Teaching

Horsemanship:

• mental and emotional aspects and confidence building of horse and rider.

• young horse starting

Holistic approach to the horse:

• biomechanics and biotensegrity

• general health, wellbeing and rehabilitation

Teaching the principles of the EDL:

• lunging and in hand work from the ground.

• dressage schooling

• jumping for gymnastic

Helping riders to develop a feel for timing and balance is one of my main goals. The principles of the EDL offer fantastic techniques, as well as a clear training plan for both horse and rider. A riding technique or system can only evolve into an artform when - room is made to allow feel and intuition to exist. Teaching feel is a challenge, but when I observe the unity of horse and rider in these moments of togetherness, as a teacher, it always gives me goosebumps.

“Balance is the key to far more than good riding. Teaching the feel and language of your hands through the reins to the horse‘s mouth in order to use it‘s neck as a balancing pole is a brilliant concept that leads to physical and mental balance in horse and rider.”

Equestrian vita

​Age 6: Started riding Shetland ponies and Arabians. Introduced to classical principals of Marc de Broissia and to TTEAM work of Linda Tellington-Jones.

Age 13: Riding FN in Munich. Competing in dressage and being a member of the youth show jumping team.

In the years leading up to 1994:

Half leased an Arab, Western and endurance riding.

Dressage training on Icelandic horses with my instructor who was a student of Dr Rainer Klimke.

1994: Studied with French classical trainer Marc de Broissia with the opportunity of riding his Lusitanos and Frisian stallions.

1994 - 2004: Studied horsemanship in more depth, based on principles of the Dorrance brothers and Buck Brannaman. Attending clinics with Ray Hunt and Lesley Desmond. Learning more about young horse starting, breeding and equine behavior with Jan Henn.

2004: Classical dressage lessons with Dr. Dörr leading to attending my first clinic as a listener with Philippe Karl

2006: Started running a horse training yard in Bavaria alongside Jan Henn

2007: Started the EDL teacher class with Philippe Karl and completed my exams 2011. I regularly participated my recurrent teacher classes two times per year with him till 2019.

2009: Started teaching EDL regularly in South Africa. Gaining experience in teaching large clinics in English language with a huge variety of horses.

2016: Established a horse training yard with Jan Henn, offering a variety of work from young horse starting to the classical dressage principles of EDL.

2016 to present: Teaching clinics across Germany, South Africa and the UK.

2023: I had the honor to be invited to become a Master Teacher with the EDL

How and why I came to riding in Légèreté with Philippe Karl:

I first came across Philippe Karl when my dressage trainer at the time, Dr. Dörr, organized a private clinic with PK in Bavaria. What stood out and amazed me instantly was his astonishing knowledge coupled with his incredible skill to improve the ability of both horse and rider in a very short time. He carried this out using clear and structured teaching infused with a sharp humor to cut through layers of preconceptions and old habits which in turn increased understanding.

This was the first time ever I had heard the theory behind the hands of the rider and the affect of the bit on the mouth of the horse. Why had no one explained it to me this way before? It was so clear, logical, respecting the horse’s nature and yet so effective at the same time!

Experiencing these effects on our own horses at home and seeing those improvements in all horses of all kinds during his clinics was life changing. There is no turning back when you have moments like this. My husband and I followed Monsieur Karl to many more clinics through Germany.

Watching these clinics, I discovered that no two lessons were alike. Every horse and rider was taught according to their individual needs in that moment and every lesson was individually crafted and always respecting the nature of the horse.

This is what I wanted to do.

Licensed Foundation Level

James Riedeman, a recently appointed Foundation Level Instructor of the Philippe Karl Ecole de Legerete, lives in Albuquerque New Mexico, USA. James is a life long student of the horse. A native of Michigan, he began his education in the official competition dressage methodology. With much work, he progressed through the levels as far as the Grand Prix. From there he proceeded to graduate the L judges program. In his professional training, James always wanted to produce a horse who is calm, supple, loose, confident and keen. His search lead him to the Ecole de Legerete (school of Legerete). Under the careful instruction of Master Instructor Bertrand Ravoux, James was able to navigate the years-long intensive Teacher’s Course program and finally achieve the level of Foundation Instructor. With a fundamental respect for the horse firmly in mind, James is now willing and able to share the knowledge of the school with interested parties. He is available for clinics throughout in the USA at your facility. He is also able to teach and train at his ranch in New Mexico. Feel free to contact him by phone at (505)453-1725 or email dressagejwr@aol.com