“Soft, soft, soft!”

This is what Dressage Master Walter Zettl wants us to think about most when communicating with horses. “You don’t need muscle, you don’t need power, - strength doesn’t have anything to do with riding! You need soft. Show the horse what you want and then allow the horse to do it.” Walter should know – he was 16 when he entered the riding school of Bad Kissingen in Kronberg, Ludwigsburg; at 21 he was the youngest person ever to be awarded the German Federation Gold Riding Medal. With a life spent dedicated to developing horses, Walter Zettl admits he was instantly attracted to Linda and Pat Parelli, “We love the same things and we don’t love the same things!” Walter believes that so much about modern dressage training is turning horses into slaves, rather than creating a partnership. He wants to share with people that dressage training doesn’t have to kill the joy that horses have for movement, but rather, it can enhance their willingness and exuberance!

Join us at ANY of the 2009 Celebrations

Hear more from this amazing teacher as he works with an amazing student: Linda Parelli! Together, they will share their secrets of using Parelli Natural Horsemanship Principles to achieve excellence in dressage. I’ll have more from my conversation with Mr. Zettl – so be sure to subscribe to this blog’s feed or keep checking in!