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| Klaus Balkenhol Symposium Attracts Top Riders and Horses and 1000 visitors
Balkenhol, considered one of the world's top horsemen, is perhaps most famous as the Olympic dressage champion whose partner Goldstern was also his working police horse. As a coach and trainer, Balkenhol's expertise is exemplified by the Olympic gold medal the German dressage team won in Sydney under his direction. During the symposium, Balkenhol worked with twelve talented horse/rider combinations representing the progression of training from the lower levels to Grand Prix. He was very open and accessible, answering questions from the audience throughout the sessions. In his opening address, Balkenhol (through interpreter Volker Brommann) discussed his philosophies about training the horse. Throughout, he emphasized a sympathetic approach, working with the true nature of the horse, rather than against it ("We must allow the horse to be a horse.") He advised that we must first make sure the horse is healthy and physically prepared for the work, and suggested that the young horse should not be introduced to serious dressage work too early in its career; one should jump and ride in the countryside for the first two years under saddle. |
 
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P.O. Box 868 DeLeon Springs, FL 32130 info@horsesdaily.com |
BURBANK, CA -- The recent (January 27-28) Klaus Balkenhol Symposium, held in the Equidome at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center was an unqualified success, attracting Olympic riders and horses from the western United States and spectators from all parts of the country, as well as Canada.