Nicole Werner, the power in the background
In January 2010 a clinic was organised by the Dutch Equestrian Federation in its headquarters, Ermelo, right in the middle of Holland. Over 700 instructors were present for the yearly ‘trainers seminar’, to see and hear the special guests Nicole Werner and Edward Gal, the current number one of the dressage world.

Their clinic turned out to be a technical highlight. Many trainers were quite impressed and inspired. It became clear that the historical successes with Totilas are not only based on the special gifts of one ‘miracle horse’. For those who knew Edward and Nicole longer and better, this was no news. The pair produced many very successful Grand Prix horses, such as Lingh, Gribaldi and Sister de Jeu. As Edwards business partner and trainer, Nicole Werner is the power in the background.

She manages the stables and trains Edward and Totilas on a daily basis. Educated by the ex national trainer of Holland, Henk van Bergen, Nicole comes from a family living in Amsterdam. Her parents had been riding horses from time to time, but as an equestrian professional Nicole is a self-made woman. She spent some years at the equestrian school in Deurne, which she did not finish. Then she started her own training stable and met Edward who was still a schoolboy. “At first I considered him to be a rival, but then we started helping each other and after some time our cooperation became a business partnership.

We started a common training stable in Babberich, then went to Giesbeek to hire 43 boxes and now we are renting a beautiful place in Harskamp. On the same place Edward’s friend Hans Peter Minderhout is renting stables. In the meantime we combine all kinds of activities, the three of us. We cooperate as business partners and are very good friends. This makes our cooperation very special”. As a trainer Nicole Werner is a representative of the modern Dutch training method. In the clinic at the Global Dressage Forum she will explain the backgrounds of the method, which is inspired by the three times Olympic Gold medal winner Anky van Grunsven.

She will also explain her preference for bloodhorses, ‘electric’ horses as she says. “Our favourite horses must be strong, and have a good action in the hindleg. However, an overactive hindleg, can make a horse too strong in the hand. It is all a matter of balance and good training”, Nicole says.