In harmony and balance with the horse – this is every rider's dream. Physical and mental balance are the fundamental prerequisites for a sound partnership of animal and human on any equestrian level. There is, however, also the opposite: Why do we see so many beautiless images of animals in Rollkur and with unclean gaits? Voices criticizing today's equestrian sport and training methods geared toward quick successes are getting increasingly loud. Is this criticism justifi ed? How can we turn the tide in the horse's favor? Let us start with ourselves! Christoph Ackermann explains how we can bring any horse – healthily and happily – to its respective top performance by schooling the correct balance, handling the horse with affection, and applying consistent, systematic training according to the Training Scale. Christoph Ackermann himself actively competes in equestrian sports. In this book, he presents a courageous and searingly honest critique of the established way the sport operates, which will give any horse lover food for thought.