“Riding in lightness is not a matter of taste, but a question of meeting certain criteria that are essential to keeping the horse’s body fully functional.” Sonja Weber
The interest in horse-centred and individually tailored training is steadily growing – as is the demand for qualified instruction and well-founded training of horses. As I have been unable to fully meet this demand for some time due to capacity constraints, my current focus lies on the education of trainers. I subsequently recommend these trainers so that the principles of refined, horse-centred work can be passed on sustainably.
The trainer education is aimed at advanced riders who wish to enter the professional field of training horses and riders, or who are already active as instructors and seek to deepen their expertise on a solid professional foundation.
For training content to be truly adaptable to each individual horse, a deep understanding of the underlying principles is required. Traditional curricula often tend to simplify and standardise content in order to make it more easily teachable. However, this frequently leads to a loss of quality and individuality.
At the core of this education are therefore fundamental parameters such as:
Exercises and lessons do not follow a fixed sequence but are adapted flexibly to the individual horse, its level of training, and the current situation. This ensures that the work remains individual, dynamic, high in quality, and consistently horse-centred (“equizentred”).
I offer two training formats:
Here you can learn more about the content of the training pathways:
The individual trainer education includes the following components:
The three-year programme with a maximum of eight participants is logically and didactically clearly structured.
It includes all elements of the one-to-one setting, with the additional components:
Participants learn to reflect on their own work consciously, to address personal topics constructively, and to grow in long-term professional exchange with other trainers.
For information regarding costs, programme structure, and applications, please send an email including your full contact details and the desired training format:
“Training must only ever refine and perfect nature. If it violates nature in the slightest, she is irretrievably lost.”
Brigadier Kurt Albrecht
Lusitano Marialva, 25 years old, school gallop in work at hand
According to the principle of working in a “horse-centric” way, the needs and requirements of the horse have to be at the core of all decisions. The horse is at out mercy; we are responsible for its well-being. If an aim set by the rider or demanded by a dressage competition is harmful to the horse, this is a far cry from meaningful training. I offer to accompany riders who set great store by training and advancing their horses in positive ways.
While schooling a horse, we cannot explain to it that what we are doing in this particular moment chiefly concerns the rider. This is why I always try to adapt the training to the concerns of the horse, so that it is not disturbed by the learning situation of its rider. Of course, this does not mean that the rider does not get the space they need to learn; in the long run, the progress of the rider is essential to the well-being of both horse and rider.
Lusitano Finito, aged 4 years, at the beginning of his schooling:
His muscles are flat, and he moves in a horizontal and thrusting manner, pushing forward. This becomes apparent in how he keeps his neck as well as his ribcage quite low, pushing his body over the forehand.
Lusitano Finito at the age of 9 after 5 years of schooling:
Particularly in the areas of the neck, the withers, the back and the croup he is strongly muscled. His movements incline towards the vertical and are characterised by an upwards thrust. His entire front is raised and he no longer pushes his body over the forehand.
Getting access to Sonja’s deep and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of how to school a horse has broadened my horizon significantly, even with regard to my profession. The training methods and aims of the art of riding are intricately connected to methods of healing such as osteopathy and fascial therapy. The art of riding is not only absolutely essential to keeping our horses healthy; it also enables them to fully unfold their inherent brilliance and potential.
After 20 years, I’ve finally found a style of riding that has led me to success! Unambiguous communication and highly effective professional instruction! Absolutely oriented towards the well-being of both horses and riders!
An exceptional teacher and a horsewoman of extraordinary depth and sensibility. With her guidance, each day on horseback has turned into a thrilling challenge to become yet more finely attuned to the horse and sense what he needs.
Sonja has managed to pick us up where we were and guide us forward step by step. Working with her is incredibly intense, and so far, no one else has been able provide me with such convincing and detailed explanations. The results speak for themselves!
What fascinates me so much about working with Sonja is her incredibly comprehensive knowledge about classical dressage. With her, I can learn everything about how to keep my horse healthy through dressage training. Thank you so much!
I’ve been training with Sonja for 3 years now. For 3 years, my horse has only seen the vet to be inoculated, and each of our lessons is a highlight!