About Melissa Simms
Melissa Simms, the
daughter of a Marine Corps officer traveled extensively with her family,
including places like Japan in which they stayed for four years. The military
family life and her father being a Marine Officer made it possible for her to
always have access to excellent riding facilities. The first Instructor Melissa
had when she was 8yrs. Old was in Japan, he also taught the children of the
Emperor.
When her family was stationed in the United States, she had opportunities to also learn about other riding disciplines as well. This included hunter-equitation lessons with George Morris, western equitation and also gymkhana riding classes in which she won awards including a silver buckle for first place at camp Pendleton rodeo.
Later in Melissa’s life while studying gemology and was working to become a registered jeweler, she continued to ride extensively with Klaus Albin, a German riding instructor in Seattle Washington. He had served his apprenticeship under Felix Burkner and Otto Lörke in Germany and had been stationed at Potsdam Cavalry School along with Egon von Neindorff. This is how Melissa Simms found her way to the Egon von Neindorff institute. Klaus Albin recognized Melissa to be very talented and decided to make a call. Klaus Albin contacted Egon von Neindorff about this student who “he thought could be useful for him in Karlsruhe.” And so her journey continued…
“Melissa Simms who was referred to me by her German riding instructor in America, arrived at my institute as a working student in February 1982. She worked in the stable to acquire experience and received daily riding instruction. I immediately noticed her diligence, interest and understanding for horses and for the naturally oriented schooling represented in my institute. Therefore I was able to conduct intensive daily riding lessons with her on well trained horses. She advanced very quickly. Over time I trusted her judgment and gave her my horses to school, which she accomplished with feeling, knowledge and patience. At the same time she became integrated into my performances of Classical Horsemanship that I conducted twice a Year from 1954 onward. Over the years she developed into a most important and dependable assistant for me and for the successful completion of the festival evenings. Today, she possesses the aptitude, professional qualifications and ability to school horses of all different breeds to Grand Prix niveau and has developed a particularly fine feeling for work “in hand” and for the airs above the ground. Because of this and the twenty years that she has been a major support to me personally and to my riding institute, I believe that she has understood, can interpret and write about my life’s work .”
Riding Master Egon von Neindorff, March 20, 2002
Herr Egon von Neindorff passed in 2004 and Melissa became his heir. She was left with the responsibility of the riding school and had to tread many rough waters and legal entanglements. Melissa assembled his unfinished manuscript that became the ”Die reine Lehre der Klasschen Reitkunst” which was published in Germany in 2004 and she was also now the person who would translate the late Egon von Neindorff's book from German to the English version “The Art of Classical Horsemanship”. She began that process in 2005 and the book was published in English in 2009. Melissa was really the only person who could have made this a personal interpretation, translating his book with such accuracy, for she understood his body of work in a way no one else could due to her 24 year close relationship with Egon von Neindorff.
Since the passing of Egon von Neindorff and the translation of his book Melissa lives between Germany and U.S.A. She gives clinics, writes articles and has dedicated her life to promote the awareness of Classical Riding as learned from Egon von Neindorff. This she passes down to her students and anyone who wishes to listen. Melissa Simms encapsulates the pure Art of Classical Horsemanship that for the most part can now only be read about. She hopes that her students may bring this forward into the future of dressage riding.
When her family was stationed in the United States, she had opportunities to also learn about other riding disciplines as well. This included hunter-equitation lessons with George Morris, western equitation and also gymkhana riding classes in which she won awards including a silver buckle for first place at camp Pendleton rodeo.
Later in Melissa’s life while studying gemology and was working to become a registered jeweler, she continued to ride extensively with Klaus Albin, a German riding instructor in Seattle Washington. He had served his apprenticeship under Felix Burkner and Otto Lörke in Germany and had been stationed at Potsdam Cavalry School along with Egon von Neindorff. This is how Melissa Simms found her way to the Egon von Neindorff institute. Klaus Albin recognized Melissa to be very talented and decided to make a call. Klaus Albin contacted Egon von Neindorff about this student who “he thought could be useful for him in Karlsruhe.” And so her journey continued…
“Melissa Simms who was referred to me by her German riding instructor in America, arrived at my institute as a working student in February 1982. She worked in the stable to acquire experience and received daily riding instruction. I immediately noticed her diligence, interest and understanding for horses and for the naturally oriented schooling represented in my institute. Therefore I was able to conduct intensive daily riding lessons with her on well trained horses. She advanced very quickly. Over time I trusted her judgment and gave her my horses to school, which she accomplished with feeling, knowledge and patience. At the same time she became integrated into my performances of Classical Horsemanship that I conducted twice a Year from 1954 onward. Over the years she developed into a most important and dependable assistant for me and for the successful completion of the festival evenings. Today, she possesses the aptitude, professional qualifications and ability to school horses of all different breeds to Grand Prix niveau and has developed a particularly fine feeling for work “in hand” and for the airs above the ground. Because of this and the twenty years that she has been a major support to me personally and to my riding institute, I believe that she has understood, can interpret and write about my life’s work .”
Riding Master Egon von Neindorff, March 20, 2002
Herr Egon von Neindorff passed in 2004 and Melissa became his heir. She was left with the responsibility of the riding school and had to tread many rough waters and legal entanglements. Melissa assembled his unfinished manuscript that became the ”Die reine Lehre der Klasschen Reitkunst” which was published in Germany in 2004 and she was also now the person who would translate the late Egon von Neindorff's book from German to the English version “The Art of Classical Horsemanship”. She began that process in 2005 and the book was published in English in 2009. Melissa was really the only person who could have made this a personal interpretation, translating his book with such accuracy, for she understood his body of work in a way no one else could due to her 24 year close relationship with Egon von Neindorff.
Since the passing of Egon von Neindorff and the translation of his book Melissa lives between Germany and U.S.A. She gives clinics, writes articles and has dedicated her life to promote the awareness of Classical Riding as learned from Egon von Neindorff. This she passes down to her students and anyone who wishes to listen. Melissa Simms encapsulates the pure Art of Classical Horsemanship that for the most part can now only be read about. She hopes that her students may bring this forward into the future of dressage riding.