With Heart and Bow straight ahead !
You can recognize him at the working equitation competitions by his western clothing, his thoughtful calm and his horse resting completely in himself. Christian Laukemper knows how to bridge the gap between the different riding styles without mixing the unique selling points. He shows for all to see that good cavalry is always based on only a few REAL pillars.
Solid training, trust and authenticity.
WEN would like to thank you very much for a profound interview with this friendly and open-minded rider and wishes you all the best for 2018!
What is your Name?
Christian Laukemper
When were you born?
./.
What is a perfect daily routine to you?
./.
To whom would you like to say THANK YOU?
In the first place is my wife Tanja, without this strong lioness at my side, it would not have been possible to make my task of connecting people and horses into a profession. My wife initiated the start of the riding school in 2003. At that time I was busy building up my newly founded architectural office. Most of my riding colleagues and friends don’t know my wife at all, because she takes care of everything, especially our children, when I’m out and about.
Together we ventured the step to build our own riding facility with riding arena, stables, farm buildings and a residential building. Today I know that I have only become an architect to create a place where I can fulfil my task in peace and quiet.
In second place are my horses, the horses give me a warm feeling of peace.
Many thanks to the WED. e. V. A big thank you to Markus Grüter, who is doing an excellent diplomatic work.
And of course, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Nuno Avalar.
What do you consider to be your best skill?
To connect man and horse. Sometimes there is a wonderful, invisible connection between my students and my horses. When pupils on my school horses without saddles and bridles complete the most different lessons, almost like in the game, in all gaits, both of them have a very special facial expression in these moments. A beautiful moment of mutual understanding and trust.
What is your most negative trait?
My thinking and acting is still too limited. No one has lived through all the experiences a life could offer, and even the notions of what is possible still have gaps. This means that through my knowledge, my experiences and my ideas a picture develops of what I can achieve or move in my life. But one’s own knowledge is limited, so everything could be different. The abolition of the judging restrictive own thoughts is the beginning to seize all possibilities offered by life. If everything is possible, it means freedom.
What do you absolutely dislike?
Intolerance! With the awareness that we ALL have a limited knowledge, incomplete experiences and ideas, our evaluations and assessments should be made in terms of good and bad, wrong and correct etc., with a lot of attention or if we are unsure, not at all.
Name your Horse?
Starlight Smart Mimi
Its breed?
American Quarter Horse
Some words about its character, Advantages, bad habits?
The now 11 year old Quarter Horse mare Starlight came four years old into my possession and was trained by me. The mare is awesome, she reads every thought I have and she has a big strong heart. I have a very strong connection to this horse. At the age of five she competed in her first EMU Western Tournaments and was able to score many individual successes, including the two-time qualification for the German Open.
Three years ago, at the age of 8, I introduced her to Gut Aichet for the first time at a working equitation tournament (4th place Masterclass). In 2017 we barely missed the podium at the German Championship and finished 4th in the overall ranking. In October 2017, Mimi was admitted to the championship squad of Working Equitation Germany.
What is your professional career / educational level?
My foundation is basically based on two pillars,
My riding school and my architect’s office.
Without the office, I wouldn’t have my own facility.
Dipl. Ing. (FH) Architect
Completed studies in 1999
Entry in the Architects Association, title Architect 2003
Foundation of the architectural office and the riding school in 2003
Trainer licence C Western riding competitive sport 2004
Trainer licence B Western riding competitive sport 2005
Highest trainer licence A Western riding competitive sport 2011 (With this license I am allowed to conduct trainer training courses)
Design and planning of our own riding facility 2011-2012
Completion of the equestrian centre 2013
Appointment to the WED World Cup squad of the German team 2017
Awards:
Holder of the Silver Western Riding Badge, 2012 Award for special services to the sporting development of the First Western Riding Union Bavaria e. V. ,
3 EMU medals for the special performance of his school horses at Western tournaments
Youth work Trainer successes:
Twice victory of my youth team at the Bavarian Championships EMU Three times victory of the School Horse Decup Western Riding at the EMU in each case
some all-round champion titles, which prove the versatility of the school horses.
German Championship Youth DM 2015/ 2016/ 2017 Working Equitation: 3 school horses among the top 10 in the Working Equitation Germany Youth.
