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Anke Hawke Balanced Dressage

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Anke Hawke Balanced Dressage

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Growing up in a sailing family in the north of Germany and not “getting” the idea of always being wet and cold and in the wind ….. didn’t seem to be my ‘thing’.

Horse and Rider Education,
Whether you're seeking private lessons or intensive workshops, we aim to instil confidence and trust from the very foundations of your training. Early on I started pestering my parents (a lot) that I would like to learn how to ride. Once I convinced them, the rest is history! Escaping on my bike to the delicious smell of horses, their soft noses and their gentle nature. Most horses become your friend and offer so much for me, they always come first and the sport second. Most horses give you everything without a second thought of their own well-being
You look into their faces and you can see their facial expressions. They are curious and yes, the first instinct is to run, but the second is to come and investigate and be noisy! The safer they feel, the more they are happy to hang around and learn. Horses that are in balance and harmony with their rider are such a pleasure to watch. The horse starts to shine and dance with a sparkle in their eyes. They look after their rider and, as long as the rider looks after them, it is an astonishing and ever-growing partnership. For me, horses have the great ability to make everything complete- having an excellent way of communicating without saying a word. They are incredibly forgiving and don’t have ‘agenda’, they are in the here and now
Horses are the original masters of Mindfulness! If you treat them with respect, you have a friend for life. By now you can tell my work is my passion and I have spent years acquiring knowledge on all aspects of the horse as well as the art of riding. I keep studying and learning, to improve my own skills to help my students riding and their horses. Subjects like biomechanics, physiology, neurology, mindset, movement, Feldenkrais, saddle fit, soundness, hoof care and conformation are some of my interests. My approach is always holistic for both horse and rider. Horses and riders that are in balance and harmony are a joy and pleasure to follow. As a rider, I am always looking to fine-tune my own skills as well as others. I don’t just teach, I ride. If you are seeking an authentic partnership with your horse or simply want to improve your riding, please call me on
0408 882 730
or contact me by messenger
With anything, in particular, you would like to work on or questions, you might have.

12/11/2026

𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗙𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗧 𝗔𝗡𝗬𝗢𝗡𝗘! 😂🐴

Especially when there’s so much to learn!

We’re halfway through Bettina Week, with another two days of Academic Art of Riding ahead of us.

One of my favourite things about these clinics is watching people discover that sometimes it’s not about doing MORE, but understanding what we’re already doing a little better.

Different horses, different riders, different challenges — and so many little lightbulb moments.

If you’d like to join us as a fence sitter this weekend, send me a message for details and the daily fee.

Come for the learning, stay for the horsey conversations! ☕️🤎

📍 Minimbah | 14–15 November

09/11/2026

⚜️𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗔 𝗕𝗜𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗞?

And why do people keep coming back to her clinics?

Next week, we’re welcoming Bettina back to Balanced Dressage for four wonderful days of learning.

For those who haven’t met her, Bettina is a licensed Bent Branderup® Trainer, based near Warsaw in Poland, and teaches the Academic Art of Riding internationally.

She has spent many years continuing her own education with Bent and Kathrin Branderup in Denmark and has a background in teaching as well as classical horsemanship.

What I particularly appreciate about Bettina is her ability to explain complicated things in a way that makes sense.

It’s not about teaching the horse another movement.

It’s about understanding HOW the horse organises its body, how we influence that organisation, and how we can help the horse find better balance, strength and confidence.

𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

And sometimes the smallest adjustment makes the biggest difference.

✨ 𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦? 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛!

You don’t need to bring a horse to learn.

In fact, sometimes sitting on the fence and watching different horses and riders work through their challenges is incredibly valuable.

You’ll see groundwork, in-hand work and ridden lessons, with different horses at different stages of their education.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to develop your eye, listen, observe and perhaps take a few ideas home to your own horse.

And of course, there is always the lovely community of horse people who enjoy learning and exchanging ideas.

📍 Balanced Dressage, Minimbah NSW

📅 Wednesday 11 & Thursday 12 November
📅 Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 November

Rider places are fully booked, but fence sitters are welcome by arrangement.

There is a fence sitter fee, so please message me for details.

