The Art of Natural Dressage

Some of our German speaking people here may have already heard about Imke Spilker and her book "Selbstbewusste Pferde". She has been way ahead of her times, playing with her horses at liberty, concentrating on perfecting communication and leaving her horses their free will and dignity when nobody even thought about this yet. Her book is a treasure and I have kept it on my nightstand just for reference ever since I got it.
This book will finally be available in English too now, title "Empowered Horses", release date spring 2009, published by Trafalgar and translated by Kris McCormack (who has done a FABULOUS job on translating Hempfling, also).

Imke Spilker also just finished her new website and there is a German and an English version available. The link is http://www.kommunikativepferde.de/. For the English version just click on "Communicative Horses" right underneath the German title. It's a bit difficult to navigate at first so here's a few pointers for the first visit.
Go to "Information" / "Informationen" first, then you'll be taken into the website in the intended order.
There are links in pages to other pages, some of which you cannot find from the menu -- so, if you don't want to miss anything, you have to try to click on anything in a page that *might* be a link. Also, most (but not all) of the photos have text "hidden" in them. You have to rest your cursor on the photo and wait ..... The site is constantly being expanded, so keep checking back every few weeks or so.

P.S.: I didn't want to post this in the "recommended book" discussion or the "interesting websites" thread because this is actually both and it's all about Imke Spilker's training method.
I'll keep you posted about the definite release date!

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I may not have gone where I intended to go but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. D.Adams

Great!

I think I posted a description of her book in the 'recommended reading' topic too, but that was of the German version. I loved her book and it's wonderful that it's now out in English too!

Hi!
Imke Spilker is living only a few kilometers away from me and a friend of mine is doing lessons with her for a few month.
She (my friend) had a very bad accident with her horse last winter (she was close to become paraplegic) and after her recovery decided to change its handling radically (she was already before a very soft and patien rider who did lots of groundwork).

She is really enthusiastic about what Imke tought her and how her horse changes since then. What she told me about it also inspires me. Unfortunately Imke doesnt like spectators so I can't watch the lessons. Another friend of mine also wants to start lessons with her. (Unfortunately she is VERY expensive).

I had Imkes book on my bookshelf for years but when I got it it was obviously to early for me - I found it interesting but it had no influence on me.
Now I want to read it again, just didn't find the time yet (have to read so much here)

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Visit my blog: http://pferdialog.de

I didn't know her work till now. And I can only say that I'm really deaply touched. Can't even find the right words. Like reading my own thoughts. She's saying aloud all the things I would never dare.

I have to buy her book as soon as possible. And I hope that some day I will earn enough money to visit her and take a class.

UPDATE!

The book is at the printer now and can be pre-ordered at Trafalgar's website and on Amazon!

See here:

http://www.horseandriderbooks.com/mm5/m ... _Code=WCOM

and here:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw_1_ ... refix=Imke

The Amazon link has the "look inside" feature, so people can get a real taste of the book.

I cannot wait to read it all again in English this time!!!! This is an absolute MUST HAVE!!!

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I may not have gone where I intended to go but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. D.Adams

There is also a great review and excerpts from the book at Lynn Gerards blog www.ravenseyrie.blogspot.com

I am so excited to have this book finally in english!

oh, I had a look on the website and it looks marvellous!!!

It'll have to wait though... I do not reed any books now, untill my own is finished.
I want to have my thoughts and experiences on paper.

But I sure would want to read this one and I haven't had that I was interested in a horse book for a looooooong time!

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www.equusuniversalis.com

Oh, I have so many books still to read!

Why does everyone keeps on recommending books everywhere, which I don't have time nor money for but so desperately want!
Luckily this one is still taking some time...

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kirsten
time is what you make of it

Thanks for providing the link to Lynne's blog, Mustang! I love these excerpts and Lynne's wonderful comments!


Josepha,


YES!!!!!! Isn't it!?!??!
You have to hurry finishing your book!!!!! I hope your book will be available in English? From your website?


KDS,

Start saving a little bit of money every week and by the time it's released you'll have enough! This one is worth every penny and more, it's one of the priceless books you just HAVE to HAVE!

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I may not have gone where I intended to go but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. D.Adams

it sounds like the most wonderful book, I read the website and I kept nodding I kept thinking who is this person
and now I want the book :p

I look forward to it!

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Horseriding is an art

My horse is a beautiful living sculpture

I want to ask if anyone from Belgium or Holland would like to have this book too? Then we would be able to buy it together now, because it is now cheaper I think, but shipping would be a lot less expensive when we buy together. If anyone is interesed or knows more about buying things on amazon let me know! I wanted to buy a book from there before but shipping was so expensive we finally asked my mothers friend in the US to buy it and send it to us. So I don't know...

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Horseriding is an art

My horse is a beautiful living sculpture

Looks like a great book. I'll have to give mum a hint about it being a good Birthday present

Hi Barbara,

The book is also being sold by Amazon UK (though it cannot be "pre ordered" there)? Here's the UK link:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Empowered-Horses-Learning-Independence-Self-Confidence/dp/1570764131/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235873915&sr=1-1
Amazon.de (Germany) also has it: http://www.amazon.de/Empowering-Horses-Learn-Their-Self-Confidence/dp/1570764131/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books-intl-de&qid=1235874092&sr=8-2

And, finally, I think Trafalgar Square has notified (or will be notifying) Mediaboek.nl -- the largest (I think) online book retailer in the Netherlands that the English language edition is coming out. They already carry the German edition, so they will likely carry the English version too.

Hope that helps!


Hi Marina,

I gave my Mom the same hint exactly 2 years ago to the date for my birthday for the German version! It worked!

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I may not have gone where I intended to go but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. D.Adams

Another update!

"Empowered Horses" by Imke Spilker is now AVAILABLE!

I'm waiting (impatiently) for my copy!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the meantime, for all of you who are also waiting for their book orders to arrive and for all of you who would like to read more about and from Imke Spilker, here's another link to Lynne's wonderful Ravenseyrie blog with an article that was written by Imke in 1997. (YES, the year was 1997 and Imke Spilker was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of everybody back then already!!!! )
Here's the link to this article:
http://ravenseyrie.blogspot.com/2009/04/article-by-imke-spilker.html
Happy reading!

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I may not have gone where I intended to go but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. D.Adams

Yay
I finally got my copy.
Its such an awesome book