“To avoid any restriction on a horse’s natural harmony and grace, but rather to encourage its suppleness and sheer pleasure in its own movements” is the ultimate aim of Rudolf Zeilinger, one of the most talented pupils of the late Willi Schultheis, and himself a trainer of Olympic and World Championship horses. Rudolf Zeilinger is well-known for the gentle and sensitive way he trains dressage horses, encouraging them to develop a relaxed, confident, and athletic way of going, combined with a happy, forward-thinking attitude in their work.

Part 1 of Zeilinger’s Schooling a Horse series covers the first seven weeks of the training of two four-year-old horses. Their work focuses on the first three elements of the Training Scale — rhythm, suppleness, and contact — demonstrating how quickly and confidently horses can adapt to being ridden without losing their natural movement and presence.

Author: Rudolf Zeilinger

Format: DVD, run time 55 mins

ISBN: 4260000130039

About the AuthorRudolf Zeilinger was already addicted to horses at an early age, and he rode everything he could get under saddle on this parents’ farm; small ponies and big horses, well-tempered, experienced horses and lively greenhorns, temperamental and calm four-legged animals. Everything was all right as long as it was a HORSE! It was clear that his future career would be on a horse’s back. He apprenticed with the Pferdezentrum/Horse Center Ansbach to become a professional riding master. Then the 10 most important years of his life followed: He became the pupil of the legendary Willi Schultheis and built up an excellent reputation as successful rider. One of his most important successes was certainly when he won the German Championships in 2001. Parallel to his own riding career, Zeilinger established himself as coach, and besides successful individual riders, he first coached the American team and then the Danish national team. In 1993, Rudolf Zeilinger took the plunge into self-employment and founded the Zeilinger Pferdesport GmbH. Meanwhile living in Emsbühren, Zeilinger is considered as first-class address when it comes to training riders and horses at the highest level and establishing them into advanced level sport.