EQUESTRIAN SPORTS AND BREEDING IN GERMANY - A Guide through the German Equestrian World
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A Guide through the German Equestrian World EQUESTRIAN SPORTS AND BREEDING IN GERMANY
2 A Guide through the German Equestrian World
One of the world’s most
famous show-jumping
riders: Ludger Beerbaum.
Foto: Jacques Toffi
Introduction
Germany has long been an attractive challenge remains: the lack of accessibility This brochure aims to
destination for anyone affiliated with the to the immense number of equestrian op- provide an overview
equestrian sport. It features a diverse and portunities available to non-German nation- of the German
vivid number of opportunities in the eques- als. equestrian world.
trian world.
Therefore, this brochure aims to provide
Germany is globally renowned for its an overview and an informative synopsis of
high-quality standards in the areas of breed- the German equestrian world and what it
ing, selling, training and competition. Yet, has to offer.
despite these indisputable advantages, one
Foto: Kiki Beelitz
A Guide through the German Equestrian World 3
For riding you need horses. For good riding you need good horses. If you have a lot of good horses, you have the opportunity for a lot of good riding. These three simple sentences describe the breeding sitatuation in Germany in a nutshell. Foto: Marc Rühl 4 A Guide through the German Equestrian World
Table of Contents
VI.) Horse and Pony Breeding in Germany. . . . . 28
The Structure of Breeding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Distribution of Responsibilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
The Breeding System in Germany . . . . . . . . . . 29
Breeding Program of the
”German Riding Horse”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
State Studs in Germany – History and Present. . 35
VIII.) Buying Horses in Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Auctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Private Breeders, Sellers and
Professional Horse Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Foto: Marc Rühl
IX.) Schooling of Riders and Horses . . . . . . . . . . 42
German Horsemanship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
The Principles of Riding: The Official
Training System of the German Equestrian
Federation – An Insight to its Success. . . . . . . 42
A Short History of the Classical Art of Riding. . 43
The German “Scale of Training”. . . . . . . . . . . . 44
The “Scale of Training” for Horses. . . . . . . . . . 44
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
X.) The Education System for
I.) Important Facts and Figures of Equestrian Instructors and Coaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Sports and Breeding in Germany . . . . . . . . . . 6 Professional Instructors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
People and Horses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Amateur Instructors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
The Organization of Equestrian Sports
in Germany. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 XI.) Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Competitive Equestrian Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Federal Championships of Young Horses
Success in Olympic Games and and Ponies (DKB-Bundeschampionate) . . . . . . 48
International Championships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 CHIO Aachen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Success of German Bred Horses. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Other (Inter)-national Horse Shows
Horses as an Economic Factor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 and the German Championships. . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Auctions, Stallion Licensing Events
II.) The Organizational Structures of the and Stallion Parades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
German Equestrian Federation (FN). . . . . . . 10 Fairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
The Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Departments, Mission and Tasks of the FN. . . 11 XII.) Riding Facilities and the Labelling System
of the German Equestrian Federation. . . . . . 50
III.) A Short History of the Development Many Different Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
of Equestrian Sports and Breeding The Labelling System of the FN . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
in Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
XIII.) The Horse Industry in Germany. . . . . . . . . . . 50
IV.) The Position of the Horse in German Law
and the Role of the German Government XIV.) The Personal Members (PM) of the
in Equestrian Sports and Breeding . . . . . . . . 17 German Equestrian Federation . . . . . . . . . . . 51
V.) The Organization of XV.) FNverlag: The FN Publishing House. . . . . . . 51
German Equestrian Competitions. . . . . . . . . 20
Different Competition- and XVI.) Helpful Addresses and Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Performance Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Classification and Structure of Amateur German Breeding Associations with
and Professional Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Membership in the FN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
The Licensing System for Federal Riding and Driving Schools. . . . . . . . . . 55
Riders and Horses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Riding Facilities and Five Star Riding Schools. . 56
Age Divisions for Competition Horses. . . . . . . 23 Driving Facilities and Schools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Entries, Fees and Prize Money. . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Vaulting Facilities and Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
A Guide through the German Equestrian World 5
Foto: Julia Wentscher
Presently, around
1,200,000 people
partake actively in I. Important Facts and Figures
of Equestrian Sports in Germany
equestrian activities.
1. People and Horses substantial number is especially notable, as
the horse and pony population has increased
The statistics speak for themselves in fourfold over the course of the last 40 years.
the demonstration of the significance of Currently, of these horses and ponies, more
equestrian activities in Germany. Presently, than 100,000 are registered with the FN for
around 1,200,000 people, age fourteen and breeding purposes and another 500,000 for
older, participate actively in equestrian activ sport purposes.
ities. The number soars to 1,700,000 people
when those under the age of fourteen are
The German Equestrian added into the calculation. Furthermore, ex- 2. The Organization of
Federation is the umbrella tensive research of the German Equestrian Equestrian Sports in Germany
organization of approxi- Federation (Fédération Equestre Nationale/
mately 7,700 commercial Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung, FN) de-
(All subsequent figures refer to the year
riding and driving schools termines that another 1,000,000 Germans
2012)
and clubs and 4,000 com- hold an interest to take up equestrian sports,
mercial equestrian centres. while yet another 11,000,000 generally claim
These account for 720,000 a keen interest in horses. The German Equestrian Federation is
members in total. the umbrella organization of approximately
Synonymous to the large number of peo- 7,700 commercial riding and driving schools
ple associated with equestrian activities, the and clubs and 4,000 commercial equestrian
population of horses and ponies in Germany centres. These account for 720,000 mem-
amounts to approximately 1,200,000. This bers in total. The FN is the largest national
6 A Guide through the German Equestrian World
equestrian federation in the world. More
Foto: K. H. Frieler
over, within the German Olympic Sports As-
sociation (DOSB), it ranks as Germany’s 9th
largest sports association.
