About Katja Elk

 

Katja Elk, German dressage rider from the Santa Ynez Valley, (California, USA), has worked horses under saddle and on the ground under the tutelage of many great master teachers, such as Annelie von Lewinski (Germany), Michael Bünger (Germany), Tina Steward (USA), Alfred Knopfhard (Austria), Charles De Kunffy (Hungary/USA), Monty Roberts (USA), Steffen Peters (Germany/USA), Arthur Kottas (Austria), Shelley Lawder, (Canada) Sonja Vracko (Germany/USA) and Charlotte Bredahl (Denmark/USA). Katja currently offers to share her accumulated knowledge with horse owners and their equine companions as a horse trainer specializing in gentle training solutions for horses of all ages, breeds and training levels.

 

Please visit the Services page for more background on Katja's approach and philosophy; the Media page for articles about Katja, and the References area for testimonials.

 

"The horse shows us the way."

~ Michael Buenger, Oberstudienrat/Reitlehrer FN, Member of the Professional
Certifying Committee in Warendorf, Germany

 

Asked the question, "What physical and mental qualities are most important for a rider to develop in order to advance?" the following answer was given: "A rider must have a deep passion for the horse. If he has that, it's enough."

~ George Theodorescu, Olympic Rider, Trainer of Monica Theodorescu, Romania/Germany

 

"Some horses are being trained with mechanical and technical devices in the shortest time possible... The goal of training should be to further the horse's capacity to perform and to optimize his physical beauty as well as his overall well-being by taking enough time (in the process)."

~ Gerd Heuschmann, DVM, in the preface of his book "Tug of War," Germany

 

"The aim of this noble and useful art is to make the horse supple, relaxed, flexible, compliant and obedient -- and to lower the hindquarters, without all of which a horse will be neither comfortable in his movement nor pleasurable to ride."

~ Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere (1688-1751), France