"Preserving the Classical Tradition"

At his Reitinstitut, Egon von Neindorff, and his stable of schoolmasters, teach classical dressage to anybody who truly wants to learn

by: Kyra Beth Houston

EGON VON NEINDORFF has realized his dream.

His dream: to provide to riders of all levels the opportunity to learn the classical methods of dressage. The reality: his Reitinsitut (School of Horsemanship) in Karlsruhe, Germany, home to 60 "four-legged professors," all classically trained dressage schoolmasters.

The philosophy of the Reitinstitut is best expressed in von Neindorff's own words taken from his 1994 video, The School of Horsemanship with Egon von Neindorff:  The best-trained horse is barely good enough to teach the beginner rider."  The purpose of the school is to teach people the basics of dressage -- "the ability to sit correctly and an  understanding of horse care and of the nature of the horse."   And, unlike at other exclusive dressage establishments, "Everyone is welcome at the Reitinstitut, at any level, for however long they can or wish to stay."

At 73, von Neindorff still travels extensively to find his prospective equine professors.  As a fellow trainer and student of von Neindorff's puts it, "When he returns from his buying trips and the horses arrive, we look, shake our heads, and say, "Surely these are not the horses he selected!"  Then, six months later, after careful training has begun, we see the same horses and say, "What beautiful steeds."

Although von Neindorff keeps a variety of breeds available for his students to ride, he does not insist on particular bloodlines or age ranges.  (When I asked about the breeding of a gorgeous bay stallion, I was told merely that he is Spanish.)   Andalusians, Lipizzaners, Lusitanos, Hanoverians, Arabians, East Prussians (old-style Trakehners from Poland), Thoroughbreds -- all are represented at the Reitinstitut.  And their personalities are as diverse as their breeding -- from the affectionate Peer Gynt (named for the title character in the Henrik Ibsen play), a striking gray Hanoverian who reached out and placed his head on my shoulder every time I passed his stall, to Schneeman (Snowman), the proud, aged Lipizzaner.

To von Neindorff, classical dressage is like religion.  Both require intensive study, and both welcome and accept students from all walks of life.  The only prerequisites are that the student be serious -- and humble -- about the subject matter.   As he puts it, "Many riders, because of their excessive ambition, do not at all undestand the real sense of riding.  Only a modest rider who wants to serve the idea will be able to understand our way of riding."

Although von Neindorff has been around horses all of his life, his own beginnings were in keeping with his philosophy of modesty.  As a boy, he helped in the cavalry stables where his father was the commanding officer; he took his first riding lesson at the age of ten.  He studied with his father, with cavalry instructors, and with classical teachers such as Karl Kunze and Richard Watjen.  He began teaching riding himself at the age of eighteen and also competed in dressage successfully into his thirties.  (A career highlight:  being named German vice-champion after World War II). 

go to page 2

| Dressage un Ltd |  Classical |