“Shouldn’t we start cantering soon?!” Ditte Young interrupts while Claus Toftgaard is teaching Nadia Uhrenfeldt on the mare Las Vegas.

In fact, it is Las Vegas herself who interrupts the lesson through telepathic communication with Ditte Young, who has promised Claus Toftgaard and the audience at the farm Bregnerødgård that she will simply say exactly what Las Vegas “tells” her while he teaches.

It turned into a very entertaining dressage lesson, during which the 17-year-old mare repeatedly interrupted the instruction and let Ditte Young know what Claus and Nadia should pay attention to along the way.

It may sound a little far-fetched, but horse and human physiotherapist Claus Toftgaard, who is also a certified trainer, seems to have joined forces with Ditte Young, a clairvoyant, animal behavior therapist, and telepath, at just the right time for the equestrian community.

In any case, tickets for the event “What Is the Horse Thinking and Feeling?” sold out within three days, and more than 100 guests could have joined if Bregnerødgård’s facilities had allowed it.

Inside-Out

The two therapists from North Zealand take a holistic approach to training, giving it an entirely new meaning and making it almost four-dimensional when Ditte Young interprets and communicates the horse’s experience from the inside.

She does this through feelings, thoughts, and images that describe the horse’s state of health, personality, and, not least, the rider’s behavior and influence.

Claus Toftgaard also looks at both the horse and the rider, and the connection between them, but he views everything from the outside and lets the physiotherapist’s and trainer’s perspective guide his interpretation.

Undecided

“It is incredibly exciting to see a combination like the one Ditte and Claus have created, although perhaps you have to be somewhat open to the spiritual side of things,” said a spectator afterward, once everyone had been jumping around like horses and riders in the indoor arena.

Perhaps a certain spiritual openness is needed to understand what Ditte Young actually does, but however she communicated with Las Vegas, she — or, of course, Las Vegas herself — was able to explain how the mare was feeling and what problems she and Nadia were struggling with.

Claus later confirmed all the physical observations Ditte had received from Las Vegas through his examination and assessment of the mare.

Although Las Vegas interrupted and became involved in the lesson, Claus also advised Nadia to improve her communication through the saddle—benefiting both Las Vegas and Nadia.

If you are wondering why the spectators were jumping around and pretending to be horses and riders in the indoor arena, it was perfectly natural to Ditte Young and Claus Toftgaard:

“Well, everyone should experience firsthand what it is like to be a horse and receive the signals that the rider gives without using words,” explained the two therapists, who are now looking for suitable venues to repeat the event elsewhere in the country.