The equestrian sport is practiced with
particular enthusiasm by women. They
amount to 75% (more than 544,000) of the
membership of the FN, leaving the male rep-
resentation at around 170,000 members or
25%. The high share of young riders is also
noticeable. DOSB statistics reveal that, in the
group of females aged 15 to 26, equestrian
sports rank third in the popularity of sports.
It is therefore not surprising that nearly half
of the FN’s membership (335,000) includes
people aged 26 and younger. Nonethe-
less, and despite statistical age and gender
variations, the equestrian sport is popular
amongst the old and the young alike.
3. Competitive Equestrian Sports
In 2012, approximately 3,600 eques-
trian events were held in Germany. These
included 69,000 different competitions and
1,480,000 starts. In order to compete in
these shows, each rider has to obtain an FN
annual horse show licence. 80,000 of these
were issued to German nationals in 2012,
while 1,350 were issued to non-national
riders competing in German national events.
Additionally, the FN issued over 137,000 In 2012, approximately
horse licences for their participation in com- garnered a staggering total of 85 medals: 39 3,600 equestrian
petitions, as well as over 2,400 FEI horse gold, 21 silver and 25 bronze medals. events were held in
Germany, including
passports needed for participation in inter-
1,480,000 starts at
national events. 25,000 horses were newly German riders were no less successful 69,000 different
registered for competition purposes. during World Equestrian Games (WEG). To competitions.
date they have won a total of 180 medals
However, in order to do so, the riders in all of the official disciplines, including 73
must have obtained an FN riding qualification gold, 52 silver and 55 bronze medals. The
(called “German Riding Badge” or “Perfor- latest additions were another 14 medals at
mance Medal”), granting them the permis- the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky in
sion to participate in classes of a certain per- 2010, where Germany won five gold, five sil-
formance category. These qualification tests ver and four bronze medals.
consist of a dressage, jumping and theory
test, ascending in the degree of difficulty at In line with these international success-
each level. In 2012, around 53,000 German es, Germany also holds a leading position in In 2012, around 53,000
Riding Badge tests were done, and a further the European- and Young Riders Champion- German Riding Badge tests
35,000 tests for leisure riding were passed. ships, in total winning 403 gold, 313 silver were done, and a further
and 239 bronze medals. 35,000 tests for leisure
riding were passed.
4. Success in Olympic Games and Therefore, Germany counts as one of the
International Championships most successful equestrian nations, if not
the most successful equestrian nation in the
Germany has a long track record of grand world. Most certainly, equestrian sports have
success at Olympic Games and various inter- been and will remain an exceptionally suc-
national championships. The history of the cessful element in Germany’s professional
Olympic Games records numerous German and amateur sporting activities, in which it
victories; from 1912 to 2012, Germany has excels as in no other sports sector.
A Guide through the German Equestrian World 7
8 A Guide through the German Equestrian World
5. Success of German Bred Horses
German horse breeding plays a distin-
guished and central role in the preservation
of the high standard of German success
in equestrian sports. Germany has a sig-
nificant population of breeding horses. In
2012, 3,500 sport-horse sires and 60,000
broodmares with 28,000 sport-horse foals
were registered with the FN. Another 3,800
pony and small-horse sires, 23,000 pony and
small-horse broodmares with 9,000 foals
were registered in the same year. In total,
the FN recorded 8,600 sires, 92,000 brood-
mares and more than 39,000 foals across
the boards of all German studs.
At the Olympic Games in London, 65
out of 219 competing horses (30%) were
of German breed. Specifically, 26 of the
90 horses (29%) participating in the show-
Foto: Kiki Beelitz
jumping competitions, 22 of 54 horses
(41%) participating in dressage and 17 of
the 75 horses (23%) participating in event-
ing were of German breed. Overall, horses
of German bloodlines won 12 of the 45 pos-
sible medals, five of which were gold, four
silver and three were bronze medals.
It is evident that Ger-
At the Olympic Equestrian Games in job. This means that approximately 300,000 man horses are of
Hong Kong in 2008, 52 out of 194 participat- German workplaces have been created as a distinguishable com-
ing horses were German-bred. They won 18 result of equestrian activity. Of these, around petitive talent and rank
among the most suc-
of the 45 possible medals: eight gold, four 10,000 people earn their living as professional
cessful bloodlines in
silver and five bronze medals. Specifically, instructors or coaches. Around 10,000 com- the world. This photo
19 of the 47 dressage horses in Hong Kong panies exist which specialize in the produc- shows the Hanovarian
were of German origin. The jumping compe- tion of equestrian merchandise or provision stallion Dancier.
titions were open to 77 horses, of which 29 of equestrian services. Additionally, horse
were German-bred. feed production benefits from the increase
in equestrian activities, as horses and ponies
Another example of the competition in Germany consume more than 1,600,000 At the Olympic Equestrian
success of German bred horses are World metric tonnes of grain and 1,800,000 met- Games in Hong Kong
Equestrian Games. In Aachen in 2006, al- ric tonnes of hay and straw per year. Over- in 2008, 52 out of 194
most 25% of the horses competing in all all, German horse riders and owners spend participating horses
seven official equestrian disciplines were about 2.6 billion Euro a year for the recurring were German-bred.
of German breeding. They won a total of 37 costs that come with standard horse mainte-
medals. At the WEG in Lexington in 2010, nance. The entire turnover of the equestrian
54 of the possible 183 medals were won industry is estimated to range between five
by German bred horses. It is evident that to six billion Euro per year.
German horses are of distinguishable com-
petitive talent and rank among the most suc- The equestrian sport and horses also
cessful bloodlines in the world. have an indirect economic impact. Over
5,000 books on equestrian topics are cur-
rently on sale in Germany. Moreover, around
6. Horses as an Economic Factor 60 periodicals and magazines are available
on the German-speaking market. Together
The magnitude of the economic impact with a broad representation in publications,
of equestrian activities is often underesti- the equestrian sport also holds a steadfast
mated. Germany best illustrates how eques- place in the television industry, where more
trian activities can wield an ever increasing than 230 hours of equestrian sport reports
economic influence. Studies have shown were broadcasted on different national TV
that every three to four horses create one channels in 2012.
