Starting Laterals with Jean Bemelmans

February 12th, 2021
One of Europe's top dressage trainers, Jean Bemelmans, shares his techniques for starting the young horse's lateral work... Read Article Comments Off on Starting Laterals with Jean Bemelmans
 

What made German dressage great? Part 2


In this second part of our in-depth examination of dressage in Germany, we learn about that powerhouse of dressage breeding - the Hanoverians - and meet one of the visionaries who made it happen - Hans Joachim Köhler... Read Article 1 Comment »
 

Balance, self carriage, and the importance of rider position

February 10th, 2021
Words Chris Hector, pictures Ros Neave Carl Hester talks about the development of Valegro’s balance, self carriage, power and expression, and that elusive quality, positive tension: Kit Houghton image Can we talk about positive tension? It looked to me, when we have been watching Charlotte working Valegro, that the incredible quality that she was showing […] Read Article 4 Comments »
 

What made German Dressage Great? Part one

February 9th, 2021
Part 1 of an in-depth survey of what has made German dressage so successful. In this first part, we look at two influences, the Cavalry, and horse breeding with a new updated version of Ludwig Christmann's famous Bloodlines of the Hanoverian... Read Article 2 Comments »
 

From the Top with Isabell Werth

February 6th, 2021
You have been at the top of the sport for so long, but you are not sitting still, your riding keeps evolving… “I think first of all it is because of the daily training, day by day I have seven, eight, nine horses to ride, so this is training enough, and then I try always […] Read Article Comments Off on From the Top with Isabell Werth
 

Wisdom from the great Rosemarie Springer

February 5th, 2021
Rosemarie Springer was one of the most elegant of dressage riders. A graduate of the Willi Schultheis school that preferred sensitive Thoroughbreds, Rosemarie was also a formidable trainer and an advisor to young riders, always gracious, always encouraging, she showed over and over again that stylish, correct riding could also be effective riding… Australian dressage […] Read Article 1 Comment »
 

Top Tip with Laura Graves

February 4th, 2021
Laura Graves with Rebecca Ashton at the QSEC Masterclass Connection for me, is the energy from the hind leg into the contact. The rider’s job is to show the horse the feel.We know we must ride back to front, which is all true, but the second part to the equation, to get the horse sharp […] Read Article Comments Off on Top Tip with Laura Graves
 

Top Tip with Anna-Sophie Fiebelkorn

February 2nd, 2021
Anna-Sophie Fiebelkorn’s passion for riding lies in the early stages of training: “I love to take a horse from unbroken to seven years of age, the time when they are first learning all the exercises. I think it’s boring to ride horses that are like taxis, and you just sit there giving directions.” Anna-Sophie and […] Read Article Comments Off on Top Tip with Anna-Sophie Fiebelkorn
 

Training Horses the Ingrid Klimke Way

February 1st, 2021
In a great new book, Ingrid Klimke takes the reader behind the scenes as she talks about her methods, her mentors, her team... Read Article 6 Comments »
 

Top Tip from Hubertus Schmidt

January 31st, 2021
Chris Hector asked Hubertus Schmidt: What is the secret to being able to have your horse balanced, riding from behind and not just pulling the head and neck in? “I don’t think it is a secret. Years ago, you and I discussed it, and then I was talking about my system, about the stretching in […] Read Article Comments Off on Top Tip from Hubertus Schmidt