Daniel Bachmann Andersen: "Keep it Playful"

Training

Training Your Horse

-- press release, edited by Eurodressage

"Keep it playful" was the prevailing theme at Daniel Bachmann Andersen MasterClass hosted by Ashley Moore at Highpoint Equestrian Center in Langley, BC, Canada, on 1 September 2024.

Traveling Miles

Spectators traveled from over 1000 km away—some taking two ferries and others crossing international borders—to attend the event at the renowned training facility, a hub in the West Coast Dressage community. Bachmann Andersen's charm and love for horses did not disappoint, making the day both educational and entertaining for riders and spectators alike.

"We’re so lucky to have Daniel come; he’s like a celebrity—I couldn’t miss seeing him," exclaimed one visitor from Whidbey Island.

"His ride in Paris was stunning. I’ve admired him for a while and learned a lot from how he coached today," said another spectator.

Tailored Sessions

Bachmann Andersen took his time with each horse and rider pair, tailoring each session to ensure the horses remained engaged and willing in the big environment. Incorporating playful figures and exercises, along with light seat work, each session throughout the day produced happy, harmonious pairs.

"You have to make it playful for them," Daniel explained.

During Erin Silo's session, her developing Grand Prix horse, KWPN gelding Jett (by Johnson x Floresco) showed off his piaffe technique. The day before, during rider assessments, Pia Fortmuller guided her 5-year-old Fürst London (by Fürst Belissaro x Londonderry) to confidently showcase clean flying changes. However, during the MasterClass, with a larger crowd, London became more introverted. Bachmann Andersen focused on the importance of rhythm and suppleness to build the young horse's confidence, having Fortmuller ride in a light seat to help London regain throughness and energy flow, creating an essential building block of confidence despite the large audience.

In the Grand Prix session with Clarie Robinson and the KWPN bred Glamourboy (by Bojengel x Jazz), her partner from her win at the U25 Freestyle at NAYC last year, Bachmann built on their existing skills to bring more balance and harmony to their work. He broke down the 1-tempis into smaller sets, allowing Glamourboy to gradually improve rhythm and connection before stringing together longer sets until a full sequence was produced with higher overall quality.

In the session with FEI rider and host Ashley Moore and Anne Bowen's KWPN bred gelding Karinos (by Chippendale x Tolando), Bachmann highlighted the importance of achieving a fresh, in-front-of-the-leg canter for smoother transitions and better balance in the counter-canter. Simple adjustments to traditional patterns—such as riding diagonals to X and continuing on the centerline—built balance, control, and confidence in the canter, allowing the counter-canter to become effortless for the pair.

Bringing Expertise to Canada

"This is a new chapter for the community, and I’m thrilled to build on the Highpoint legacy to continue bringing experiences like this to our local athletes," said Ashley Moore who is the new manager of Highpoint Equestrian

"I want to bring higher education to the community, not just for myself but for all our riders and coaches. We have a small but mighty presence here in the Pacific Northwest, and we have some great contenders for making a team. I want to do my part to facilitate those dreams."