Come along, pull up a chair and enjoy some really interesting horsemanship. 🩶

08/11/2026

The biggest improvements don’t always happen at clinics.

I love teaching clinics. They can give us a fresh perspective, a different explanation and sometimes those wonderful lightbulb moments.

But what I’ve noticed with my regular students is something rather interesting.

They keep improving, often without realising how much they’ve improved.

Not because we do anything extraordinary in one lesson, but because they keep coming back, asking questions, practising, making mistakes, adjusting and gradually developing their skills.

And it’s not just the horses that change. It’s the riders.

They become more observant, more aware of their own bodies, better at recognising what’s happening underneath them and more capable of helping their horses.

To me, that’s where the real learning happens.

There isn’t a magic wand. I certainly haven’t found one yet! And I know from training my own horses how much repetition, patience and sometimes rethinking something it takes.

But those little improvements add up.

If that’s the sort of journey you’d enjoy with your horse, I have room for a few more regular students at Balanced Dressage in Minimbah.

Groundwork, in-hand, rider seat and ridden lessons. Bring your own horse.

A little at a time. With a clear thread to follow.

05/11/2026

✨ 𝗜𝗧’𝗦 𝗔𝗟𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞! ✨

And I must admit, I’m rather looking forward to having my homework checked! 😂

After spending three months in Denmark studying with Bent Branderup, I’ve had a little time back home to practise, experiment and work through things with my own horses.

Now Academic Art of Riding - Bettina Biolik is coming back, and I’m sure she’ll find a few things to reorganise. That’s the beauty of learning — there’s always another layer to discover!

We’ve got TWO back-to-back clinics here at Balanced Dressage, and both are fully booked with riders.

And here’s the lovely part…

I barely get a chance to advertise Bettina’s clinics anymore. She hasn’t even left before everyone is asking when she’s coming back!

Many of our riders return clinic after clinic, which means Bettina gets to follow their progress, build on previous lessons and help them take the next step.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀.

Not in one spectacular lesson, but in all those little improvements that gradually become part of how we work with our horses.

And honestly, I’m just as excited about having everyone here again. Good horses, good people, plenty of learning, conversations and probably a fair bit of laughter along the way.

📍 Balanced Dressage, Minimbah NSW

🗓️ 11–12 November | 14–15 November

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝘀, 𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲!

If you’re curious about the Academic Art of Riding and would like to come along and watch, please get in touch. A fence sitter fee applies.

Looking forward to a wonderful week! 🤎🐴

05/11/2026

☕️🐴 Academic Coffee Mornings – I think we’re onto something! 🤎

I’m really enjoying watching our little horse community grow!

What started as a simple idea of getting a few people and horses together for a relaxed morning has turned into something rather lovely.

It’s the camaraderie that I enjoy most. People arriving with their horses, helping each other unload, tack up, sharing a little advice or simply sitting down for a good conversation over coffee.

Different horses, different riders, different experiences, and everyone has something to contribute.

There’s so much knowledge amongst horse people, and I think sometimes we forget how valuable it is to just spend time together, share what we know and learn from each other.

No competition, no pressure to perform, no judgement. Just a safe, comfortable environment where everyone can enjoy their horses at their own pace.

And you don’t even need to bring a horse! You’re just as welcome to come along, watch, chat and enjoy the company.

I think we’re all missing a little bit of that social side of horses sometimes.

And judging by the lovely people who keep turning up, I’m not the only one! 😊

So, we’re doing it again!

☕️🐴 Next Academic Coffee Morning

📅 Thursday 19 November
⏰ New starting time: 9:30am–12pm
📍 Balanced Dressage, Minimbah NSW 2312
🐴 $35 with your horse
☕️ Free if you’re coming along without a horse

I’ve moved the starting time back half an hour to make the morning a little easier for everyone. No need to rush quite so much!

Please let me know if you’re coming, with or without a horse, so I have an idea of numbers.

Thank you to everyone who’s helped make these mornings such a lovely little get-together. I’m really looking forward to seeing you all again! 🤎

03/11/2026

Same trainer. Different horse. Meet the professor. 🎓🐴

And then there’s my grey Lipizzaner cross.