A Guide through the German Equestrian World 9
Foto: Thoms Lehmann
Headquarters of
the German FN,
Warendorf. II. The Organizational Structures
of the German Equestrian Federation (FN)
1. The Structure The FN is the umbrella organization for nearly
all equestrian sports and breeding associa-
After a short overview of the German tions in Germany. The FN consists of 17 fed-
equestrian world, this brochure will now eral organizations which again comprise 403
turn to the introduction of the organizational regional associations. In this way, a total of
structures of the FN, German competition 7,700 riding and driving clubs are members
sports and breeding. of the FN. In addition, around 58,000 Person-
al Members and 4,000 commercial or private
Germany features an The last 100 years have seen an intense horse centres are directly affiliated with the
exemplary format of in- evolution and development of the structure FN or its associated organizations. Moreover,
novative and conducive of German equestrian activities. Germany 25 different breeding organizations are mem-
conditions in the quest for now features an exemplary format of inno- ber associations of the FN.
excellence in equestrian vative and conducive conditions in the quest
performance and national for excellence in equestrian performance Important member associations
organizational structures. and national organizational structures. of the FN include:
n The German Olympic Committee for
In 1968, a general overhaul of all preexist- Equestrian Sports (Deutsches Olym-
ing German equestrian associations brought piade-Komitee für Reiterei, DOKR) –
the current structure of German equestrian which manages all matters concerned
activities into existence. The majority of these with high performance sport.
associations and organizations were merged n The German Riders’ and Drivers’ As-
into the German Equestrian Federation (FN). sociation (Deutscher Reiter- und Fahr-
10 A Guide through the German Equestrian Worlderverband, DRFV) – which is an im-
portant association of professional
Allocation of financial resources
and amateur riding instructors and in-
cludes the Federal Association for Pro-
fessional Riders (Bundesvereinigung
der Berufsreiter, BBR) as a member.
n The German Judges Association Other
(Deutsche Richter Vereinigung, DRV) – 18 %
which manages matters concerning the
5,000 German horse-show judges and
course designers. TV r
ights
4%
Seven other affiliated associations are: FN Services
%
n The First Western Riding Union of
State grants 9 54 %
Germany (Erste Westernreiter Union
% d
Deutschland, EWU) – which organizes
15 an
the majority of western riding in Ger-
ns es
tio fe
many and has a membership of nearly
na er
do emb
30,000 members.
M
n The Icelandic Horse Rider and Breed-
ing Association (Islandpferde-, Reiter-
und Züchterverband, IPZV) – with ap-
proximately 22,000 members.
n The German Endurance Rider and
Driver Association (Verein Deutscher
Distanzreiter und -fahrer, VDD) which
has more than 2,000 members. Centre (Bundesleistungszentrum, BLZ).
n The German Association for Thera- Warendorf is considered a hub of the Ger-
peutic Riding (Deutsches Kuratorium man equestrian world, as it is also host to
für Therapeutisches Reiten, DKThR) – the Sports College of the German Armed
which has more than 3,000 members Forces (Sportschule der Bundeswehr), the
and includes 200 therapeutic riding National German Riding School (Deutsche
centres. Reitschule, the riding school which accredits
n The German Academic Riding Club all professional riding instructors after their
(Deutscher Akademischer Reiterver- examinations), as well as the second larg-
band, DAR) – with nearly 1,200 members est State stud in Germany, the North Rhine-
(mainly students, including alumni). Westphalia Stud Warendorf. More than
n The International Association for Pace 10 % of all workplaces in Warendorf depend
Horses (Internationale Gangpferde- on the equine industry. The FN, DOKR and
vereinigung, IGV) – with about 1,500 BLZ alone employ around 160 people in their
members. different departments.
n The Federal Association for Clas-
sical Riding Germany (Bundesver- The FN/DOKR has an annual budget
band für klassisch-barocke Reiterei of 21,000,000 Euro. Sources of funding
Deutschland, BfkbR) – which has about include:
2,000 members. n FN Services (e.g. issuing of licences for
riders and horses, horse passports, on-
Additionally, the FN has about 210 line entries): ca. 54 %
special members including clubs, compa- n Member fees and donations: ca. 15 %
nies and legal bodies. n State grants: ca. 9 %
n Marketing of TV rights: ca. 4 %
n Other: ca. 18 %
2. Departments, Mission and Tasks
of the FN The FN’s tasks are divided among three The FN’s tasks are divided
separate departments: sports, breeding and among three separate
The headquarters of the FN are situated services. Within the sports category, in col- departments: sports,
in Warendorf, a small town in the North- laboration with the German Association for breeding and services
West of Germany. The FN shares this loca- Therapeutic Riding and the Para-Equestrian
tion with the German Olympic Committee Association, the FN deals with the following
for Equestrian Sports (DOKR) as well as disciplines: dressage, show-jumping, event-
with the National Equestrian Performance ing, driving, endurance, vaulting and reining.
A Guide through the German Equestrian World 1112 A Guide through the German Equestrian World
Foto: J. Bugtrup
For young mares, the
The mission of the FN is: its members is also directed towards legisla- mare performance test
n The promotion of the equestrian sport tive bodies, environmental and animal wel- at the age of three or
and horse breeding fare as well as other sport and recreational four is very important.
n The provision of guidance and services organizations.
n The preservation of the historic relation-
ship between man and horse What is truly outstanding and unique What is truly outstanding
about the structure of the FN is its intercon- and unique about the
Responsibilities and objectives nected, collaborative and cooperative nature structure of the FN is its
of the FN are: which connects all equestrian aspects. This interconnected, collabora-
n The promotion of health and joie de vivre is the key to its success. All equestrian ele- tive and cooperative nature
(joy of living) to all people – especially ments remain on equal footing and are al- which connects all eques-
the younger generation – by encouraging located equal importance, working towards trian aspects. This is the
participation in equestrian sports the achievement of one common goal: per- key to its success.
n The promotion of training and education petual improvement. The FN, in comparison
for riders, drivers, vaulters and horses to to most other national federations, is out-
perfect the art of riding, driving and vault- standing in this integrated organization and
ing structure.
n The promotion of the sport for pleasure
and performance in all disciplines
n The promotion of German horses and
Education Centre of the German
breeding Olympic Committee for Equestrian Sports
n The promotion of horse keeping
n The promotion of animal welfare
n The promotion of environmental respon-
sibility and care for the environment
n The promotion of responsible horse care
that will strengthen the preservation of
the historic relationship between man
and horse
In summary, the FN is charged with all
matters revolving around horses, compe-
titions and recreational sports. It aims to
represent the interests of all riders, drivers,
vaulters, horse owners/keepers and horse
Foto: U. Helkenberg
breeders. This representational capacity for
A Guide through the German Equestrian World 13The dressage team at
the CHIO in Aachen.
