special thing indeed, way beyond winning a gold medal or a championship title.


MORE VIEWPOINTS Continuing on is not practical for everyone, however. “As a Bereiter you can get a job at any kind of barn that’s looking for a rider;” says Silva. “If you want to keep going you can go to school again to become a Pferedewirtshaftsmeister, but it’s expensive and you don’t really have to do it to get a job. The only reason you’d want to do that is then you can have apprentices work for you while they are becoming Bereiters.” Silva says that while her qualifications are essential to work in


Germany, in the United States they are not as important as her resumé. “I don’t think people here care at all about the title—I think they’re more interested in who you trained with or worked with,” she says. “I don’t really know how many people here really know about it anyway. It’s very important in Germany because with it you can get a job: it’s like becoming a plumber, you have the qualifications. In Germany it’s a normal job like any other job, and you are respected for that job.” Danish riding instructor Markus Bauer, who operates a yard in England where he trains dressage, jumping and eventing horses and riders, feels that there is great value to the title. After becoming qualified he worked for Heike Kemmer and then Georg Theodorescu before striking out on his own. “It is one of if not the most accepted equestrian professions


which is recognized and accepted worldwide,” he points out. “So having this as your job title proves that you have undergone some very intense training which doesn’t just prove your riding skills but also your strength and stamina. It goes without saying that it is a very beneficial asset when promoting yourself.” Completing the exam and qualifying as a Bereiter may be an


intense and educational experience, but for most professionals it is only the first step, even if they do not wish to achieve the other titles on the list. Markus agrees with Silva, “The real training begins once you


have qualified. You kind of qualify yourself to train on, if that makes sense. Most freshly qualified Bereiters make their fatal mistakes when they think they know it all. They are the ones who will not survive in the business, or if they do, they give wrong hopes and training to their clients and their horses. The greatest loser in such a situation is always the horse.”


as tough for the students or the apprentices, due to these new regulations and human rights rules,” he says. “This is truly a shame, as it seems to create a wimpy breed of riders and trainers who are often afraid of getting their hands dirty! I am very pleased to say that I belong to a breed that went through the old school and I guess this is also why I am still very successful and alive in the profession.” Felicitas also says, “Everything is governed by the


government; if working students are under 18, they are required to go to school one day a week or something, and it’s governed how many hours they can work. Not all that is in favor of the business—I couldn’t have a working student that’s gone one day a week!” Though times may have changed, Felicitas felt that the


BUILDING CHARACTER After qualifying as a Bereiter, Markus says that he was fortunate to have apprenticeships with two of the best trainers in the world. “It gave me a lot of strength to carry on and I am proud that I made it through, as the work is very hard,” he recalls. Sounding a bit like the dad who tells his kids that when he


went to school he had to walk barefoot in the snow, uphill both ways, Markus says that things aren’t quite what they used to be back in his day. “Unfortunately the work nowadays is not nearly


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Masters was especially difficult to achieve as a woman. “When I did it they didn’t encourage women to do the Masters and they were really tough on the girls,” she says. “You had to be emotionally strong to stand up to it and know that you were good at what you were doing. I was amazed that a couple of women packed up crying and left—admittedly they were picked on for a reason, and I think that has probably changed a little bit with the culture.” When it comes


down to it, the choice for Americans to become certified riding instructors is still optional and mainly a personal decision. And taking part in the German system can be limiting because of language, distance and economic barriers. The title can be useful in judging the capabilities of a potential instructor, but even then it is wise to look at the whole picture and check out the person’s individual experience. Glenn says, “I do think it’s something more people should


Markus Bauer, a Bereiter based in the U.K. Photo courtesy Marcus Bauer


do. It sets some standards: the German testers are very critical. You have to be able to ride the equivalent of probably a 4th level test in a double bridle and jump a 1.20 meter course. Whether you are a dressage or jumping rider you have to able to prove you are effective in both disciplines, and you also have to ride a horse in a snaffle and prove to the judges that you can improve the horse within 5 or 10 minutes. . .now that’s a real test of a professional that can’t be faked. They’re also very detailed about riding theory, which is important because if you don’t know why you’re doing what you’re doing, it’s difficult to teach someone else.”


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