My Future with Horses

by Yvonne Welz ©2010
September 2010

This is being re-written! Come back soon!

Meanwhile, we recommend these favorite sources of info:

The Classical Riding Club
A Worldwide Organisation - based in Scotland, Founded by Sylvia Loch in 1995 and still growing!
Join for a yearly fee of only about $28 USD and receive online access to a huge library of classical training information! Help support GOOD dressage riding! Network with like-minded horseowners and trainers. This positive group is making a big difference.
http://www.classicalriding.co.uk

Dressage, Naturally with Karen Rohlf
Karen is highly educated in both Grand Prix dressage and Parelli Natural Horsemanship. She can perform upper level dressage movements without any tack at all, and is even schooling her young horses bitless with exemplary form. I highly recommend her book/DVD set, DVDs and online classroom.
http://dressagenaturally.net/

Liberated Horsemanship
Animal behaviorist Bruce Nock, PhD, shares his insights on horse training: tactful communication and gentle training based on modern learning theory and the natural behavior and instinct of horses. Don't miss his books, "Ten Golden Rules of Horse Training" and "Ride For Tomorrow."
http://www.liberatedhorsemanship.com/

Horses for Life online magazine
Fantastic resource for the best in classical riding, as well as controversial articles that rock the boat! Every month they ask the "hard questions," critiquing how horsemen care for and train horses, examining both moral and contemporary issues.
http://www.horsesforlife.com/

Walter Zettl
One of the world's living legends, a great master of classical horsemanship. I highly recommend his books and DVDs, as they offer the clearest explanations of the details of classical riding available anywhere. His method is simply the classical German system of riding, at its very finest. The horse is treated with great love and respect at all times, and is pushed "to the limit" for progress, but never overfaced.
http://www.walterzettl.net/

Anja Beran
She is an incredible German trainer who uses the French (Portugese) system. Her book, "Classical Schooling with the Horse in Mind: Gentle Gymnastic Training Techniques" and her DVD series "Elegant Dressage Training" are highly recommended.
http://www.anjaberan.de/english/

Philippe Karl
Former Ecuyer at the prestigious Cadre Noir in France, this classical horseman is dedicated to training instructors in his School of Légèreté. His book "Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage: A Search for a Classical Alternative" and his DVD series "Classical Dressage The Philosophy of Ease" are highly recommended.
http://www.philippe-karl.com/420/English/Home.html

Fritz Stahlecker
A very inspirational German who follows the older Classical horse-friendly ways of training. He created his own unique system of starting horses in hand, developing collection before their first ride ever takes place. His system, which he calls the Hand-Saddle-Hand method, or HSH, produces amazing results, which can be viewed on his DVD's, "In Hand Work for Young Dressage Horses" parts 1 and 2 (available in from Knight Equestrian Books). A Practical Training Guide is also available directly from him. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. His equipment is also very high quality and well worth the money - his cavesson is hands-down the very best cavesson available anywhere today. This is a bitless method (though bits can be added later). All the reins seem confusing at first, but make total sense once the system is tried - it is phenomenal, and this is how we personally plan to start all our future young horses. (Since Fritz is in his 80's, we are delighted to look forward to so many fruitful horse training years ahead of us.) Make sure to read about his Philosophy:
http://www.hsh-fritz-stahlecker.de/Fritz-Stahlecker.2.0.html?&L=1

Jean-Claude Racinet
My former teacher, he sadly passed away in 2009. He was a living legacy. In addition to his 3 previous books, "Another Horsemanship: A manual of riding in the French Classical tradition", "Racinet explains Baucher" and "Total Horsemanship", he left behind one final work, "Falling for Fallacies: Misleading Commonplace Notions of Dressage Riding". All are must-reads for serious equestrians.

Yvonne riding Belle, May 2009

Yvonne riding Kendra, May 2009