FEI Grand Prix dressage training in Louisville Kentucky

Chrissa Frith-Hoffmann * USDF Gold Medalist*

About Chrissa

Chrissa Frith-Hoffmann is an International Grand Prix rider. She holds the United States Dressage Federations Bronze, Silver and Gold medals and is capable of training horse and rider through the most advanced level of dressage. She is trained after the original guidelines and proven principals of classical dressage and is able to apply that competitively into the modern day show ring. Achieving the Grand Prix level as well as receiving multiple high score and year end awards, in addition with being decorated with all of the award winning medals, is a result of hard work and determination. This is where Chrissa excels as an equestrian professional in this country. Chrissa has trained four horses to the Grand Prix level along with nine other horses, over the years, to the FEI levels. She takes pride in training and developing her own horses. Each horse in her program is developed in the proper way. Simple, quiet, riding that focuses on proper equitation and correct communication between horse and rider.

To learn more about Chrissa as a rider and about her start in horses please click on her "Who's-Who" bio on Dressage Daily.
http://www.dressagedaily.com/index.php?option=com_alphacontent&section=34&category=306&Itemid=67

Below are the four horses Chrissa has trained
to Grand Prix!

"Harry Callahan" owned by Linda Cawthon

"Kalman Kahilie" owned by Peggy Randolph

Chrissa and Traumulous Havdal, owned by Peggy Randolph, Axel Steiner helping with piaffe.

Chrissa has been fortunate to study and learn from the most elite professionals in our country and abroad!
The list includes:

Chrissa working with Christoph Hess


Robert Dover                                                    Barbara Silverman
Tina Konyot                                                         Pam Goodrich
Alex Gerding                                                        Hasse Hoffmann
Steffen Peters                                                     Siegfried Peilicke
Michelle Gibson                                                     Christoph Hess

In 1995-2000, she worked for Barbara Silverman, a FEI USET Long Listed rider for the 2000 Olympics. During that time she helped Barbara with sale horses, teaching, learning how to operate a first class training facility and traveling abroad to Sweden, Germany and Denmark training and selecting horses. Ms. Silverman was Chrissa's first dressage instructor. Chrissa started riding at age seven and competed in eventing through Preliminary level before meeting Barbara in 1995. She instilled in Chrissa her love of teaching to both horse and rider. Barbara passed away from a long diligent fight of ovarian cancer in May of 2000.

After Barbara's passing, Chrissa spent the entire year of 2001 alone, developing her own style of riding and learning how to problem solve on her own, without the help of her dear friend and mentor.

"That year was probably the hardest time for me. Riding is very much like gymnastics or ice skating, it's dancing with a horse. Without eyes on the ground from a coach, one can get very lost in the daily training process. When people ask me the common question of "haven't you been riding long enough to not need lessons anymore?" Usually I respond by saying, go ask Tiger Woods how many clubs he swings alone without his coach watching, or an Olympic gymnast how many tumbles she does without her trainer looking on.....that usually gets the light bulb flickering. Dressage is a dance between horse and rider, it's supposed to be beautiful to watch, some people even refer to it as an "art form." To put it simply, one cannot do this sport alone.

During that time I learned to not be so dependent on "feel" from a coach. I had to learn to feel and listen to the horses myself. It was a growing experience for sure, and looking back, I now know it has helped me become the rider and trainer I am today. Although spending that year searching and learning who I was as a rider was beneficial, I also knew it was time to move forward and continue my education."

Chrissa training with Steffen Peters

Chrissa's Training Accomplishments:

Chrissa's gift is taking horses from a very young age and bringing them up through the levels herself. She is also very well known for her ability to train all breeds. Her most notable accomplishment thus far has been training "Harry Callahan", a ten year old American Saddlebred in dressage. She started "Harry" at age four and has trained him to Grand Prix, the first ever American saddlbred to compete Grand Prix and receive scores in the high 60's. Since 2004, "Harry" has dominated all of his classes in region 2, from second level to now Grand Prix. Chrissa and "Harry" were ranked first in the United States Dressage Federation's 2006 All Breeds Awards division for PSG-Open FEI and overall was ranked in the top third of all horses in the country against all breeds for PSG. In 2007 he was named The Kentucky Dressage Open FEI Champion, beating many top warmbloods in the area. Because of his success, as a "non-traditional" breed, he has become a crowd favorite. He even has his own website, /www.americansaddlebreddressage.com. "Harry" has also been recognized nationally through the media by landing on the cover of the USDF Connection magazine, being featured in Horse Illustrated , The Yankee Pedlar, Cavallo and Pferdehorse, two top selling German magazines. As a "non-traditional" breed performing well at the Grand Prix level has made him become a world wide recognized horse! She has also trained, 11 year old Forty Something, also another American Saddlebred to PSG, with scores in the 60's.

"Harry's" success in the dressage world has touched many people all over the country. His success not only reflects good training, but that dressage is not breed specific. Dressage means "training" and with proper training and dedication, any horse can learn dressage and dreams can come true!

Forty Something