Carl Hester's Training System

Training tips, strategies and philosophies from this five-time Olympian and world-class horseman

Last October, the long-awaited New England Dressage Association’s Fall Symposium with Carl Hester began with a flurry of anticipation. It seemed that everyone from New England and beyond was there, and people were finding their seats at the Pineland Farms Equestrian Center in New Gloucester, Maine, two hours before the program was to begin. When the time finally came for his effusive introduction, Hester seemed humbled. “Thank you for this embarrassing welcome,” he said. “Who writes these things?” And, he added, “What you will see this weekend isn’t really my system anyway. Everyone’s system is somebody else’s system, and I’ve been fortunate to learn from so many great horsemen over many years. In time, you just learn to develop what works for you.”

Read on for Carl's tips here.