World renowned dressage judge and former US Olympic coach Anne Gribbons has had the unique experience of living the trajectory of the dressage evolution in the United States. A native of Sweden, Anne has been active in the US dressage scene since 1972, when dressage in this country was in its infancy. She has trained and shown sixteen of her own horses to Grand Prix, nine of which were long-listed for the United States Equestrian Team, and one of which—Metallic—was on the Olympic bronze-medal-winning dressage team in Atlanta under current US Dressage Team Technical Advisor Robert Dover.
In addition to her equine “students,” Anne has coached many successful riders through the levels, and she has always been willing to share her experience and guidance in the form of clinics, lectures, and her popular column in the consummate American equestrian magazine The Chronicle of the Horse. Over the course of almost 20 years Anne provided commentary on the state of dressage in the Unites States and around the world, tying together her diverse viewpoints from the ground, from the saddle, and from the judge’s stand with her trademark style and wit. Now, the best (and in some cases, the worst!) of Anne’s personal experiences as a rider, trainer, breeder, facility owner, sponsor, competitor, instructor, coach, and judge—first shared in her Chronicle columns—are gathered into one immensely entertaining sourcebook of history, humorous anecdotes, attempts to learn from dressage’s past, and prophesies about the sport’s future. Anyone with an interest in dressage, its controversies, and its most famous names, will enjoy Anne’s stories, but the true value is in her ideas for improving our horses, our riders, and our ability to compete on the international scene with success and integrity in the years to come.
