Baerbel

I've known Andrea Bethge for 5 years. Back then I had just bought a
new gelding and wanted to start dressage with Ms. Bethge.
Even thought this was my first own horse, I've experienced a lot of
trainers and lessons. Unfortunately, those were extremely
unproductive.
When I met Andrea, I had heard about her method to bring horse and
rider together as one unit and achieve a horse-conscious and
harmonic companionship.
In my very first lesson I witnesed her unbelievable approach to
handling horses. She noticed the slightest mistakes and corrected them
immediately. Even my horse felt completely comfortable in her
presence and very soon started to show interest in working with me. My
horse just wasn't the same and became attentive and showed me that
he really enjoyed the work.
Through her method to bring horse and rider together it is possible to
achieve extraordinary progress.

Today we still learn a lot and I am very grateful that Andrea
showed mehow to communicate with my horse that is invisible to the viewer.
-Baerbel

Karin and
Fabrice

Andrea makes riding any horse look effordless.

People like me usually try to rationalize problems with their horses: oh, it's the saddle, it's the bit, oh, it's my horses difficult character, it must be his teeth. Let's see what the chiropractor has to say...

Andrea just rides and the horse is relaxed.

Gisela and
Don

You are phenominal!

When you ride, they are all relaxed and content.

Birgit with
Adara and Ibliz

I own two Arabians that I've had in training with Andrea Bethge for about 4 year.

It’s be a tremendous fortune for me, and obviously for my horses as well, to have met Andrea Bethge. My horses’ progress is immense. A few towns over it would be possible to train with an olympic rider, the Canadian Leonie Bramall, who runs the dressage training facility in Neustadt/Ruebenberge. I prefer Andrea! I have never, in my entire life, met anyone as versatile as her in her ways to influence horse and rider. It’s even more extraordinary in my case since I have to deal with the hot-blooded Arabians.

I will travel to the States at least once a year to paricipate in her clinics there and am already looking forward to the ones she will continue to teach in Germany so we don’t feel abandoned.
- Brigit

Jana and
Francesco

I am fairly petite and my Hannovarian gelding is big with a large frame. For a long time I could only ride my „Francesco“ after Andrea worked with him first.
However, after I learned enough from Andrea I was able to ride without her getting on first. Only now and then did she „fine tune“ my horse. Other than that taking lessons with her that was all I needed.
It took me a very long time to find a trainer that suited me and my horse. To be honest, I don’t know what will become of us once we loose Andreas as our trainer. Of course I still wish her the best of luck and success in the US
- Jana

Martina and
Flamenco

I own a very sensitive and nervous Andalusian with which I couldn't get anywhere.
I've had quite the Odyssee behind me trying to find a trainer for this particular breed of horse.
I was really close to giving up riding all together.
What was being offered at various places was by no stretch of the imagination what I considered horse-conscious riding. Especially at barns of “better” trainers the horses seemed to be degraded to being used as sports equipment.
By now I’ve been with Andrea for 4 years.
Flamenco has turned into a beautifully muscular horse and even keeled in a manner I never thought possible. My own riding abilities, too, have increased by several levels thanks to Andrea’s riding and unique lessons. Thank you, Andrea.
- Martina

Marion and
Enjoy

When I contaced Andrea Bethge my Hannovarian mare Enjoy was 4 year old. In the walk, she was stepping under too short on one side and too long on the other, as if she was lame. In trott and canter she'd have a hollow back, never loosened through the poll and was grinding her teeth.
Only 3 weeks at 10 – 13 training units a week with Andrea and the horse was arching it’s back and loose through the poll. After the 3rd ride  she had quitt grinding her teeth. The rythmic walk developed soon naturally as a consequence of a relaxed and happy horse. After the 3rd week I started riding again taking turns with Andrea.
After all these frustrating years with Enjoy and the other trainers I am so happy and exhillirated with the corrections Andrea made, one day I almost started cryring. This is all still affective today. Unbelievable!

Andrea W.

My opinion to Andrea Bethgo as a dressage trainer:
People once told me I lacked talent for riding horses. I've tried
numerous trainers. I just never made it.
So, in 2004 I signed up to train with Andrea Bethge. She figured out
both our problems, my mare, Mona, and my own, within the first lesson.
We decided on the following plan of action:

Andrea rides the horse for 6 months, correcting all the harm I've done
with my own riding (my words, not hers) followed by a combination of her riding the horse and me taking lessons.
Only one year later I went to my first horse show. Since working with Andrea Bethge I get along great with my horse. No one will ever understand how thrilled I am about this.
- Andrea

Frauke and
Gipsy

I’ve know Andrea as a dressage trainer for 4 years now. I have a dominating Hannovarian mare which I was unable to handle by myself. I asked Andrea to ride her for 3 months until I would get back into the saddle.
The following intensive and competent lessons allowed me to make fast progress. My horse was rebuilt from the ground up and skillfully trained. With Andreas’ compassionate character she can explain even the most complex lessons. She constently praises even the smalles success which keeps the horse and the rider highly motivated.

I am very glad that we won’t loose Ms. Bethge completely since she’ll return twice a year to take us back under her wing.
I wish her only the best for the future
- Frauke

First of all, I don't know anyone who loves animals more than Andrea does.
Andrea's teaching method suits me very well, especially considering
that riding is not easy for me due to my severe physical disability.

It seems exclusively due to Andrea and how she trained her horse that
I am even able to ride at all. Her horses yield the rider's aids so naturally that riding indeed seems „easy". Even the most difficult exercises become possible for someone with disabilities and that is what is most important.
To feel the movement of an animal as powerful as a horse underneath me significantly increased my own physical awareness.
- Achim

Ever since my back injury I've given up riding. Nevertheless, I still
spend time with horses. I didn't particularly enjoy watching other
riders. Everywhere I looked I noticed little skill but a lot of doing:
Training barns at which horses are tightly constrained in their
stalls. trainers who compensate their incompetence with big talk and
brute force.
So when my sister started training with Anrea Bethge and told me about
the wonderful piaffes and clean 1-tempe lead changes I was sceptical.
Nevertheless, I decided to check it out for myself.
So one day I went with my sister, made myself comfortable along the
sidelines and waited to see what this was all about. When Andrea came
into the arena with her „Pari" it looked like she was not doing
anything. She just stood there with the reins in her hand and the
horse stretching it's head towards the ground. After some relaxation
she started the true workout and I have to admit, I've never seen
anything like this. Complete harmony between horse and rider and no
matter how hard I tried, I could barely see any aids (aids are the
commands you give the horse via pressure of your legs or weight
shifts).
Everything looked so easy, so natural. Even during the hardest
exercises it seemed horse and rider are communicating via telepathy. I
was extremely impressed and had to admit that my sister did not
exaggerate.

Trainers who base their work on harmony and trust are few and far
between and thus very much understand that my sister will be very sad
to Andrea go to the US.
I guess for me that means that I'll have to start over trying to find
a rider who is pure joy just to watch.
- Andrea

I've been with my aunt Britta to a lot of different horse farms. But
one farm I like best, namely Koppelhof. Even in the winter time horses
get to go out to the pastures.
I, too, am glad I got to know Andrea because she helps when I have
questions. Our horse is always well taken care of and we can always
count on her.
- Noa, 10 years old