Born in Vienna, Ernst was always involved in horses. His parents bred Icelandic horses and Thoroughbreds, and Ernst competed in international eventing as a junior. In 1973 he joined the Spanish Riding School, where he spent 29 years before moving to Germany to become a full time trainer. Now he divides his time between Europe and America.

He told David Collins in his book, Dressage Masters, “A good rider can feel his way into a horse very quickly. He knows what a horse needs. He must establish harmony between horse and rider. He must not wait for the horse to do this. How much or how little of an aid does a horse need? How can he teach this horse to respond to lighter aids? How can he motivate this horse? The good rider quickly gains the trust and confidence of the horse, because the horse understands his aids.”