Christian Garweg Dressage
Lectures • Clinics • Training YH to Grand Prix
ABOUT CHRISTIAN
"With correct training, time, and a proven plan that builds a useful foundation, we CAN make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Regardless of breeding, the level of training, its natural ability, every horse and every rider has room for improvement"
Horses trained by Christian Garweg have been sold all across the globe.
Amongst them are Olympians, Professionals, and Judges alike.
Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalists in the US seek Christian's advice.
Long and short Listed riders in Canada, the US, Austria, Germany, Brazil, Japan, Switzerland, France, Sweden, and Denmark have been some of the most
successful buyers and students.
Some of the most prominent buyers are Christine Stückelberger (SUI) (the horse Aquamarin later ranked 10th in the world), Christopher Hickey (USA), Pia Aragao (BRA), Shingo Hayashi (JPN), and the Olympians: Jaqueline Brooks, Gina Smith, Belinda Trussel (CDN)
Christian's goal and passion is to create success for his horses and his students
While adhering to the classical principles, productive training must account for the needs and personality of each horse.
Christian regularly advises clients in North America and Germany and has been coaching many successful professional and amateur riders from across the world. Christian’s German clients value his experience and individual approach. Christian's students have moved up the levels to compete nationally and internationally to Grand Prix. He emphasizes that the benefit of studying with many of the great masters has been the development of a particular eye for the individuality of each horse.
THE CAREER OF CHRISTIAN GARWEG
Christian was born in 1965 in Wuppertal, Germany. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Hanover. He started riding at the tender age of six, despite not being born into a family horse business. As a matter of fact, no one in his family had any interest in horses. He started taking lessons in pony club, and when his family moved to a neighborhood adjacent to the racetrack, he began exercising racehorses, acquiring an Amateurs License for Steeplechase at the age of 14.
His tall physical stature prevented a long-term career as a jockey, but it opened the door to a jumper stable that needed help riding the show and sale horses. The instruction he received from the resident trainer proved to be valuable in the years to come.
Christian showed jumpers up to the intermediate level, and also started showing dressage with some of the jumpers that moved well or had called it quits in the show ring. He received helpful training from the local riding club’s resident dressage coach as well.
By the time Christian graduated from High School in 1984, he had enjoyed very versatile training that also instilled him with good horsemanship skills for his future. He decided to study law at the University of Hanover in 1984, and worked for the Hanoverian Society in Verden riding auction horses during the semester breaks.
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Christian Garweg on Aquarmarin Competing in Toronto 1990
Christine Stückelberger on Aquarmarin
after purchasing him from Christian in 1991
at Atlanta Olympics in 1996
In 1986, a job offer from the prestigious dressage stable of the Pracht family in Toronto, Canada, was going to change the course of his life. A three-month working project in Toronto turned into a life's vocation. Christian became Canadian Champion in 1987. His students Eva Marie Pracht and her daughter Martina won the individual Silver and a team Gold medal at the Pan-Am Games in Indianapolis.
It became clear that his talents were more with training horses and coaching riders than studying to become a lawyer. In 1988, his services were retained by the prestigious breeding operation Hamilton Farms in Boston, MA. Recognizing his talent at a clinic in early 1989, Rosemarie Springer offered him the opportunity to train with one of the most renowned trainers in the world, Herbert Rehbein, in Germany.
Christian returned to Toronto in 1990. His business flourished in the years to follow. His student Ashley Wright won the North American Young Riders Championships, and Christian spent a year training in Switzerland with Olympic champion Christine Stueckelberger and her coach Georg Wahl.
The purchase of the horse Infiniti in 1996 led to Christian’s nomination to the Canadian Team for the North American Championships in 1997. And yet another trip back to Europe that year that would change his life again.
Training and competing in Europe in 1998 got him to reconnect with his roots, and not being able to qualify Infinity for the World Championships in 1998 made him realize that there was more to learn. At the same time, he was asked to teach in Germany, and he started teaching clinics in Germany regularly.
The move back to Hamburg in 2001 seemed a natural progression. Training and coaching students at the highest levels on both continents and being trained and coached by some of Germany’s best trainers brought him to the present accomplishments of being a successful competitor at Grand prix level in Germany and Canada and advisor in North America and Germany.
After 15 years of training and competing in Europe, he finally returned to compete in Canada and the US in the summer of 2014. Since then, he has campaigned his horses successfully at the Advanced and the Grand Prix level Nationally and at CDIs in Canada, the East coast, and Florida.
In 2016 Christians placed 3rd at the Grand Prix at the CDI Saugerties, followed by 4th place at the Markel Young Horses Finals in a competitive field of the country's best 5-year-olds. In 2017 he showed at the prestigious Dressage at Devon on his Grand Prix horse De Lorean as well as in 2022 on Excalibur. On Don Noblesse, he was invited to compete at the finals in Lamplight in 2019. On Viveka, he competed at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby in 2021. In 2022 Christians mount Excalibur debuted successfully at the Grand Prix level in Ocala, Florida.
His Students are successful, advancing to regional, national, and international levels. Christian is teaching at his home in historic Gloucester County, VA., and teaches clinics all over the country.
