Kottas on Dressage
Kottas on Dressage is a distillation of the practice and philosophy of one of the most highly regarded international trainers of the current era.
Having stressed the need for the rider to establish correct posture and a thorough understanding of the aids before attempting to train the horse, the book highlights the value of establishing rapport with the horse and enhancing his mental responses and developing his physique with groundwork before progressing to work under saddle. The text then focuses on thorough, incremental development of the basic gaits, explains the value and execution of the lateral exercises and introduces advanced work including tempi changes, pirouettes, piaffe and passage. A number of commonly encountered problems are analysed, and remedies offered. Underpinning the whole text is the author’s fundamental stance on horses and training: ‘I always see the horse as a partner. He must be trained slowly and patiently.’
THE AUTHOR
Arthur Kottas-Heldenberg joined the
Spanish
Riding
School in 1960 as an Elève (trainee). He became an Assistant Rider in 1964, a Rider in 1969, Chief Rider in 1981 and in 1983 Riding Master. From 1995 until retiring from the School in 2002 he was First Chief Rider. He is in great demand as a trainer internationally and is a fervent advocate of true classical horsemanship.
Julie Rowbotham trained with Arthur Kottas-Heldenberg in
Vienna for fifteen years, progressing from Novice level to Grand Prix. She competes nationally and internationally and teaches students from Prelim to Small Tour level. She also produces horses for Woodcraft Stud.
Maggie Raynor is a well known equestrian illustrator who trained at Sheffield College of Art and at the Royal College of Art. She has had a life-long interest in riding and dressage in particular. As well as illustrating many books she has also published her own books including The Horse Anatomy Workbook.
REVIEWS
"Arthur Kottas, former First Chief Rider of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna could well be considered the greatest living authority on the correct schooling of horse and rider today - and rightly so... Kottas on Dressage is a book to be handled well, read and re-read, tucked in the pocket of the car on the way to a lesson, studied in bed - if that's your habit -shown to others and dipped into - endlessly. It is clear, concise and informative - like the author himself and it is beautifully laid out with bullet points and sub-headings for every aid, every movement, every eventuality. In some places the tone reminds me of Nuno Oliveira's first book Reflections on Equestrian Art because much of the more technical work is dealt with economically, with approachable, crystal clear gems of advice... Basically, in this book you will find it all". Sylvia Loch from the Classical Riding Club Newsletter
"As a retired riding master with the Spanish Riding School, Arthur Kottas-Heldenberg knows a thing or two about dressage, and this book is heaven for all riders wanting to give the discipline a go... Backed up by a stunning array of pcitures, Arthur takes us through a journey from the basics (rider position, lunge lessons, ground work) right through to the tricky (piaffe and passage). Being from
Vienna , Arthur uses a lot of European influence in his writing, which gives a different insight into dressage training and makes for a refreshing read. I learnt lots from this book, which is easy to read and to dip in and out of'. Your Horse
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