In the decades follow-
ing the First World
War, Dr. Rau, a former III. A Short History of the Development of
Equestrian Sports and Breeding in Germany
journalist of the racing
magazine ”Sportwelt”
and the equestrian
magazine “St.Georg”,
became the driving
force of organized 1905 The foundation of the organization 1914 The First World War prevented the
horse sport and breed- known as FN today – an association Olympic Games 1916 to be held in
ing in Germany. of breeders and riders with the goal Berlin.
to promote German bred horses – Over the following decades, Dr.
was laid. Rau, a former journalist of the rac-
ing magazine “Sportwelt” and the
1910 Horse shows started to become in- equestrian magazine “St.Georg”, be-
creasingly popular in Germany. came the driving force of organized
horse sport and breeding in Germany.
1913 The German Olympic Committee After the end of the First World War,
for Equestrian Sports (DOKR) was an increasing number of commercial
founded, with Dr. Gustav Rau as its riding clubs were founded. This ini-
General Secretary, as a reaction to tially occurred in the more rural parts
the unsuccessful results of the Ger- of Germany since riding was a sport
man riders at the Olympic Games for the sons of farmers and breeders.
1912 in Stockholm and in view of the Only later riding became more popu-
Olympic Games 1916 being hosted lar in towns and cities.
Vaulting in the 1950s. by Germany in Berlin. Initially, riding was a sport reserved
solely for males, however, this trend
changed at the beginning of the
im Deutschen Pferdemuseum
Sparkassenstiftung und Kreissparkasse Verden
Foto: Menzendorf, Leihgabe Niedersächsische
1920s with the first female participa-
tion in equestrian activities.
1927 The foundation of the International
Federation of Equestrian Sports (Féd
ération Equestre Internationale, FEI)
with headquarters in Geneva/SUI –
later moving to Lausanne/SUI – was
laid.
From 1920 until 1939, the cavalry training
school in Hanover (Lower Saxony)
became the focal point of equestrian
14 A GuideHorse
through
Sports
the German
and Breeding
Equestrian
in Germany
WorldFoto: K. H. Frieler
The famous show-
jumping rider
Hans Günter Winkler
with the legendary
mare Halla.
Count Dieter von
Landsberg-Velen
education for top riders and horses. From the mid-sixties onwards, this led the FN as its
Riders and instructors, who were campaign was increasingly success- President for 33 years.
trained in Hanover, continued their ful, and many Germans came to view
success in the national and interna- equestrian sports as an ideal hobby
tional equestrian sport after the war. and sporting activity.
1936 At the Olympic Games in Berlin, Ger- 1968 Count Dieter von Landsberg-Velen
man riders won all six gold medals. was elected President of the FN. He
This was a record that, throughout adopted many structural reforms and
the history of the Olympic Games, developed the FN significantly. This
had never been achieved before. great horseman influenced and led the
After the end of the Second World FN as its President for 33 years.
War, Dr. Gustav Rau rebuilt the struc-
tural organization for horse sports and 1972 As a reaction to the increasing num-
breeding. ber of recreational riders, the FN
established a new department repre-
1950 The new headquarters of the German senting this group.
Olympic Committee for Equestrian
Sports were opened in Warendorf. 1990 With the reunification of West and
Over the subsequent years, numer- East Germany, the equestrian sports
ous high performance riders, such as and breeding associations in the
the renowned jumper Hans Günter eastern part of Germany were reor-
Winkler, settled in Warendorf. They ganized to become part of the Ger-
contributed significantly to the trans- man FN.
formation of the small town into the
German “capital of the horse”. 1996 Due to the increasing number of
With the increasing use of motorized commercial and private equestrian
vehicles in agriculture and the military, centres, the FN opened membership
the number of horses in Germany de- to these facilities and established a
creased rapidly (from 1,700,000 in department dealing with their admin-
1949 to 252,000 in 1959/BRD, West istration. This resulted in 4,000 com-
Germany). mercial and private yards becoming
members of the FN.
1963 The equestrian sports and breeding
organizations started a concerted ef- 2001 After a complete restructuring of the
fort to prevent this trend and to re- management structures for the FN,
vitalize the popularity of equestrian Count Landsberg-Velen ended his
sports in Germany. presidency.
A Guide through the Amazing
German Equestrian
German Horse
World
World 15und Kreissparkasse Verden im Deutschen Pferdemuseum
Foto: Menzendorf, Leihgabe Niedersächsische Sparkassenstiftung
In the past, horses
IV. The Position of the Horse in German Law played an important
role in all parts of
and the Role of the German Government
traffic, agriculture
and the military.
in Equestrian Sports and Breeding
The position of the horse in German horses are defined in the German civil law
legislation and the role of the government code as personal possessions which leads
is of great significance for the development to legislative implications for horse owners
of equestrian sports and breeding. Over the and the equestrian sport at large. Further
past few years however, these aspects of legislation has decreed that, despite their
the German equestrian world have been multiple purposes in breeding and compe-
subject to drastic reforms. Moreover, they tition, horses hold the status of domestic
differ quite fundamentally from the rules, animals.
regulations and the legislation in other coun-
tries. German law decrees that all horses,
which are transported, must have a valid
Historically, horses were predominantly passport ensuring the unique identifica-
used as means of transport – for agricultural, tion of the animal. This passport must also
military or industrial purposes. Their impor- contain whether the horse is intended for Old table of
German brand-marks.
tance necessitated governmental influence
on the equine sector. With the advent of
the transformation of the economic value of
horses, namely from work animals to leisure
and sport animals, governmental influence
decreased. Today, the government retains
influence only on horse welfare issues and
on horse breeding, with the intention to fur-
ther reduce control. Presently, government
influence on the equestrian sector takes
form in the support of about a dozen State
studs by annually granting them several mil-
lion Euro in funding.
