“I have never, ever seen a program before that shows the sort of riding that I have been trying to promote for so many years. And this, at last is it! Simply WONDERFUL!!! – Heather Moffett

The intention of this film is to give riders a different understanding of dressage and to make clear that Dressage is made for the horse and horses are not made for dressage! In other words, correct training will always be to the benefit of the horse. This is the well-defined position of the classical dressage trainer Anja Beran. Together with her mentor Manuel Jorge de Oliveira & her beautiful Lusitano horses, she shows that only correct dressage work turns a horse into a riding horse. With well-shaped muscles and mental as well as physical balance, it matures and develops into a self-confident and satisfied partner – for a whole - and long - horse’s life.

In Elegant Dressage Training Anja Beran explains how horses can benefit from proper dressage training. She starts with a physical inventory of its weaknesses and asymmetries and continues with specific exercises to improve the physical constitution up to gracefulness, aesthetics, harmony and ease. The veterinarian Dr. Gerhard Heuschmann explains the scientifically important aspects of classical training.

Also included is a special segment: Flamingo – just one example of many... Anja has been working the Westphalian gelding Flamingo for almost one year. He has gone through many ups and downs. Flamingo is a perfect example showing that elegant dressage training is not limited to Iberian horses. See his wonderful transformation as he is trained with correct work.

Anja Ilona Beran learned the art of classical equitation in the stable of Manuel Jorge de Oliveira, a pupil of the well-known Nuno Oliveira. Now she is training horses of different breeds, from the age of three up to high school exercises. Classical equitation has existed for centuries and as per Anja’s opinion, it is the origin of all equestrian knowledge - and this, and ONLY this, is the basis of excellence in ALL disciplines.