"Dressage is here for the horse and not the horse for the dressage."

This single sentence encapsulates the life's work of Anja Beran, a woman who has dedicated over three decades to preserving an art form that, in her own words, has "almost been lost." Born in 1970 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Anja's unconditional passion for horses was, she believes, innate. From her earliest memories, she was fascinated by these noble creatures. And that fascination would grow into a mission that has influenced thousands of riders worldwide and given hope, health and dignity to countless horses.

Anja's childhood was spent in the heart of nature at her grandfather's hunting lodge, situated in a secluded spot in the middle of the Bavarian forest, without electricity or running water. There, surrounded by horses and dogs, she would wander for hours through the hunting grounds, absorbing a connection to animals and nature that would shape everything to come.

She began riding at age six, supported by her horse-loving mother. As a teenager, she passed the test for the German riding and driving bronze plaque and participated in show jumping events finding them more exciting than dressage at the time. She rode bareback and bitless whenever possible, believing this was the most natural and horse-friendly way.

Everything changed in 1984.

Anja watched her riding instructor ride his Lipizzan stallion with absolute lightness and the most subtle of aids, performing haute école movements with such grace that she was completely captivated. "I wanted to ride like THAT!" she recalls. But where could she learn? Her instructor advised her to go to Portugal, where genuine equestrian masters still taught according to classical principles.

At just fifteen years old, Anja travelled to Portugal with her mother. There, she rode under the master Luis Valença and met the man who would become her mentor for the next 26 years: Manuel Jorge de Oliveira, a student of the legendary Nuno Oliveira. Manuel had a reputation for rebalancing even the most difficult horses through systematic gymnasticising work, restoring confidence and brilliance to those others had given up on.

Anja trained with Manuel from 1985 until 2013—26 years of intensive education in classical principles, patience and the art of seeing each horse as an individual. She also maintained a close friendship with him until his death.

Back in Germany, Anja continued her education with Marc de Broissia, under whose guidance she rode for 16 years, starting young horses and training them independently. She considers those years working with horses of various breeds, temperaments and challenges as one of her greatest strengths. By the time she parted ways with Marc in 2002, Anja had accumulated deep, practical knowledge that could not be learned from books alone.

In 2000, a dream came true: Anja moved into Gut Rosenhof, located in Rudratsried, Bavaria. It would become her home, her training centre and the headquarters of a movement. Since 2002, she has run Gut Rosenhof independently, working with approximately 50 horses, most of them stallions, from Germany and countries around the world. Many arrive with conformational weaknesses, lameness or behavioural problems resulting from previous harsh or improper training. Anja's mission is to give them a second chance.

Her open university degree in business management, completed in the 1990s, helped her manage the equestrianism and the complexities of running her own company. And as demand for her expertise grew, she began teaching clinics internationally in Germany, the United States, England and around the world.

In 2009, Anja founded the Anja Beran Foundation, dedicated to animal welfare, environmental protection and ensuring that the almost lost art of classical riding is preserved and promoted. Through the foundation, apprentices are selected and trained, educational materials are produced and animals in need are given sanctuary at Gut Rosenhof from retired horses to pot-bellied pigs, goats, camels, llamas and even fawns rescued from mowers.

Since 2009, Anja and Jana Lacey-Krone, director of Circus Krone (Europe's largest circus), have hosted an annual symposium in Munich under the motto "Training Horses with Feeling and Respect." These events, along with Anja's "International Workshop – Get the Spirit!" at Gut Rosenhof, attract horse enthusiasts from over 20 nations.

In 2019, the Change Makers Foundation awarded Anja their Medal of Honour in recognition of her commitment to horses. That same year, her presentation "Training the Eye – Recognising Horse-Friendly Training" became the most-viewed wehorse video of 2018, shaking up thousands of horse lovers and contributing significantly to a rethinking of modern dressage practices.

Anja has also collaborated with prestigious state studs, including Marbach and Schwaiganger, training both horses and riders according to classical principles, proving that this approach works for every horse, not just baroque breeds. Her "Training the Eye" seminars at Marbach State Stud have attracted sell-out audiences of 450 to 850 visitors, demonstrating the hunger for knowledge about ethical, horse-friendly training.

Today, Anja Beran is recognised as one of the world's leading voices in classical dressage because she refuses to be silent when horses suffer. Her books, DVDs, online courses, lectures and the living example of Gut Rosenhof continue to inspire riders to ask better questions, demand higher standards and return to the principles that have always been at the heart of true horsemanship.