Top international dressage rider Uta Gräf has made a name for herself as a trailblazer in the competitive dressage world as she strives to combine the highest levels of performance with natural horse care in observance of the needs of the equine body and mind. Her new book outlines her training theories and methods, demonstrating that horses can and will respond as desired when managed and schooled through the levels in a relaxed and generous manner. Acknowledging the individuality of each horse and including specific problems and solutions, Graf provides a hands-on guide to following competitive ambition in the dressage ring while keeping what’s best for the horse in mind. The key, above all, is keeping tension and rushing and anxiety at bay; with Graf’s guarantee that her system will keep horse and rider “worry-free,” it seems at last dressage has a sensible means of reconciling classical idealism with show-ring aspirations.
