Bettina Biolik

Academic Art of Riding is the effort to rediscover the European art of riding of the past centuries. Unlike in contemporary times, horses were mainly used in warfare, in agriculture and for transportation. A well educated horse was a precious commodity and, for example, a knight’s or soldier’s life would depend on it. From ancient times, people have taken great care to educate horses in a way that they will be healthy until old age. Already de la Guerinere (18th century) complained that the art of riding was getting lost and only very few masters wrote about it.

Since then, the interest in a slow and thorough education of the horse has become less and less. For the big wars at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the cavalry demanded for a fast education of both horse and soldier, and with the invention of the automobile, more and more machinery, and tanks, the horse lost its use for the human. With the devastation and poverty of the years after World War II, owning and breeding horses became a luxury. If it had not been for the use of the horse in sports, its popularity would not have reached today’s heights.

Academic Art of Riding is an effort to rediscover the teachings of old grandmasters so it’s very advanced high-level dressage but it’s very accessible to a normal leisure rider. 

It specialises in breaking things down into understandable bite-sized education steps that are grounded in biomechanics. 

You  can find more information about Bettina on her website :

https://academicartofriding.pl

also more information about Academic Art of Riding directly on Bent Branderup website 

https://www.bentbranderuptrainer.com

What can you expect at the clinic? 

Its a 2 Day event .

We have 7 riding spots and limited amount for spectators.

Bettina will be teaching theory lectures in the morning following intense 1:1 riding sessions in the afternoon. 

Riding spots includes 3x30min lessons  with Bettina.

With educational tools like in-hand work, lounging and riding Bettina tunes in what the horse's body needs and helps the rider make small improvements that have huge overall effects. 

When understanding biomechanic correctness we can work with the horse according to its body. In return, this creates a riding partner that likes to participate in the training. 

Bettina also puts great emphasis that the whole horse is present mentally -not just the body.