History

Dressage Trainer Ralph-Michael Rash

I was born on January 23, 1956, in Hamburg. I’m a family man and a renowned trainer in dressage sport for decades. My passion for horses and equestrian sports emerged early, leading me to pursue a career as a professional rider and trainer.

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of learning from the top dressage trainers of the 20th century. This experience not only provided me with technical skills but also a deep understanding of horses and their training. As a result of my career, I successfully obtained qualifications as a professional riding instructor, state-certified diploma trainer, and Grand Prix judge.

For 11 years of my career, I led the German Riding School in Warendorf. During this time, I oversaw training, examinations, and continued education for German professional riders. In this role, I was specifically responsible for training, examination, and further education of German professional riders. In particular, it was my task to teach and clarify the successful German training system, developed over centuries, to young professional riders and trainers, both in theory and in practice, thereby shaping their careers.

Afterward, I managed “Hesselhof” for another 11 years. The dressage center specialized in training horses and riders up to the Grand Prix level.

Building on this foundation, since 2011, I have been working internationally as a trainer, individual coach, and course leader. During this time, I served as the national trainer for two years in Spain and for seven years in France, responsible for the juniors and young riders, aiding their career growth.

Over the years, I have coached U25 and senior Grand Prix riders internationally with great success. Among them are senior athletes I have trained who compete on their country’s A-teams, helping them advance their careers.

One of my passions is discovering young, talented dressage horses and preparing them for competitive sports through horse-friendly training. Several horses under my training have succeeded in Championships for five- and six-year-old dressage horses.

These successes inspire me to keep sharing my passion for dressage while discovering and nurturing new talents.

Contact me if you are interested in a collaboration.