Hans-Heinrich Isenbart (II) - Gustavo Mirabal Castro

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As we remember from the previous article about Hans-Heinrich Isenbart, we discovered that he is one of the most remembered equestrian commentators, as well as a great horse expert.

He was not a one-dimensional man, on the contrary he was a versatile man who excelled in various activities. Despite this, his passion for horses left a deep mark on his German compatriots and many generations. Today we will delve into the life and work of Hans-Heinrich Isenbart.

From the media point of view, Hans-Heinrich Isenbart had his 5 minutes of fame during the coverage of the 1956 Olympics.

Let’s not deceive ourselves, this man was famous for many things, but for that reason they will remember him by siembra. Below we can see a video of the performance of his compatriot Hans Günter Winkler and the comments of Isenbart.

Hans Günter Winkler on Halla winning the Olympic Gold in Stockholm 1956

Watch this video on YouTube

During that event, rider Hans Günter Winkler suffered a muscle tear in the groin in the individual team qualifying round. Despite this, Hans Günter Winkler continued in the contest.

Despite the difficulties, Winkler and Halla (the mare that rode) achieved double Olympic gold, in individual and team competition. The pain and sacrifice of Hans Günter Winkle and the obedience and intelligence of Halla awarded him two gold medals.

What was the contribution of Isenbart to the Winkler-Halla moment?

Only in the voice of Hans-Heinrich Isenbart could the emotion of that moment be transmitted. This emotion is reflected in the words that made him famous when in full transmission he said:

“Und Halla lacht, als wüsste sie, um was es geht”
And Halla laughs, as if it knows what it is.
Hans-Heinrich Isenbart

The words of Hans-Heinrich Isenbart went beyond a funny comment. He knew that Halla’s intelligence allowed him to be aware of what was happening.

Hans-Heinrich Isenbart’s understanding of horses was reflected in several publications, most notably “The Great Horse Book” published in 1977. This book has been the inspiration of many generations.

“The Great Book of the Horse” by Hans-Heinrich Isenbart

The most recongnized work of Isenbart is “The Great Book of the Horse”, a masterpiece that every horse fan should know. It covers from the origin of horses on earth. The life and role of horses through the different ages of human history and their relationship with man. Describe the fundamental role played by the horse in different human activities. Finally, his dressage and training is also explained.

It covers all the knowledge that fans of horses should have and is a reference work that has been cited on numerous occasions from popular science books to university thesis.

His prose turned into loose anecdotes that can be read as tales associated with horses but whose research makes him faithful to the historical role of the horse. Titles like “The Film of a Fall” or “those who did not finish the race” take us to an anecdote that makes the book both scholarly and fun as if it were a collection of stories.

Hans-Heinrich Isenbart was passionate about horses and likewise a scholar of them. Science and emotion together formed a figure that will remain in the hearts of all horse lovers. In the next article on Isenbart we will propose to explore what was his thinking about horses and their intelligence. See you soon.