Helen Langehanenberg Dressage Rider

By: Gyöngyi Molnár Posted: 08/05/2020

Interview with Helen Langehanenberg

The dressage rider Helen Langehanenberg was born in 1982 and she has represented Germany in numerous European Championships and World Championships. Presently, she runs her own riding centre, Dressur- und Ausbildungsstall Langehanenberg in Billerbeck, Germany, where she trains dressage horses and riders.

In team dressage, Hellen won a silver medal in the Olympic Games of London in 2012, and achieved to be ranked at the fourth place in individual ranking.

Two years later, she won a gold medal in team dressage in the World Championship and two silvers in special dressage and freestyle dressage at FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, with her horse Damon Hill, also in 2014.

At the European Dressage Championships, her achievements were also very important, since she won a gold medal in 2013 and 2017 in team competition, without mentioning the silvers in individual.

The FEI World Cup Dressage Final is an annual international dressage event involving the world's best dressage horses and riders. From this competition, Helen has one gold medal (2015, Gothenburg), two silvers (in 2012 and 2014) and, the last time she participated (2019), she won a bronze medal in Gothenburg.

Without any doubt, Helen is one of the most appreciated German horsewoman and a highly renowned champion.

Helen in her professional life

Helen, when and why did you start dressage?

When I was six, I started to ride and at the age of 12/13, I took up dressage. To make horses dance and work every detail with them give me much pleasure.

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In your opinion, what are the greatest challenges in dressage?

When you look at it, it must seem to be easy and that everything goes almost by itself.

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Horse dressage is a very elegant sport. Is it true that you collaborate to design a range of competition clothing for dressage riders?

Yes, I do.

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Which riders have been your reference or have influenced your training and sports career and how?

There were many. I cannot name one in particular, it would be unfair. I have learned from them all.

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After winning so many medals at major equestrian world events, are you going to continue with the competitions? What are the following challenges?

To put some young horses in the VIP sport. And if I can, I would like to participate in a championship.

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Helen, we like your motto: "I think people and horses should be partners. How should I force a horse of 600 kilograms to do anything? If they don't want to, I cannot make them. I think the riders should love to do it, and the horses should enjoy it." So, what is the secret and how can we become partners or friends with horses?

Respecting and accepting each other. You must not give up if something does not work at first. We have to enjoy sports together.

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How does Dressur- und Ausbildungsstall Langehanenberg work? What does it offer riders and horses?

We teach and train horses. We present them in championships or sell them if their owners want. We also have offer riding lessons.

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With how many horses do you work? Do you have favourites?

We have 32 boxes. I love all my horses.

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What breed are your horses?

They are all hot bloods.

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You have so many years of learning and practical experience. Do you consider that the training of professional riders has improved in terms of their theoretical and practical training in horse riding compared to the past?

I don’t know if training has improved. What has probably improved is horse breeding, in an incredible way.

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Could you explain how this improvement in horse breeding can be noticed?

Body constitution, movement potential and performance.

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Is the scientific knowledge about equine behaviour and the theoretical way of approaching horse training, especially the principles of Theory of Learning and Ethology, sufficiently spread in the equestrian world?

I don’t know.

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Each horse has his own character. Do you have to apply significant differences in training them? Or you rather follow certain methods and disciplines?

In general, we do not apply different training methods, but we approach each horse individually.

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Is music important in dressage? Do horses like music?

I think they do. A lot.

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What makes you think so? Do you notice any change in the horse’s behaviour when there is music?

Horses have a sense of rhythm, too.

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Your daily schedule and routine must be very strict. Do you have any free time? How do you spend it?

Little free time. With my children and friends.

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Equestrian Tourism is becoming more popular among people who love to travel and to try new experiences as they are in contact with nature. Have you ever made a long trip on horseback to discover other countries in the world?

Yes! A riding safari in South Africa. It was great!

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Could you tell us what you liked the most about this safari in South Africa?

To watch all those wild animals from my horse and at close range.

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Do you know the Peruvian Paso horses? Have you ever ride them?

No.

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Have you ever visited Argentina?

No.

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Would you like to discover it one day on a Peruvian Paso horse?

Yes, it would be a pleasure!

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Thank you very much Helen for answering our questions.

We wish you to continue your excellent work with riders and horses,
and we hope you have the time and desire to ride some day
in Argentina, in our precious mountains and valleys.

Would you like to delve deeper into the world of horse training?

Download our free guide on Horse training step by step. There we tell you everything we have learned about horse training in more than 25 years of experience.

And if you want to be a professional horse trainer and get field-based training, you should check out our training program. You will have the opportunity to live in our equestrian centre and experience our full training process with young horses.

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