Horses once shared the same status as
livestock, e.g. cows, pigs and sheep. This
status has changed over time. At present,
A guide through the German equestrian world 1718 A Guide through the German Equestrian World
und Kreissparkasse Verden im Deutschen Pferdemuseum
Foto: Menzendorf, Leihgabe Niedersächsische Sparkassenstiftung
Foto: Dirk Caremans
German law decrees
slaughter purposes at the end of its life. In federal states retain a certain degree of inde- that all horses, which
case of illness, a horse intended for slaugh- pendence from the German State. The latter are transported, must
ter will then receive medical substances in is mainly concerned with foreign affairs, na- have a valid passport
ensuring the unique
accordance with human meat-consumption tional politics and security questions, while
identification of the
laws. the former has sovereignty in all topics animal.
concerning their federal politics. This essen-
Although the government intends to tially means that certain rules are subject to left: With several
limit its control over the equestrian sector, variation in the different federal states. This riders Wotan was one
of the most successful
numerous governmental efforts have sig- decentralized system is an inheritance from
horses of the 1930s.
nificantly influenced the sport, breeding and the 19th century, where Germany existed
handling of horses, especially in the legal only as a consortium of small independent
spheres of animal rights, breeding, animal kingdoms and principalities.
epidemic diseases, meat consumption, na-
ture conservation and veterinary drug laws. The unification of Germany in 1871 is
a relatively recent development, and Ger
Moreover, the government provides im- many’s geographical history is still mirrored
portant assistance to the FN’s annual budget in today’s social and political life. This is
through its 9 % contribution. This funding is also seen in the organizational structure of
invaluable, for it presents the FN with the other sports, political parties and religious
opportunity to continuously innovate its or social organizations. In the equine sec-
structure, apply reforms to perfect the train- tor, many questions related to breeding,
ing systems and provide quality support ser- animal welfare and the equestrian sport are
vices. regulated separately in the different federal
states. An example are the rules governing
The role of the government in the equine the use of forests and the countryside for
sector is rather complex. One the one hand, leisure horse riding purposes. These differ
the government actively supports the eques- greatly between both, the central German
trian sport, while on the other, a conundrum Government and the federal governments,
of restrictive governmental regulations and imposing over 60 different rules. The same
legislations exists. An explanation can be variations also exist in the areas of breed-
found in Germany’s history. Germany is a ing, transportation and animal welfare regu-
federal republic which comprises 16 federal lations.
states. The German system is a de-central-
ized one, in which the governments of the
A Guide through the Amazing
German Equestrian
German Horse
World
World 19Foto: K. H. Frieler
V. The Organization of
German Equestrian Competitions
1. Different Competition- to understand description of the regulations,
and Performance Classes accessible to everybody.
The different competition The “classical” equestrian disciplines, At the basic level, designed specifically
classes are governed by jumping, dressage and eventing, are divided to accommodate the youngest and/or inex-
the official rules for the into six different levels of difficulty (basic perienced riders, the judges evaluate the
German equestrian sport, level, E, A, L, M, S) in Germany. This system stage of training and the harmony between
laid out in the Leistungs- is beneficial to all riders, as it allows for a horse and rider. In the jumping and cross-
Prüfungs-Ordnung (LPO), clear distinction between the levels of dif- country competitions at this level, the ob-
a detailed manual of ficulty and required riding skills. It provides stacles do not exceed 60 centimetres. This
every applicable standard, opportunity for competition to all riders, level does not require a license and is open
rule and legislation. depending on their skill level, and makes it to every rider, to make competitive sports
easy to judge whether participation in a cer- easily accessible for everyone; a sentiment
tain class is a feasible option. The different which is the foundation of the German com-
classes are governed by the official rules for petition spirit.
the German equestrian sport, laid out in the
Leistungs-Prüfungs-Ordnung (LPO; transl. The first level of the official five level
“Performance Testing Regulation”), a de- system is called the “E” class, “E” stands
tailed manual of every applicable standard, for Einsteiger, meaning beginner. This level
rule and legislation. This manual is of great requires a licence for participation. In order
benefit, as it provides a transparent and easy to apply for a licence, the rider has to com-
20 A Guide through the German Equestrian Worldplete an examination consisting of a dres-
sage, jumping and theory test. Upon passing
these tests, the rider will receive an accred-
ited German Riding Badge, with the cor-
responding official documentation. These
examinations and competition licences are
imposed to ensure that competitors are
qualified enough to handle the level of dif-
ficulty in the respective class.
The dressage competitions of “E” level
test the riders’ ability to correctly ride the
three basic paces, walk, trot and canter,
while displaying a competent level of con-
trol over the horse. These competitions are
usually held in groups of one to four com-
petitors. This small number of competitors
aims to ensure that all riders of the begin-
ner level receive a fair and equal chance and
are able to gain positive experience. At “E”
level, show-jumping competitions include 7
to 9 jumps at 85 centimetres, including one
combination of the same height. The cross-
country courses at “E” level are 1000 - 2000
metres long, with obstacles of 90 centime-
tres in height. Generally, the “E” level is in-
Foto: Jan Reumann
tended for riders with a few years of experi-
ence and regular training.
The subsequent level of difficulty are the
“A” classes – Anfänger, denoting novice.
