It takes great education, many years of experience, a well developed philosophy of riding, a passion for teaching and a unique ability to communicate. These elements can all be found in a classically schooled, USDF certified instructor, Jim DiMilte, who has ridden with many of the most respected names in the dressage world. While being certified by the Morven Park International Equestrian Institut
e in 1971, Jim studied with Major Joseph Lynch, the 1968 US Olympic Team coach, and Jimmy Wofford, one of that team's riders. Since that time Jim has pursued excellence in dressage, studying with Hans Möeller and Hans Handler of the Spanish Riding School, Charles DeKunffy, Hilda Guerney, Dominique Barbier, Natalie Lamping, Tom Poulin, Michael Handler, Lilo Fore, Sonja Vracko and many other respected and accomplished clinicians. Jim has also had the opportunity to attend clinics where he learned from Reiner Klimke, Robert Dover, Christine Stüeckelberger and Gustav Nableaus, former president of the FEI dressage committee. These experiences amount to a terrific repertoire of learning from some of the world's greatest dressage riders. Jim has a great desire to understand and communicate both the "hows" and the "whys" of teaching, training and riding. This is shown in his additional schooling, clinics and personal experiences. He has attended the seminars of Sally Swift, taken classes in human and equine anatomy, physiology and psychology and has undertaken extensive work from practitioners of Rolfing and the Alexander techniques of bodywork. This makes him uniquely qualified to more fully understand the workings of the human body as it moves with and directs the movement of the horse. In addition to 30-plus years of teaching private and group lessons, he has taught 4-H groups, pony club, community college courses in Texas and Illinois and college courses at Prescott College in Arizona and Seattle University in Washington.