My father always said to me: Enjoy riding! and I always experience pleasure from my horses who look even more beautiful through my training and who have learned to react to sensitive aids.

Working with cavaletti supports the horse’s natural movements. It is much more than just simple basic gymnastic training; it strengthens and preserves the horse’s health. Cavaletti improves the basic gaits: rhythm, power, expression and cadence develop through using higher steps over the obstacles.

Riding over obstacles also helps to train the ability to assess the distance to the obstacles as well as enhancing the coordination and the balance. By increasing the training levels systematically, the horse's power and endurance are able to react and the skills are enhanced. The horse learns to think, to concentrate and to react independently. Apart from that, cavaletti work trains the rider's seat and teaches him to get a better feeling for the horse. He also learns to asses the correct distance to the obstacles.

Complicated or boring? Quite the reverse! To work with cavaletti is a satisfying change of the daily training routine, and is a pleasure for horses and riders. This film shows everything you need to know for your training at home:

- Cavaletti work in walk and trot at the lunge line

- Walk, trot and canter training under the rider on a straight and on a bent line for young as well as for experienced horses

- Jumping gymnastic, completely different

Ingrid Klimke is following the footsteps of her famous father, Dr. Reiner Klimke, who was the most successful dressage rider worldwide. Familiar with the different disciplines, she won the German Eventing Championships three times, she participated at the Dressage World Cup Finals in 2002 and was the German event rider at the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000 and Athens 2004. Ingrid Klimke passes on her vast knowledge at clinics and courses worldwide.

52 mins.