In order to receive the relevant competition
license to participate in these classes, the
rider is obliged to complete an examination
in dressage, show-jumping and theory at the The performance class
“A” level of difficulty. Passing this test will level, “L” – Leicht (erroneously meaning of a rider is calculated
from his/her success
grant the subsequent German Riding Badge, “easy” in German) – is a transition from the of the last two years,
as well as the corresponding competition li- more basic or amateur levels to the profes- and remains valid for
cence. sional sport. “L” level dressage competi- the successive two
tions include counter canter, simple change years.
The dressage tests of level “A” are of of leg, half pirouettes in walk and beginning
higher difficulty than the “E” level tests. collection. The double bridle is also intro-
While the basis of the test remains the com- duced at this level. “L” level jumping class-
petent execution of all gaits, the judgement es include 8 to 11 jumps with a height and
is stricter and more precise in testing skill width of 1.15 - 1.20 metres, a triple com-
and performance. Jumping competitions at bination and a water jump. Cross-country
“A” level are subdivided into one star and courses at “L” level are identical to those of
two star competitions. One star competi- the lowest international cross-country level
tions are held at a jumping height of ca. 1 (CIC*). The length of the courses can be
metre, while two star jumps stand at not up to 3,200 meters, including 24 to 32 ob
more than 1.10 metres. The time allowed stacles at a maximum height of 1.10 metres
for the completion of the course is approxi- and a maximum width of 2.10 metres. The
mately 300 metres per minute in indoor average speed is 520 metres per minute.
arenas and 350 metres per minute in out-
door arenas. Cross-country courses at the The second highest level is the “M”
“A” level are 1,500 - 3,000 metres long and level. “M” stands for Mittelschwer, mean-
contain a compulsory water jump. The aver- ing medium. This level is orientated towards
age travel speed is 500 metres per minute. accommodating advanced amateurs and
professionals alike. The “M” level is also
“E” and “A” are the basic levels of the subdivided into one and two star levels of
German equestrian sport. The subsequent difficulty. The “M” dressage tests demand
A Guide through the German Equestrian World 21competitions specifically for young horses.
These classes give horses aged 4 to 6 the
opportunity to gain experience in the com-
petition circuit without the added pressure
of competing against the clock or older,
more experienced horses. Instead, scores
are primarily based on an equitation system.
The shows’ judges evaluate the horses’
gaits, general agility and rideability, as well
as their jumping ability in show-jumping and
eventing. This structure has proven to be of
great benefit to the competition training and
career of young horses, as it allows them
to gain valuable experience in an unhurried
pace over the course of two or three years.
Foto: K. H. Frieler
2. Classification and Structure of
Amateur and Professional Sport
The German equestrian competition
system has no specific separation between
Christina Sprehe with
amateur and professional riders. Most of the
Desperados, silver
medal at the European flying changes, half passes in trot and in- different competition categories are open to
Championships 2013. creased collection. The show-jumping every rider. Their eligibility is dependent on
competitions at “M” level are composed their skill level and competition result histo-
of jumps at a height of 1.25 - 1.40 metres, ry. In order to make this system accessible
as well as a compulsory water jump with a and fair, the FN has developed a ranking sys-
width of up to 4.0 metres. “M” level cross- tem, together with different performance
country courses have a length of up to 3,600 categories, with which to classify all riders.
metres to be completed within a timeframe
of 550 metres per minute. They include up The performance categories consist of
to 36 obstacles, with a height of up to 1.15 six different classes from 6 to 1, where 1
metres and a width of up to 2.40 metres. represents the highest level. The perfor-
Drops can be as deep as 1.80 metres. mance class of a rider is calculated from
his/her success of the last two years, and
The system of the The highest German competition class is remains valid for the successive two years.
different competition and the “S” level, meaning Schwer – advanced Additionally, all riders and horses get ranking
performance classes was or difficult. The “S” level is further subdi- points, derived from their successes of last
developed in order to vided into four categories of difficulty: one, year’s competition season. These remain
ensure that only those two, three or four star competitions. At “S” valid for one year.
horses and riders with level, dressage competitions include one
comparable performance tempi changes, canter pirouettes, half pass, This system was developed in order to
results participate in the piaffe as well as passage. “S” level show- ensure that only those horses and riders with
same classes. jumping classes are held at a height of 1.40 comparable performance results participate
- 1.60 metres with water jumps up to 4.50 in the same classes. It also guarantees that
metres wide. “S” cross-country courses only riders with the appropriate experience
cover a distance of up to 4,000 metres, with and skill are able to compete in the more
up to 40 obstacles at a height of 1.20 metres challenging competitions. Although com-
and a width of 2.70 metres. Drops are at a plex, this system has consistently proven to
maximum depth of 2.00 metres. The aver- be effective, enforceable and fair.
age speed is 570 metres per minute.
At most levels, show-jumping of-
fers a variety of competition classes
such as equitation, baton relay, rescue
relay, fault-and-out, accumulator, take-
your-own-line, two horse relay, knockout,
puissance, six bar and record jumping.
Since the late 1970s, Germany has also
offered dressage, jumping and eventing
22 A Guide through the German Equestrian World3. The Licensing System
for Riders and Horses
One might query why it is necessary for
a rider, who only wants to compete in dres-
sage, to also pass a show-jumping test, and
why a rider, who only wants to compete in
show-jumping, would need to pass a dres-
sage test before gaining the competence to
participate in their preferred discipline. The
explanation is found in the German horse-
manship tradition. This philosophy considers
that every horse and rider should be able to
perform satisfactorily in any of the three tra-
Foto: Dirk Caremans
ditional disciplines. This versatility, flexibility
and adaptability are qualities which guaran-
tee competence, skill, performance ability
and well-roundedness.
