German
French
SpanishThe German Equestrian Federation for Equestrian Sports and Horse Breeding
By: Maribel Estefanell Posted: 25/03/2022
Europe is a continent with a long-standing equestrian tradition. No wonder there are numerous equestrian federations that seek to group riders together, develop equestrian activities and improve horse welfare.
While some of these federations place more emphasis on equestrian tourism, others focus on animal welfare and others, on equestrian sports.
In Germany, there is the German Equestrian Federation (FN), a national organization of breeders and riders of different equestrian disciplines.
One of the most important activities this federation promotes is equestrian sports.
Besides equestrian sports, it provides training for riders and trainers, promotes riding clubs and equestrian tourism centres, and coordinates the actions of horse breeders.
To learn more about all its activities and functions, we have interviewed Soenke Lauterbach, current Secretary General of the German Equestrian Federation.
Soenke Lauterbach
Photo: © FN-Archiv/Kaup
Fundamentals of the German Equestrian Federation (FN)
Mr. Lauterbach, could you please briefly introduce us to the German Equestrian Federation?
The German Equestrian Federation, or FN, abbreviated from its international name Fédération Equestre Nationale), is an organization that brings together all breeders, riders, drivers and vaulters in Germany.
Its headquarters are located in Warendorf, near the federal riding base.
It has 17 regional associations, 25 breeding associations, almost 60,000 personal members and 9 affiliated organizations.
The FN is therefore the umbrella organization for approximately 3,500 equestrian centres and 7,300 riding clubs, with 665,000 members and around 80,000 breeders.
What objectives is the FN committed to?
Since the FN is the eighth largest German sports association, its tasks and activities are as diverse as the number of its member and affiliated organizations.
According to its statutes, the FN is responsible for:
- Promoting equestrian sports.
- Horse breeding and animal welfare.
- Nature and landscape conservation, and environmental protection.
And, of course, the promotion of equestrian sports, for both competitive and hobby riders, is also one of the activities of the FN.
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The FN Community
Which Associations are part of the FN?
In addition to the ones we’ve already mentioned, the German Olympic Committee for Equestrian Sports (DOKR) is also a member of the FN.
The DOKR is responsible for national and international competitive sports, the nomination of the national teams and their participation in the championships.
The German Association of Riders and Drivers (DRFV) and the German Association of Judges (DRV) are also member organisations of the FN, as well as a whole range of affiliated associations.
These include, for example, the Icelandic Horse Riders and Breeders Association (IPZV) or the International Gaited Horse Association (IGV).
Who are the personal members of the FN and what benefits can they enjoy?
The FN Personal Members are a community of around 60,000 horse lovers who are particularly committed to horses and the relationship between man and horse.
They are direct members of the FN and as such, they’re the closest to the association. With their annual fee, not only do they have many personal benefits, such as discounts on equestrian events, but they also support big initiatives that benefit both horses and people through the so-called funding projects.
Activities in equestrian sports
What equestrian disciplines does the FN include?
Since the FN and DOKR are members of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), they deal with the FEI's equestrian disciplines: Dressage, Jumping, Eventing, Driving, Vaulting, Endurance, Reining and Para-Equestrian.
What are the FN’s main duties and responsibilities regarding equestrian competitions?
The FN or its national equestrian sports associations develop the rules for events at horse shows (performance examination regulations) and guarantee their observance, for example through the education and training of tournament experts, as well as the approval of tournament tenders.
It also keeps a record of all riders and horses participating in competition sport, as well as the results obtained. These results are the basis for division into a system of performance classes, and therefore for more balanced and equal opportunities in this sport.
What Seminars and Training Courses does the FN offer?
The FN and DOKR offer several courses for members of all disciplines and different age groups.
The FN and its equestrian sports associations train and certify coaches and trainers in accordance with their training examination regulations, which are then used in riding clubs and equestrian facilities.
Every year, Personal Members offer around 180 face-to-face and online seminars on all horse-related topics.
Personal Members and all those people interested in equestrian sports can attend these courses and seminars, which are taught by experts in the fields of horse sports and breeding.
The seminars are not limited to classic hands-on events such as dressage or jumping training. They also cover several areas of interest: horse nutrition, special riding methods and veterinary medicine, among others.
In addition to traditional seminars, online seminars offer the opportunity to provide quality education, regardless of location.
Education conference - Vechta FN - Beelitz
Horse breeding
How does the FN help horse breeding and breeders?
Without breeders there are no horses. The basis for equestrian sport and horse-related activities, in general, is horse breeding.
The German Equestrian Federation (FN) combines sport and breeding under the same roof, which is unique in the world, and promotes close cooperation between these areas.