Both youngsters took 2nd place in the overall standings with my school horses in class M on the screening tournament for a future youth squad.
Your Philosophie in Horse riding?
Horses can read our minds.
Your horse reads your thoughts and desires about your feelings. Give your horse, through your imagination, a clear picture of how you want to see it (spirit) – believe in it and love your horse (heart) – and then execute it, if necessary, with your body. Emotion is a force that unites us all. Emotions have a great influence on the communication between man and horse.
A clear picture of the idea of movement creates the corresponding emotional information that the horse recognizes and understands. So horses can read our thoughts about our feelings.
Your thoughts about your Training with Nuno Avelar?
Nuno analyzes all horses and their riders very carefully in terms of interior and exterior to develop a good solution.
Nuno Avalar has an incredible motivation to promote understanding between man and horse. He has a lot of experience, but above all a strong heart. He knows about emotional communication, which is very important when dealing with horses. He regards the other nations and his role as coach of the German national team with much respect and dignity. He knows what the World Cup means to all of us and how much strength and energy it will require. Nuno concentrates not only on the task but also on everything that happens and will happen around this event.
I am happy and proud to learn from him.
Do you have any actual Projects or Plans for the near future?
I will finish my active career after the World Cup and dedicate myself intensively as a trainer to my school and youth work. Writing a book is also on the agenda.
Why makes the German National Team the winning team?
I don’t know if Germany will win. I would like to refer to Paulo Coelho “The path of the bow “ is a very interesting reflection on goals and letting go.
I dedicate myself time and again to the activity of archery. This is my mental preparation for riding tests.
In doing so, the focus is on perfecting the movement sequence over and over again, keeping an eye on the goal with the greatest possible respect, but at some point I have to let go of the tendon. And during the flight of the arrow much can happen, a small gust of wind, possibly triggered by a butterfly in a distant country, can change everything. The bow is our life, from which all the energy comes. The arrow is the intention, it connects our power of action with goal that has been carefully chosen. The target is far away, and it will show up whether it is hit or not.
That’s where the magic lies: „The Way of Life“ – you can never tell yourself that your opponent was stronger. You have chosen the target and you are responsible for it. Your goal may be smaller or bigger, but you must always stand upright in front of it, show respect and bring it to you in spirit.
We have a very experienced teacher and a very strong team and I am infinitely proud to be a part of this whole.
What else is important to me:
My philosophy as a teacher:
I find peace in the work of connecting people with my horses by developing a different world of communication besides the riding technique. We are constantly learning about my horses, with my horses, from each other and with each other. I’m just a mediator between human beings.
What fascinates me about horses:
The horse teaches you to understand that everything must come from you, pay attention to you first, take you to your centre, love you, pay attention to your body and thoughts, only then you can do something for your horse. Bring the horse into its center, into its physical and mental balance. If you succeed in this, you will trust you and you will become ONE with your horse.
Why I still remain true to my western riding philosophy?
I am FREE in my actions. The working ride has many facets and design possibilities.
The American way of working has basically developed from the European riding styles, since the emigrants brought their horses, their riding lessons and their cultures from the respective countries. In today’s Western riding you can find many elements from the Iberian riding styles, from the Légèreté and from the German riding instruction (FN guidelines Volumes I and II).
Western riding means not having to submit to any particular teaching for the time being, everything is possible. And I can make use of all the elements of the different riding lessons. So I have all possibilities in the classroom.
Why did I come to Working Equitation?
To learn and to become an ambassador between riding styles. The demands placed on a team of horse riders in working equitation are not exactly the same as those expected in western riding. A good Western rider is able to master almost all the lessons he wants to learn, either completely loose or completely without reins. In working equitation, a so-called leaning with a certain straightening is desired.
But nevertheless the different riding teachings all have one thing in common.
At the end of the training, everyone wants to have a well-balanced, loose, yielding, open-minded, well-balanced and well-balanced horse with a good active hindquarters, which can easily carry out any manoeuvre in perfect balance in harmony and unity with its rider.
In working equitation, a very diverse trained horse is expected to master the different tests dressage, style trail, speed trail and cattle work.
More about Christian Laukemper and his work you will find here… -> Westernreitschule Christian Laukemper
