Who helped design the X-Prestige Helen Saddles?

source: muensterlandzeitung.de

The Prestige saddle range includes four X-Prestige Helen saddles, all designed in consultation with renowned German dressage rider Helen Langehanenberg. Why was she chosen to collaborate? :) More on that in the article below.

Helen Langehanenberg - sports career

source: prestigeitaly.pl

Helen was born in Münster, Germany, in 1982. Her riding adventure began at the age of 6: "I grew up in the suburbs, so my fascination with ponies began quite early. My family had to stop every time we passed a meadow where horses were grazing. At the age of 10, I had my own pony, Flummi. My mother always gave me real support, even though I knew she was a bit afraid of horses."

Helen developed her riding skills with renowned eventing rider Ingrid Klimke, and her current personal trainer is Klaus Balkenhol. She currently runs her own stable in Billerbeck, Germany, where she trains horses.

When asked why she chose dressage, she replied: " A friend of mine took riding lessons in elementary school and asked me if I wanted to join. I jumped a lot when I was young, but my pony was very nervous, so I fell often and in every possible way. Even now, I'm not the best jumper. I feel most comfortable in dressage, which is where I've given my heart."

At the age of 16, Helen began working with the then 7-year-old horse Princeton L , with whom she managed to reach the level of Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special competitions and win the Golden Riding Award.

In 2008, she was selected for the German National Team and was a reserve rider at the Beijing Olympics. Helen also contributed to Germany's victory in the Nations Cup, having successfully ridden another important horse in her career, Responsible (Rohdiamant/Freudenprinz) .

Helen won a silver medal in team competition at the European Dressage Championships in Rotterdam in 2011 and a silver medal in team competition at the Olympic Games in London in 2012.

The year 2013 brought her many victories, including a gold medal in the team competition at the European Championships in Herning, first place in the final of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup in Gothenburg, and first place in the final of the CDIO in Aachen.

Helen's New Horse

Helen owes her greatest successes to date primarily to the Westphalian stallion Damon Hill (Donnerhall x Rubinstein), with whom she won the World Championships for Young Horses in 2005 as a 5-year-old. This horse won the World Championships for a second time under Ingrid Klimke as a 6-year-old. Ingrid managed to advance Damon Hill to Grand Prix level, but it was Helen Langehanenberg, taking him back in 2010, who achieved international fame with him. Unfortunately, the contract with the horse's owner expired on October 31, 2015, and Helen was unable to sign a new contract, which ruled out her participation in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill, source: FEI / Arnd Bronkhorst / Pool Pic

The lack of a suitable partner for the arena caused Helen to withdraw from the sport and from international dressage competitions for six months. However, in May, as we wrote here , her grand return was announced in the media. Earlier this year, news spread that Helen would be riding with a new horse – the 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion Damsey FRH (Dressage Royal x Ritual) . At the May competition, she debuted with him in the large round competitions in Vreschen-Bokel, Ammerland. They finished their starts together with scores of 72.713% and 75.533%, winning two competitions. They also had successful starts at the CDIO5*-NC in Falsterbo. How will their careers together unfold? We'll be watching :)

Helen and Damsey FRH, source: practicalhorsemanmag.com

X-Prestige Helen Saddle

I once spoke with a friend, Carsten Otto Nagel, during the German Championships. He told me he had been using Prestige saddles for years and had always been very pleased with the quality of their products and the softness of the leather. Carsten also added that Prestige was looking for a new rider, a dressage competitor, to collaborate with. A few days later, I was contacted by Bernd Carsten, Prestige's sales representative for Northern Germany. Then I met with Prestige employees in Italy, and that's how the story began...

Thanks to the cooperation with Helen, as many as 4 saddles were created: X-Prestige Helen D , X-Prestige Helen DK , X-Prestige Helen Lux and X-Prestige Helen Lux K.

X-Prestige Helen D

From the very beginning, I was a huge fan of the Prestige Helen saddle: I immediately felt incredibly comfortable in it. The leather is incredibly soft. Prestige technicians told me that the saddle is completely innovative: for example, the tree is deeper than in any other Prestige saddle. Thanks to the new TECHNOLOGY-X, with integrated, elastic membranes around the lower hip bone, the seat is incredibly soft. The panels are made of a new honeycomb material combined with a stretchy terry cloth material. This reduces panel thickness, and the closer contact is immediately felt by the rider. The Prestige Helen saddle is available in smooth leather, calfskin, or Lux leather. The flaps are also padded for added softness and a better feel for the horse.

From left: X-Prestige Helen DK saddle, X-Prestige Helen Lux K, X-Prestige Helen Lux

A saddle is incredibly important not only to me, but especially to my horses. Above all, it must be properly fitted to the horse's build. To achieve excellent results, horses must be able to move freely; a saddle should never restrict their movements. Prestige is at the forefront of research into equine anatomy: I've heard they collaborate with universities and veterinarians. All of their saddles can be custom-made. The composite, synthetic fiber tree is incredibly lightweight and adjustable. Furthermore, the saddle must allow me to find the right position and feel the horse's every movement. The Prestige Helen saddle allows me to sit really deep in the saddle without restricting the horse's movement in any way.

Helen is a true professional when it comes to horsemanship. She treats every horse she works with with the utmost respect, treating it as her partner: "I think rider and horse should be partners. How can I get a 600-kilogram horse to do anything? If it doesn't want to, it won't. I believe a rider should love working with their horse, and the horse should enjoy it too" (horsemagazine.com, December 6, 2013). So, you can imagine how well-thought-out and balanced the saddle Helen has been working on must be.

Which X-Prestige Helen model is right for you? It's best if you try it out for yourself! Equishop offers Prestige saddle testing , so you can find out which one works best for you.