If my little Lusitano mare is the one dancing on the table at the party, he’s the one sitting quietly in the corner, trying to understand how everything works. 😂

He’s a completely different character.

He loves to think, study and work things out.

And all the things I’ve been learning during my internship with Bent Branderup are absolutely wonderful for him.

Where do the hind legs need to go?
Can we bring the body to the legs, or the legs to the body?
Can we organise the shoulders, rotate the ribcage and find a better balance?

He needs that help.

Without it, he can become rather like a reindeer caught in the headlights, running around on the forehand, already halfway into flight mode before he’s had a chance to think about what’s happening.

And I think that’s partly why he can be so easily startled.

But when we slow things down and help him organise his body, something lovely happens.

He starts thinking.

He becomes more settled, more confident and increasingly interested in the work.

And I love watching him figure things out.

He’s getting better, he’s looking happier, and he seems to genuinely enjoy the mental challenge.

So now I have my social butterfly who takes me out on adventures, and my little professor who is more than happy to spend time studying the finer details with me.

And I get to enjoy both!

I know what I love doing with horses. But I’ve also had to learn what each of my horses loves doing.

And perhaps that’s one of the most important lessons of all.

Not every horse needs the same approach, even when the principles of good training remain the same.

Honour the horse in front of you. 🤎

02/11/2026

Two horses. Two completely different personalities. 🐴

Meet my little Lusitano mare. My party girl! 😂

She’s the kind of character you take to a party who rips off her shirt, jumps on the table and shouts, “Let’s get this party started!”

She’s cheeky, full of energy and always ready for something exciting.

And as much as I love my Academic Art of Riding work, I’ve realised that while she benefits from learning where to put her legs and how to organise her body, she also needs something else.

Adventure. Variety. A social life!

So this weekend we did exactly that.

First, a Halloween obstacle day at a friend’s place. She wasn’t bothered by the obstacles one little bit. She was far too busy keeping an eye on all the other horses and what they were up to! 😂

Once she focused, she was absolutely lovely.

The next day we headed to another working equitation training day.

Only her second time working through obstacles, riding with other horses in a big field, waiting her turn and taking everything in.

One horse spooks, another takes off, someone does something brilliantly, and everyone learns a little something along the way.

And for the first time, we actually rode the course!

Was it pretty? Nah.

Was it fun? Absolutely! 😂

And I think that’s something I’ve really enjoyed rediscovering this year.

Getting out, meeting people, having a laugh and giving my horses experiences beyond our own arena.

All those little outings, the waiting, the watching and learning to focus despite everything happening around them are part of their education too.

I’m really enjoying watching this cheeky little mudcake blossom.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your horse is find out what makes their eyes light up. 🤎

30/10/2026

☕️🐴 Academic Coffee Mornings – I think we’re onto something! 🤎

What an absolutely lovely morning we had today!

First of all, everyone who said they were coming actually turned up. That’s always a bonus! 😂 And even the weather played along. Sunshine, not too hot, no wind. What more could we ask for?

But what I enjoyed most was seeing everyone arrive, tack up, have a chat and simply enjoy being around horses and other horse people.

We had different horses, different breeds, ages and levels of education, and riders with all sorts of backgrounds and experiences.

One lovely friend brought a horse along so another friend, who hadn’t ridden for a while, could get back in the saddle. It was beautiful to see her riding again.

Another friend and fellow trainer brought two young horses for their very first outing away from home. She did a wonderful job preparing them, and they behaved like little pros! What a lovely experience for them both.

And throughout the morning, people were riding, watching, asking questions, sharing ideas and helping each other out.

I think sometimes we forget how much we miss the social side of horses.

We go to lessons, training days and competitions, but we’re often so busy getting ourselves and our horses organised that we hardly have time to sit down and talk.

And that’s something I really wanted to bring back.

A place where we can share years of experience and knowledge, learn from each other, and maybe rediscover some of the old horsemanship wisdom that can get lost along the way.

No competition, no pressure, no judgement. Just a good surface, a safe environment, a little help when needed and people genuinely supporting each other.

I asked everyone what they enjoyed most about the morning, and their replies really made me smile. 🤎

Here’s a little of what they had to say:

💬 “Such a welcoming circle of horse mummas with years of collective experience. One of the pieces that can sometimes be missing in our equestrian community, is sharing knowledge, improving together and having fun while we do it!”

