About Melissa

QUOTES BY MELISSA SIMMS

On philosophical aspects of training

"Dressage is more than just learning how to ride. Dressage is a way of life. As you learn more about horses ... and the beauty of creating something in a horse ... you find that this process becomes how you ask yourself about what is right and wrong in your own life. Because when you work with a horse, you are not just dealing with the problems in this horse , but also with the problems in your life. People grow through their riding. Or you don't grow. You have a choice, but the opportunity is there.

"I deal with hundreds of horses -- horses that have been handled correctly and incorrectly, all with different problems and talents. And I may not know anything about their histories, but I have to learn to understand them at that moment. With this creature we've chosen to confine, we have the responsibility to learn how to make its confinement as pleasant as possible. Not just tolerable, but pleasant, because he liked it when he was free, and he can only be beautiful when he likes where he lives and how he's being treated.

"Which is why I think everyone who rides has the responsibility to learn to ride at least to a certain level, so that the horse is comfortable carrying him around. A badly ridden horse is never a happy horse. Badly ridden horses develop problems they'd never develop in the wild. A poor-sitting rider or poorly-fitting equipment causes soundness problems. And even if the horse is so strong that it won't go lame, it will develop temperament problems.

"And handling on the ground is also a horse's environment. If a horse is being unfairly handled, or even brushed too hard, he'll react. If you go into a stable and see a horse that just stands in a corner, this is very uncharacteristic of natural horse behavior, because a horse in nature is totally interested in his life, and has to be to stay alive. You may have to remember, the animal has no say-so in what will happen to it; you're totally responsible for its well-being. And that's really how I see my duty with respect to dressage: to teach people how to make their horses' lives more comfortable.

"The horse must be allowed to be a horse and to develop its character. Correct dressage and correct handling develop the horse's character. They become perkier, and more confident in themselves. They stop shying because they feel confident in their world. And their bodies become more beautiful through correct dressage, and they live longer and healthier lives. We take away the horse's freedom, but we give something back. We develop the horse's mind."

Melissa Simms spent the last 30 years in Germany at the Egon vonNeindorff School of Horsemanship working with the great master himself. She rode as many as 10 horses a day and put together all of the performances for the city of Karlsruhe.

Her mentor, Egon von Neindorff was described as "the Nestor of Classical Dressage in Germany" and was praised for his undeterred passion for classical dressage, which he passed on to his students. He never wanted to be a reformer, only an interpreter and teacher of classical dressage.

“Melissa Simms who was referred to me by her German riding instructor in America, arrived at my institute as a working student in February 1982. She worked in the stable to acquire experience and received daily riding instruction. I immediately noticed her diligence, interest and understanding for the horses and the nature oriented schooling represented in my institute. Therefore I was able to conduct intensive daily riding lessons with her on well trained horses. She advanced very quickly. Overtime I trusted her judgement and gave her my horses to school, which she accomplished with feeling, knowledge and patience. At the same time she became integrated into my performances of classical horsemanship that I conducted twice a year since 1954. Over the years she developed into a most important and dependable assistant for me and for the successful completion of the festival evenings. Today, she possesses the aptitude, professional qualifications and ability to school horses of all different breeds to Grand Prix niveau and has developed a particularly fine feeling for the work ‘In Hand’ and the airs above the ground. Because of this and the twenty years that she has been a major support to me personally and to my riding institute, I believe that she understood, can interpret and write about my life’s work” Riding Master Egon von Neindorff, March 20, 2002

Gerd Heuschmann uses Melissa as an example in his book ‘Tug of War: Classical vs “Modern” Dressage’ “And, consider that it’s an American, Melissa Simms, living part-time in Germany and working from the Von Neindorff Riding Institute, who is showing the entire equestrian world that riding with feel and delicacy in harmony with the horse also leads to great success”.

Melissa journeys between Germany and the United States for training and clinics, sharing her gift and carrying on the tradition of classical dressage. Her most recent project is translating Herr Egon von Neindorff’s book ‘The Art of Classical Horsemanship’ from german into english.

About Melissa Simms

Melissa Simms with Egon von Neindorff