German horsemanship builds on a phi-
losophy originating in the historic evolution
of the German equestrian sport. Until the
early 20th century, horse riding was a pre- The photo shows
Carsten-Otto Nagel
dominantly military activity. A great number Germany’s greatest riders, including Hans with Corradina (world
of horses and riders formed the German Günter Winkler and Dr. Reiner Klimke. Both champion-team 2010).
cavalry. The cavalry had a complex task, entered at competitions in all three disci-
where it was necessary that all riders always plines – up to the highest level.
kept their horses under control, regardless
of the situation they faced. Riders were ex- This riding and training philosophy has
pected to have courage, skills and a gentle been the essence of the German equestrian
riding manner so that their horses would not sport structure for decades. This is why,
get exhausted unnecessarily. They had to presently, the passing of a performance
possess of good rideability, fitness and en- test is required for participation in competi-
durance levels, as well as being sure-footed, tions. Nearly every riding club in Germany This riding and training
able to take on any kind of terrain and clear organizes German Riding Badge examina- philosophy has been the
any obstacles obstructing their paths. They tions on an annual or biannual basis. Around essence of the German
were trained to be fearless of impediments 20,000 riders participate in the German Rid- equestrian sport structure
such as trenches, hedges or water. Both, ing Badge examinations annually. for decades.
the soldiers and the horses were expected
to have undergone a versatile and thorough
training for these purposes. The traditional 4. Age Divisions
equestrian disciplines dressage, jumping for Competition Horses
and cross-country were developed from
these training methods and it was quickly Participation in German competitions
proven that, the more versatile horses and also depends on the age of the horse.
riders were, the more successful and se- Young horses are only admitted in two basic
cure their performance was at competitions. kinds of competitions. The so called “riding-
Versatile training for horses increased their horse” competitions and the “young horse”
endurance, as well as durability, under physi- competitions. These are open to 3 to 4-year-
cally challenging conditions. old horses. 4 to 6-year olds are also privy to
dressage, show-jumping and cross-country
Thus, the principles of German horse- competitions designed specifically for young
manship developed and, over time, became horses. Dependent on the age of the horse,
entrenched in tandem with the refinement these competitions can be held at the lev-
of the German equestrian sport. From the els “A”, “L”, “M”. However, horses 4
1930s until the early 1980s, it was seen as years and older are allowed to participate in
the norm that all competitors in horse shows normal competitions (outside of the young
would compete in all three disciplines at the horse competitions) at the “E” and “A” lev-
lower levels. Specialization in one discipline el. Competing at level “L” is allowed only
was only expected at higher levels. This for horses from the age of 5 years onwards,
horsemanship was exemplified by many of while level “M” is only open to horses age 6
A Guide through the German Equestrian World 2324 A Guide through the German Equestrian World
Foto: Ronald Hogrebe
Prize money in
and older. “S” level classes are only open to In higher class national and international German horse
horses 7 years and older. competitions (at three or four star level), the shows in 2011
prize money is not pre-set. In 2012, the most amounted to a total
This system is also applicable to jumping renowned German jumping competition, the of 30,000,000 Euro.
and eventing, with the exception that “E” Grand Prix at the CHIO in Aachen, awarded a
and “A” level classes are open only to hors- total of 350,000 Euro in prize money. Overall,
es of the age of 5 and up. prize money in German horse shows in 2011
amounted to a total of 30,000,000 Euro. It is
important to note that only riding clubs, which
5. Entries, Fees and Prize Money are official members of the FN, are allowed
to host officially recognized horse shows.
The entry fees of the German eques-
trian sport circuit are relatively moderate. The cost of participation in FN equestrian As there are nearly 3,600
As there are nearly 3,600 shows, 68,000 competitions includes three different ex- shows, 68,000 different
different competitions, 1,450,000 entries, penses. The annual fee for a rider’s license competitions, 1,450,000
80,000 competitors and 138,000 competi- ranges between 15.00 and 153.00 Euro, entries, 80,000 competitors
tion horses a year, the FN is able to keep depending on the age and the performance and 138,000 competition
the entry costs for competitions at a reason- class of the rider. The one-time registration horses a year, the entry
ably low level compared to other European of a horse as a competition horse costs fees of the German
countries. 61.00 Euro. The annual license for competi- equestrian sport circuit
tion horses costs 20.00 Euro. are relatively moderate.
Entries, Fees and Total Prize Money (TPM)
Class E A L M
Entry 6.00 e 7.50 e 9.00 to 10.50 e 12.00 to 18.00 e
TPM 100.00 e 150.00 e 200.00 to 250.00 e 300.00 to 500.00 e
In the different competitions at “S” level
(one to three star) the entry and prize money
allocations are as following:
Entries, Fees and Total Prize Money (TPM)
Class S
Entry 20.50 e 23.00 e 28.00 e
TPM 750.00 e 1,000.00 e 1,500.00 e
A Guide through the German Equestrian World 2526 A Guide through the German Equestrian World
Advertisement A Guide through the German Equestrian World 27
Similar to the competi-
tion sport, horse breeding
in Germany is very well
organized and structured.
Foto: J. Wentscher
VI. Horse and Pony Breeding in Germany
1. The Structure of Breeding 2. Distribution of Responsibilities
Federal State studs hold The structure and organization of breed- The Federal Republic of Germany is
approximately 700 sires, ing activities in Germany has two very dis- structured in a decentralized manner. This is
private studs hold tinctive features. First, as one of the main also mirrored in the national breeding struc-
approximately 4,000 sires. departments of the FN, the breeding depart- tures. There are 25 different official breeding
ment works in close collaboration with the associations, all coordinated by the umbrella
competitive equestrian sports. Secondly, organization of the FN.
Germany’s breeding structure is uniquely
composed of a two track structure of sire The distribution of responsibilities is as
keeping. The first track involves the federal follows:
state studs, which hold approximately 700 n Breeding associations
sires. The second track encompasses the Each association is approved by the Ger-
Selling horses private studs, which hold approximately man State, autonomous and within the
by auction 4,000 sires. limits of the European and German ani-
100 years ago mal legislations.