💬 “Home sweet home. Ponies travelled beautifully. Was a lovely outing for the pair of them.”

💬 “It was a great day and my friend really enjoyed herself.”

💬 “I thought it was a super morning and I really enjoyed the low key atmosphere with a great mix of people.”

💬 “It was so lovely of Muriel to let me have a ride on Juke, and I really appreciated your help to remind me that I really need to work on my core and posture again!”

💬 “Meeting people and talking about things in general. We are always so busy at training days and comps… you don’t get to chat much. And looking at all the beautiful horses. All breeds, sizes and ages.”

I couldn’t have described what I was hoping to create any better myself.

Thank you to everyone who came, brought their horses, shared their knowledge, helped someone else or simply enjoyed a coffee and a chat.

Sometimes the best thing we can do is just make space for people and horses to come together. ☕️🐴🤎

Looking forward to the next one!

28/10/2026

“What you haven’t done behind, you have in your hands.”

I remember hearing Bettina say this and thinking, what the hell does that even mean? 😂

I’d heard plenty about engaging the hindquarters, lifting the back and riding from behind into the hand.

But understanding the words and actually feeling what they mean are two very different things.

During my internship with Bent, I had the opportunity to ride a beautifully educated school horse, and suddenly those words started making sense.

When the hind legs step underneath the horse in a way that allows the back to lift and the body to carry itself, the feeling is completely different.

The horse becomes so much easier to sit on.

You can influence the movement through your seat, move the shoulders, organise the ribcage, change the bend and rotate the body.

You can shorten or lengthen the frame without having to manufacture it with your hands.

And the neck? It follows the organisation of the body.

The hind legs remain part of the conversation rather than pushing out behind or escaping sideways.

And suddenly that saying made sense.

“What you haven’t done behind, you have in your hands.”

Egon von Neindorff → Bent Branderup → Bettina Biolik → Anke Hawke. 😆

It’s a bit like trying to explain snow to someone who has lived in the desert all their life.

You can describe it, show pictures and talk about how cold it is.

But until they’ve actually stood in it, felt it crunch under their feet or watched it melt in their hands, they can only imagine.

And then you speak to someone who lives with snow every winter, and they can describe all those little differences you never even knew existed.

I think riding is very much like that.

The more you learn to feel, the more you realise how much there still is to discover.

And that’s one of the things I love about the Academic Art of Riding.

It’s not just learning what the horse should look like.

It’s learning how the movement is organised, where it begins and how it feels when the pieces start working together.

And sometimes a sentence you’ve heard a hundred times suddenly makes perfect sense.

Not because someone explained it differently.

But because, finally, you felt it. 🤎

27/10/2026

☕️🐴 Another Academic Coffee Morning is just around the corner!

I’m really looking forward to this Thursday, and it’s been lovely to see so much interest in our little Coffee Mornings. 🤎

The idea is still wonderfully simple.

A few horses, a few humans, a comfortable and relaxed environment, some riding or groundwork, a little learning, plenty of horse talk and, of course, coffee and something yummy! ☕️🍰

No pressure to perform, no expectations — just an opportunity to enjoy our horses and the company of like-minded people.

And you certainly don’t have to bring a horse to be part of it!

You’re just as welcome to come along, watch, ask questions, join the conversations and enjoy a cuppa with us.

Just one little bit of housekeeping! 😊

I’ve had quite a bit of interest, so it would be lovely if you could let me know whether you’re:

🐴 Coming with your horse — $35

☕️ Coming along without a horse — free, and very welcome!

That way I have a rough idea of how many horses and humans to expect. And how much coffee and cake we’ll need! 😂

📅 Thursday 29 October
⏰ 9am–12pm
📍 Balanced Dressage, Minimbah NSW 2312 🤎

Just pop a comment below or send me a message if you’re coming!

Address

775 Minimbah Road
Minimbah, NSW
2312

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm
Saturday	8am - 2pm
Sunday	8am - 2pm

Telephone

+61408882730

Website

https://www.balanced-dressage.com/

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