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Walter Zettl, my 89 year old mentor/friend/dressage teacher died in the early morning hours of June 7, 2018. It was expected, but it didn't make it any easier when it did happen. He was one of the last great Dressage Masters of the old school. He has taught countless thousands across the globe and yet I still pinch myself that he took an interest in little ole me for the past 13 years. He had such a gift for making each person he met feel like the most special person in the world. No one was too insignificant for his attention. Besides having the great honor of him teaching me at countless clinics, doing video lessons, as well as the countless clinics I audited, (rode or audited several times in Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, NY, Nova Scotia, Houghton, etc ), he and his wonderful wife, Heide, whom I love dearly, would call on the phone Christmases and Easters and birthdays and sometimes just because. Once, I was headed to my last competition before the selection trials before London. He and Heide were headed to the airport to go on their yearly trek to Germany. They called just to say, “hi and best wishes” before they left the country. He believed in ethics and honesty and is one of the few horse people I know who actually practiced what he preached. He was so kind to everyone - horses and people alike. I've never met a kinder person. He could be a bear if he needed to, but kindness was his default mode. Once, I was getting ready to put a horse down. I had the backhoe person hired, the vet coming, the insurance on standby and I panicked, thinking, “what if I can save him.” So who did I call but Walter. He was so gentle and kind and told me I had made the right decision and it was best to let him go and not to let the horse suffer because the treatment wasn’t guaranteed and usually did not work and most likely he would be a year in a stall, in pain, and I’d be right back where I was that day at the end of a painful year for the horse... it was best and kindest to let him go. He cried with me and held my hand until I could hang up and do what needed to be done. He was like that. Always wanting to know if you were having training issues or loving to help you solve a horse problem, even the sad and difficult ones. He told me once when I asked if he could coach me, “I’m too old to travel and be your coach, but I’ll be your friend.” and he and Heide stuck to it. I know there are so many who had a closer working relationship than I, but, for me, it is going to be difficult to figure out how live without Walter just being there. Even though it might be several months in between talks or rides or contact - just knowing he was there was so nice. He touched thousands upon thousands of lives and made the world a better place for the horses. - teaching kindness/gentleness and “give with the hands.” among so many other things. His love for the horse resonated from every cell of his being. He was the kindest person I’ve ever known and lived his destiny with passion. I will miss the continued impartation of his vast knowledge, the quick phone chats, and just knowing he was there if you needed him. The world is so very empty without him in it, and I still randomly cry when I think of him. But I know he was met with a rush of many hooves that went before him and a "Well done, thy good and faithful servant!”. As I said after every lesson, “Thank you, Walter!” You are so dearly missed.