Currently, 25 state-approved horse, pony and small horse breeding associations, are members of the German Equestrian Federation, which registers breeding horses and where breeders are affiliated to.
The decentralised work of the breeding associations requires a coordination of all activities on a wider scale.
This work is done by the Breeding section of the FN, which also represents the interests of the breed societies towards governmental agencies as well as other national and international organisations.
Due to the great diversity of equine breeds in Germany, the FN is also in demand as a coordinating partner. The Breeding Association Regulations (ZVO) of the FN resulted from the joint development of the respective breeding programs.
Do horse breeders have access to the latest training approaches – which are based on equitation science and learning theory – such as the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES)?
Most horse breeding associations offer training and higher education to members through their own internet platforms and seminars.
The latest scientific findings are also taken into account. Whether they work with the ISES in particular, I cannot tell you for sure.
Besides, Personal Members also provide breeders with education and training, and the FN offers training to become FN breeding judges.
In practice, how does the FN promote horse welfare and what does it do to improve the quality of life for horses?
Not only does the FN review its own regulations periodically, but it also sticks to the guidelines of the Ministry of Agriculture, which deal with horse conservation and use.
For more than 20 years, it has been promoting continuous improvement in horse breeding conditionsthrough their competition "Our stable must be better". Much has changed in this regard.
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Equestrian tourism
In Germany horseback riding is a very popular activity and includes many riders who do not compete. What does the FN offer recreational riders?
he FN and its state equestrian sports associations offer education and training opportunities for all tastes and needs. For example, the FN awards badges to riders, drivers, vaulters and lunge guides, and these badges last several days and seminars.
In addition, there are training courses to guide groups in outdoor activities and for overnight rides (trail ride guide, equestrian tour guide).
We also provide information on riding regulations in the different regions, to make your trip a pleasant experience, and we have contact persons in each region. They can help you plan your trip carefully.
In your opinion, has the quality of equestrian tourism in Germany been improved over the past 5-10 years?
My opinion is very positive. Quality is improving and we expect more growth in the coming years.
Holidays and short breaks have increased in Germany and these offers fit perfectly.
From your website, you can book trips with "FNticket& travel". What can you tell us about the type of trips you offer?
With FNticket&travel, we offer a wide range of travel options, which are sold directly.
These trips include activities such as international championships, visits to stud farms, or horseback expeditions.
With these trips, you have the possibility to visit places that, otherwise, would be impossible to see, and riders can design their own trip.
What projects do you have at the moment to increase interest in recreational horseback riding?
We want to bring people closer to horses so they can become horse people.
To this end, we support riding clubs and companies that are members of the FN in all issues regarding training and organization, such as a planned initiative on horses for riding classes 2022-2024.
We have also launched the “Green Stable” project that is aimed at promoting contact with nature.
As far as the current infrastructures of Equestrian Tourism in Germany are concerned, what aspects should be improved?
It would be advisable to have an even stronger network connecting the equestrian regions organized in Germany. The FN is a founding member of the federal working group "Germany on Horseback", which focuses on this important issue.
Besides, we would like gal riding regulations in Germany to be more homogeneous. "Which rules apply where?" is a very heterogeneous question – a real obstacle to further development.
Are gaited horses popular in Germany? Are they usually found in trail riding?
The variety of horse breeds and their uses in Germany is very wide: not only classical riding style, but also Western riding, and gaited horses are very popular in Germany.
Similarly, many different horse breeds are used for trail riding, horseback trips, and riding holidays.
On the other hand, there are also breeders and stables that specialize in one breed in particular – their flagship horse breed. That's their philosophy.
However, we cannot assert that gaited horses are especially popular for equestrian holidays.
Do you know Peruvian horses and the advantages of their smooth gait?
We know the Peruvian breed, but its population in Germany is very small; around 30 breeding mares are registered.
In addition, there are other gaited breeds in Germany such as the Paso Fino, Paso Iberoamericano, etc.
Thanks
We want to thank Soenke Lauterbach for introducing us into the German Equestrian Federation (FN).
With this interview, we hope that both horse enthusiasts and professionals will discover the great work that these equestrian associations do in Germany.
/ Photos: Deutschen Reiterlichen Vereinigung FN /
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MESSAGE TO OUR READERS
The content creation team at Ampascachi Horse Riding Holiday would like to thank our readers who have written a comment on this interview with Soenke Lauterbach from FN.
We would like to clarify that the content creation team does not make comments or judgements on the answers of the interviewed person.
In this case we solely publish the opinions of our blog readers about the concepts of the interview, whenever they do not offend the interviewed person.
Thank you again for your comments.