Their main functions are:
n Keeping of studbooks
(identification of breeding animals
and issuing of breeding certificates)
n Breeding management
(breeding program, selection, perfor-
mance testing, advice for breeders)
n Marketing
(sales, advertising and public relations)
n FN – breeding department
The FN breeding department is respon-
sible for the coordination of activities of
the breeding associations, as well as for
representing these associations towards
ministries and other national and interna-
tional organizations:
28 A Guide through the German Equestrian Worldn General political tasks of the federation FN and its member
n Cooperation with the FN member organizations man-
breeding associations and other age many different
communities of interests: breeds. The major-
Comité des organisations profes- ity of the breeding
sionelles agricoles (European Farmers horses in Germany
Union, COPA), Association of German are “German Riding
Animal Breeders (Arbeitsgemein- Horses”; however,
schaft Deutscher Tierzüchter, ADT), different kinds of
Association of Pony Breeders ponies, gait horses
(Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Pony- und and draught-horses
Kleinpferdezüchter, AGP), World are also represent-
Breeding Federation for Sport Horses ed. In 2012, 3,559
(WBFSH), European Association of (previous year:
Animal Production (EAAP) 3,642) riding horse
n Contacts to national and international sires and 59,886
ministries (EU decisions, national (previous year: 64,824) riding horse brood- Trademark-stallion
animal breeding laws) mares were registered. A total of 27,843 Adeptus
n Contacts to breeding associations of (previous year: 29,532) riding horse foals
other countries were registered in 2012. In addition, in the
n Conception/revision of the ZVO field of riding ponies and small horses 3,850
(Zuchtverbandsordnung, transl. (previous year: 4,128) sires, 22,708 (previ-
“Breeding Association Legislation”) ous year: 24,303) broodmares and 9,152
n Management of the breeds through (previous year: 9,647) foals were recorded.
studbooks
n Data coordination of the breeding Of the 219 horses (including reserve
organizations and production of the horses) registered for the Olympic Games
breeding yearbook with estimated in London 2012, a total of 65 (30%) were
breeding values of German breeding. Specifically, of the 90
n System of training and examinations horses registered in the jumping classes, a
of breeding judges total of 26 horses (29%) and 22 of the 54
n Implementation of national breeding horses registered for the Olympic dressage
shows were of German origin (41%). Eventing in
n Support of “young breeders” London saw an evident increase in the par-
n Organization of national shows ticipation of German bred horses. 17 of the
75 registered horses came from German
n National State Studs breeding associations (23%). With five gold,
The State supports equestrian breeding four silver and three bronze medals, German
through assistance in the maintenance bred horses won a total of 12 out of 45 pos-
of the ten National State Studs. sible medals at the London Olympic Games
(27%). Seven of these 12 medals were won
by German horses in eventing. Therefore,
3. The Breeding System German studbooks are the most successful
in Germany in the world.
For riding you need horses. For good rid- Typically, the average breeder in Germany One reason for the great
ing you need good horses. If you have a lot owns one to three broodmares but no stal- popularity of riding in Ger-
of good horses, you have the opportunity lions. This is due to the difficulty of holding many, and the outstanding
for a lot of good riding. These three simple broodmares and stallions together in smaller international success of the
sentences describe the breeding situation in sized yards. Similar to the equestrian com- German horse sport, is due
Germany in a nutshell. petition sports, horse breeding in Germany to the fact that more excel-
is very well organized. The German breed- lent sport horses for every
One reason for the great popularity of rid- ing philosophy states that breeding is the at- discipline cannot be found
ing in Germany, and the outstanding interna- tempt to create a next generation of horses anywhere else in the world.
tional success of the German horse sport, by crossing genetic material with specific
is due to the fact that more excellent sport abilities and qualities which exceed that of
horses for every discipline cannot be found the parental generation. Hence, only the very
anywhere else in the world. best stallions and the very best mares should
be used for breeding purposes. To ensure
A large part of German equestrian suc- this, German breeders developed a com-
cess relies on German horse breeding. The plex system of selection and assessment of
A Guide through the German Equestrian World 29Foto: Brüning
Germany has the
greatest and most horses to evaluate the breeding value of a ers. While every breeding association has its
successful breeding stallion or mare. own breeding objective, all breeding asso-
system for riding ciations that are members of the FN further
horses and sport
ponies in the
conscribe to a uniform breeding objective
entire world. 4. Breeding Program from 1975: „Breeding is aimed at producing
of the “German Riding Horse” a noble, large-framed and correct horse with
dynamic, spacious and elastic motions – well
German animal breeding laws prescribe suited for any riding purpose because of its
that any accredited breeding association temperament, its character and its ability to
must have a breeding program. This is im- provide an easy ride.” This breeding objec-
perative, as it ensures preparatory and for- tive, together with the rules for horse breed-
ward thinking breeding objectives. The ing in Germany, is noted in the ZVO, the
breeding objectives are inspired by the pref- breeding association regulations (Zuchtver-
erences and requirements indicated by buy- bandsordnung), and updated regularly.
The basis of the modern horse breeding
Model of Breeding for the German Riding Horse programs is a process of different selection
stages. The diagram to the left shows the
Top- Top-
interplay of judging the exterior and perfor-
Data: stallion mare Data: all available information, mance in this selection process.
only HLP-/VA results 4. step of selction incl. information of offspring
integrated estimation
of breeding value +
Foals:
possible from the age of 3 possible from the age of 8
The first step of the breeding selection
competition
in Germany begins at the foal shows. In the
age of 2.5 3. step of 3. step of age of summertime, when most foals are born,
resp. 3 years selction Datapool selction 6 months nearly every German riding horse, pony and
HLP-/VA-estimation
of breeding value
estimation
of breeding value
heavy horse foal participates in a foal show.
for
HLP (70 days)/VA (30 days)
for + performance test
(station or field)
At these shows, experienced judges from
raising
various breeding associations evaluate the
2. step of selction 2. step of selction
licensing inspriction foals’ exterior and their paces. The best
judging foal foals are awarded. This preliminary selec-
1. step of selction 1. step of selction
tion allows the breeding associations to gain
mating mating a good overview of the quality of the foals
Elite mating born that year. Furthermore, the breeder
gains an objective assessment of the quality
von der Ahe, 2013 of the foals.
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