Every rider should enjoy riding. In order to do this the most important prerequisite is the balance between horse and rider. The rider has to be able to independently and smoothly follow the movement of the horse without disrupting it. (Eckhard Meyners)
The basic requirement for the co-operation of the horse is a corresponding training. This entails bringing the back into a slightly arched position (Dr. Gerd Heuschmann), so that the back muscles of the horse are able to move more flexibly. It’s always so fascinating to see how much the movement of the horse can improve after the back is able to ‘swing’
The so called scale of training is for me the basis of all training. Of course, it is not possible to place all riders and all horses into one schematic, because each case is individual. However, the six points of the scale of training are the steps which should lead the way to a complete training program.
The most basic building block for a successful training is first of all that the horse and the rider trust each other. A consistent and disciplined training, which is necessary for a proven success, must never include violence. A destroyed feeling of trust is near to impossible to fix even with the best training.
An important addition is the tendency to practice ‘minimalism’. Everything should move forward easily. With the least possible effort, the largest possible achievement should be attainable. Let us turn our backs on forceful riding, which often is falsely proclaimed as being ‘professional’. This type of riding is only a forceful bending of the horse into the position desired without the basic development or training of the horse.
And never forget: Riding should be enjoyable.
Rick Klaassen or in other words:
"How to turn a chore into your passion -
For a passionate rider like myself, riding lessons were a necessity in ones own barn. The most important thing to me in this time of my life was riding!
I decided to concentrate on specializing in giving lessons. In fact I began to concentrate more on the theoretical part of riding instead of mainly using demonstration to teach my students. For me this was a new situation. My goal was to enable my students, by means of their own abilities, to use the knowledge I had given them to school their horses. From this change in my teaching strategies a whole knew spectrum of possibilities opened up for me. This at first foreign but later fascinating learning process, still comes in handy as I climb into the saddle and demonstrate to my students my teaching methods.
One thing that I have surely learned, and which I use when teaching my local students as well as my national and international students, is that:
Riding should be fun
Regardless at which level
Regardless with which horse
Regardless of whether I am teaching an ambitious hobby rider, a beginning show rider, or a rider showing in the highest level.
I continually try to make it clear that the ‘dressage’ type of riding and training of the horse is not only for pure dressage riders. Jumpers and event riders have to work with their horses and train them the ‘dressage way’ just like ambitious hobby riders who just want to take their horse out of for a trail ride. Even the breed of the horse makes no difference. It doesn’t matter whether the horse is a ‘normal’ warm blood or a baroque horse.
For this reason I offer training and seminars fundamentally for ALL riders and ALL horses.
The expertise from the co-work with Eckart Meyners (Assistant Professor for educational Sport Science on the University of Lüneburg) and Dr. Gerd Heuschmann (Veterinarian for horses, Warendorf) has become a permanent part of my training program."
~ Rick Klaassen, Dressage-Team
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