Walter Zettl- has anybody heard of him before?

[KarinUS]

My puppy just tore apart a bag of old magazine articles so I got to read them again as I sorted through them.
My instructor plucks apart her magazines and makes copies of worthwhile articles.

I came across one from the June 2003 issue of "Dressage Today". It's titled Ride Soft and Gentle and talks about a dressage instructor by the name of Walter Zettl.
I loved every word! So often I hear I am lucky to have a horse that responds so well to gentle handling. But I would hate to ride any other way.
I was thrilled and excited that there is someone beside me that shares this view.
One of the people attending his seminar said: "He has a lot of generosity and understanding on top of theoretical foundation. He reminded me that it's OK to be compassionate and generous with horses, and it pays off."

I so want to get a hold of one of his videos. Anybody read any of his books or seen his videos?

[Ipsa]

Hi Karin,
his book Dressage in Harmony is great are his a Matter of Trust videos.
You could buy them off Heidi Zorn in the US and her website is
http://dressagearena.net

For anyone in NZ wanting them you can get them from the Horse & Pony Bookshop in the Horse & Pony magazine.

[virtuallyhorses]

Ooh yes, one of my favourite riders\authors!! :) Every review I've ever seen of his clinics remarks on his compassion for both horse and rider - he is one of the 'old school'.

I believe that he has had some sort of riding accident and can now only ride side-saddle so he also has great empathy for those with physical problems but at the same time uses this to illustrate how light and soft aids can be (given that in many circumstances he has no choice!) and brooks no argument about how this or that restraint or device MUST be used - he is very much about, if the horse is trained sympathetically and with patience and the rider is light and independent then you don't need gadgets and force.

[kelsey]

I audited one of his clinics a couple of weeks ago and he is excellent. He advocates gentleness and empathy - at one point he almost started to cry when one of the riders in the clinic came in on a lovely hanoverian that was almost ruined by a previous trainer. His book and videos (he has two) are great - he is going to publish another book this fall, I believe.

My goal for next year is to get accepted into the clinic with my mare - if he ever comes to your area, it would be worth it to try and ride with him. (He accepts a horse from each level, and isn't fussy over breed - there was a really nice QH/Arab cross pony in the clinic I saw.)

[KarinUS]

How sad to hear he got hurt! I think he was born in 1929 so no spring chicken...

I will see about getting the first of his videos. Will it make sense to see the video by itself or should I go for the book?

[kelsey]

I would read the book first, then watch the video.

Although the video is also good on its own.

(Another good book is Dressage Formula by Erik Herbermann - my friend's coach trained with him and he has the same philosophy as Walter Zettl.)

[Em 1]

If you go to this website there's a list of his private clinic dates. Maybe you could go and see him in person!

http://www.dressagearena.net/pages/eventszettlpri.html

[LisaS]

Dressage in Harmony by Walter Zettle is one of my favourites, deffinately worth buying.

I also have the book Dressage Formula.

Would love to book a private clinic with him:)

[KarinUS]

I got the Dressage in Harmony book and found it very inspiring.
The Matter of Trust video follows the book pretty closely so it's a good reinforcement of the techniques.

I have made Walter's warm-up routine my own and DJ responds so well to it! We are having a great time applying the new knowledge.

Too bad his idea of training dressage horses is not more wide spread. It makes me feel sad for all the young horses that are considered resistant or stubborn and are pushed too hard to fast. :(

Zettl says: Pushing on in the face of resistance will usually develop resistence, not the horse. The secret lies in riding "to the limit- but not over." When we are building strength, we must exercise muscles without over-stressing them, and without losing the horse's enthusiasm for work.
Be careful to listen to the signs that we have gone over the limit:
* the horse does not understand what we want
* The rythm is not regular
* There is tenseness or fright
* The horse has lost confidence in the rider or confidence in himself.
There's much more but of course I can't type up the whole book.
But how often have you seen riders train young horses and you see the horse is tense but the rider doesn't consider himself the problem but rather calls the horse resistant and stubborn. :(

[kelsey]

Karin - Walter Zettl's ideas are quite widespread in Germany (which is one of the reasons that they win the team gold at every Olympics!). I believe that his book has actually been translated into German which is unheard of for a dressage book published in North America.

He is very popular in my area (he lives just down the road about an hour from me) and is very influential with many of the dressage trainers up here.

He is just going back to the classical training scale, which you have to ride through every ride (and often backtrack on if you encounter a problem).

I think the problem is that a lot of people don't study the theory of riding and instead look at the individual movements as mechanical exercises to be learned by the horse in order to show at a certain level. They also don't bother to learn feel - instead of accepting input from the horse, they just want the horse to respond to what they want. (Some of the most interesting moments of the Grand Prix tests today involved riders riding difficult or young horses who were able to correct their horses almost before the mistake was made because they are listening to their horses all the time.)

And that is why you often see expensive warmbloods being beaten by "plainer" horses at shows - they have the talent to do the movements, but nothing is correct because it wasn't learned in the proper progression.

[RachelEvent]

I think I'm going to try and find copy of this book, his approach to dressage sounds like one I agree wholeheartedly on.

I can see where the comments about his ideas being widespread in germany come from.. they bear a lot of resemblance to the comments of Reiner Klimke on horse training. He rowked by the idea that you should 'Never overtire the horse, and to make sure that he enjoys his work'

Rachel xx

[KarinUS]

I think that is the best part of it. That this approach doesn't just seem more ethical but also turns out to be just as -or even more- successful than the training system that focuses on force and quick progress at any cost.
I guess the what's hard to accept about Zettl's approach is that you have to take responsibility.

[galadriel]

Just saw an announcement that there will be a Walter Zeitl dressage lecture (2hr) somewhat nearby this Friday...sounds like it might be a good thing to attend :)

[Stella2]

I have his book 'Dressage in Harmony'. He writes very well, very clear and with great empathy for the horse.

I wish his forthcoming clinic was in the UK.

[felicitie]

I am about half way through his book dressage in harmony and i am loving every word of it!! a great book it explains everything very well!! a great book

[Sundance&Sahs]

Kelsey- Where in ontario are you loacated? He had a clinic? I wish i could have had the opportunity to go! Im in Ontario as well! He's well worth the drive!

[kelsey]

I'm west of Toronto - the clinic was at Oakcrest in Stouffville (Belinda Trussell's farm).

Its really hard to get to ride in his clinics - you have to send in an application and a video (there are tons of people interested).

But it is worth it to audit.

(There is a Shannon Dueck clinic in October which I am also going to audit - I am checking out people to send tapes to next year!)

[Susie xx]

Walter A. Zettl is a life-long equestrian with over 57 years of
experience in riding and coaching some of the world's finest
horses and students. A resident of Canada, he travels abroad
teaching his life's work to equine enthusiasts all over the world.

Mr. Zettl's many successes include coaching at international level
competitions such as the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, as well as
coaching at the North American Young Riders' Championship.

Mr. Zettl is the author of Dressage In Harmony (1998 Half
Halt Press) and countless articles published both domestically
and in Europe. His knowledge of classical dressage is unsurpassed.

In the video series, A Matter of Trust, Walter A. Zettl
elaborates on the theory classical masters have used for
centuries. His approach re-defines correct training methods,
proper movements and carriage of the horse.

For more information about Walter Zettl visit http://www.walterzettl.net