints the bones and muscles on a live horse, and "Anatomy in Motion: The Visible RiderT" have been popular attractions at equine expos and clinics across North America and around the world, including EquineAffaire, Equitana Australia, the American Quarter Horse Congress, the George Morris Horsemastership Clinic at Wellington, FL, and others.
Susan Harris is the author and illustrator of popular horse books, including Horsemanship in Pictures, Horse Gaits, Balance, and Movement, Grooming to Win, the three U.S. Pony Club Manuals of Horsemanship, and the USPC Guides to Longeing, Bandaging, and Conformation. She writes a regular column in EQUUS Magazine, Commonsense Horsemanship with Susan Harris. With Peggy Brown, she produced two DVDs: Anatomy in MotionT I: The Visible Horse, and Anatomy in Motion II: The Visible RiderT. Susan designed the art for the Breyer Anatomy in Motion model horse, and has illustrated many popular horse books.


Susan's study of equine and human anatomy and movement as an artist as well as an instructor, rider and trainer, has given her a unique perspective on how horses and riders balance and move together. Centered Riding techniques can help riders discover how to use their bodies better for improved balance and harmony between horse and rider. Susan's knowledge of horse gaits and movement and wide experience in various breeds and disciplines enable her to help all kinds of riders and horses improve their balance, comfort, movement and performance. Her friendly and positive teaching style and visual approach help to make learning clear, understandable, and enjoyable for English and Western riders of all ages and levels, from 4-H, Pony Club and pleasure riders to instructors, trainers, and competitors. When not traveling, teaching or writing, Susan enjoys dressage, jumping, and trail riding.