Major aid campaign

Supporters wanted for Burgenland’s school horses

"Free Willy" with Verena, "Gerry" with Teresa, Monika Beudel with Emma and "Ronda" with Marlene.(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

The inflation has hit Burgenland's riding schools hard. To ensure their continued existence, a "school horse initiative" is being launched.

Riding is not only a cultural asset, it is also good for the body, mind and soul. Anyone who wants to learn how to handle horses properly usually attends a riding school. However, since the pandemic, the situation at riding schools across Austria has been tense. Riding stable tenant and riding instructor Monika Beudel in Leithaprodersdorf - she was a multiple national champion, state runner-up and even took part in the European Dressage Championships - can tell you a thing or two about it.

"The running costs continue to rise. But I can't increase the price of a lesson because many people can no longer afford it," she says. Five school horses are currently in use, ten more are already retired: "They also incur costs. Nevertheless, they can stay with me for the rest of their lives," says Beudel.

Many riding school operators are like her
Dietrich Sifkovits, President of the Burgenland Equestrian Sports Association, is aware of this dilemma. "If nothing happens, more businesses that offer riding lessons will have to close. It is also becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable specialist trainers and school horses. Yet they are our everyday heroes, because almost every riding career begins on the back of a school horse. We want to honor this special importance of school horses and put the animals back in the spotlight," explains Deutsch Kaltenbrunner.

He is aware that without school horses there will be problems with the next generation. The economic consequences for the equestrian industry - from feed manufacturers, riding accessory stores and saddlers to veterinarians and farriers - should not be underestimated either, he says. To counteract the negative trend, he would like to support riding schools with the Austrian Equestrian Federation.

The school horse initiative is set to start as early as 2025
A working group was recently set up to develop strategies. "We want to win over companies, patrons and animal welfare organizations who care about the welfare of horses as partners in order to be able to support riding schools with funding - for example through subsidies for the purchase of school horses, feed and bedding and the assumption of costs for school horse registrations, school horse tournaments or further training seminars for trainers."

All clubs with riding schools that are members of the Landespferdesportverband can apply for the "School Horse Initiative" project. Applications will be collected for the entire duration of the project. "We would like to distribute packages of measures on a quarterly basis. Which riding schools benefit will be decided by lot. In this way, we want to create fair conditions for everyone," says Sifkovits.