Major Anders Lindgren Scholarship Recipient for 2005

DiVinci and I in Germany

by Beth Sproule-Hansen

This past winter I had the opportunity to develop into a training routine with my stallion DiVinci in Germany with Michael Fassbender, a popular dressage trainer in the Dusseldorf area. The time factor here of two months gave my horse a real chance to make progress placed me in a position to experience the German riding system and see some of what goes on in the German horse industry. Michael Fassbender runs a training business of over forty horses and riders at a modern, top-notch facility. He is a trainer who worked his way up through the ranks as an apprentice working with, to name a few, Willy Schultheiss, Harry Boldt, George Theodorescu. Mr. Fassbender has trained an impressive number of horses through to the Grand Prix. Also to his credit are a list of riders who studied under him and who have received both their Reitlehrer FN and Pferdewirtschaftsmeister degrees. Mr. Fassbender is now happy to stay home, coach, train, and let his students do the competing. This is one of the reasons I was interested in studying with him. One of the other reasons is, Mr. Fassbender rides with a lot of feeling and after he has schooled a horse it's just remarkable how much easier it is to feel the aids and the corrections to the movements. He trains -- the horses learn. At this time I am schooling my horse towards the Grand Prix and it was invaluable to me to have an experienced, talented trainer assisting me. After I arrived at RC Heigesberg we quickly developed a program for my training. Twice a week I'd warm DiVinci up, Michael would then ride him through some canter work and then school the one time flying changes. Previously I had only done four or five changes in a row. I chose to let Mr. Fassbender do all the schooling on the ones with my horse so that DiVinci could have one good experienced rider while he was learning them. The last week I was there I rode several sets of eleven and fifteen ones on my horse! Twice a week I'd again warm up my horse, mostly with stretching and transitions and Mr. Fassbender's assistant of more than eighteen years, Brigitte Gerads, would assist me from the ground with the piaffe/passage work and transitions between them. Brigitte, an active Grand Prix trainer and competitor in her own right used very little whip from the ground but was insistent about my leg and upper body position and use for these movements. In between I would be coached by Mr. Fassbender. Any adjustments to the program we needed to make, (add a flying change schooling or back off for a couple of days) were made as needed. What I experienced in Germany is that they have a system of training that's adhered to. If something doesn't go well you're asked to do it again. If you are told you need a better half halt to improve something, you ride until it's a half halt that improves your performance. Less flowery descriptions, a lot more riders all around you working in a straightforward way on their dressage. Being in an environment where there was such a large quantity of riders working at many levels was defintely part of the learning experience for me in Germany. Having a program that was healthy for my horse but challenging and consistent seemed to be the key to success and progress. At the end of his stay DiVinci looked good, having more muscle and great energy. He was absolutely a more advanced horse than when I arrived. As a rider, the difference or progress that I feel the most is in my seat. Without a doubt, my stallion, from the time we got there was pushed out of his comfort zone regularly, pressured and worked longer than I would normally do at home. I went for it but made sure, as all the riders under Mr. Fassbender did, that he had a long slow warm up before we got going, followed with some stretching and a long walk at the end of each session. I worried about his muscles getting sore. They did. Daily leg stretches and some massaging really did help. Looking him over just before I left I can say he is a stronger horse. As a trainer I'm now more focused on having my students be more consistent in their training programs. In Germany all the clients came to ride nearly every day. When they didn't ride, it was also on a schedule and it meant the trainer was schooling their horse that day. The student was then usually there watching their horse be ridden and discussing the progress with their trainer. At home I sometimes get last minute phone calls from people who can't make it that day or sometimes someone just doesn't show up! From my experience in Germany I now am more insistent that we discuss the training schedule that my client's horse is on, and have a plan in place for the weeks ahead. If there is something that comes up in that person's busy life to throw the plan, I now insist we plan my schooling their horse that day or be notified as soon as possible so the horse doesn't end up with an extra day off. It's not that the training has to always be intense or even always be dressage schooling. Days with just stretching horses, schooling over cavelletti or trail riding are excellent for the horses. Everybody wants results, some people want to see there horses move up the levels, some want to show successfully, others want to feel that their riding is improving and still others want to enjoy and be comfortable around their horse. To achieve any of these results the horses need to be ridden regularly and consistently. This is one of the most important points I'm bringing home from Germany. I'd like to sincerely thank The Dressage Foundation for awarding me the Major Anders Lindgren Scholarship. The scholarship is what made this wonderful learning experience possible for me, as well as gaining many newfound contacts and friendships.


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