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Dressage is often seen as the most formal and controlled of the equine sports, following an ancient, standardized training progression. For philosopher and dressage instructor Dr. Sherry Ackerman, dressage is much more. It — along with riding in general — can be a transformational art and an avenue for reflection, exploration, and self-knowledge through which a rider can experience liberation from the individual, egoistic self. This second, revised edition of Dressage in the Fourth Dimension is a pioneer work in awakening “dressage consciousness.” Drawing on such diverse sources as sacred geometry, ancient Western and Eastern philosophies, and esoteric spirituality, Ackerman seeks to heal humanity’s alienation from nature through riding. She points us toward the liberation from societal conditioning and normative thinking, and, ultimately, from our own egos. Her concept of the fourth dimension requires us to leave the analytic, objective mind behind and enter into the mystery of inspiration. A short, unique, thought-provoking work that has enjoyed a word-of-mouth reputation among horse people for years, Dressage in the Fourth Dimension will challenge riders’ assumptions about their horses and themselves.
“Enlightening, educational, and self-reflecting, Dressage in the Fourth Dimension is a must-read.” — Pamela J.G. Au, author of Zen and the Horse “Ackerman’s prose is both graceful and dense, offering in each concentrated chapter not just one or two quotable gems but several dozen worthy of posting at the barn or recording in your journal, quotes that will inspire hours of contemplation and conversation.” — from the foreword by Linda Kohanov, author of The Tao of Equus “Dressage in the Fourth Dimension offers us an important piece for building a complete picture of the horse. Sherry Ackerman convincingly articulates the weighty main message of this book: horses have the ability to either liberate us or hurt us. Sherry offers the reader an abundance of valuable, coherent, and considered thinking, inspiring and encouraging us to follow the path of liberation with our horses. She also describes empathetically, on different levels, how we humans can approach the horse in a holistic way, mindful of the cultural, natural, and symbolic aspects the horse shows us.” — Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, author of Dancing with Horses and What Horses Reveal “Sherry Ackerman sees the art of dressage as a means to directly experience oneness. The true language of oneness is poetry, yet Ackerman’s writing remains grounded in her experience with the horse. The time for this book is now!” — Tom Nagel, author of Zen and Horseback Riding “Dressage in the Fourth Dimension is a groundbreaking publication. It’s the first book to address the spiritual side of riding, the Zen aspect of dressage as a path to self-realization....Sherry Ackerman’s book can help the rider find his or her way through the pitfalls of ego and frustration to become a more well-rounded, more balanced rider and a better human being, who gets more enjoyment out of riding and out of life.” — Dr. Thomas Ritter, Ritter Dressage