Paul Belasik is a horse trainer and clinician in the classical dressage

Classical dressage

Classical dressage evolved from cavalry movements and training for the battlefield, and has since developed into the competitive dressage seen today...

 tradition. A student of Nuno Oliveira

Nuno Oliveira

Nuno Oliveira is widely acknowledged as a master of the art of dressage.Nuno was born in Lisbon on June 23, 1925. He studied riding under Joaquim Goncalves de Miranda, in the style of the riding academy of Versailles. A great teacher, he possessed a near-encyclopedic knowledge of equestrian theory...

 and H.L.M van Schaik, he is also a graduate of Cornell University

Cornell University

Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...

 and has competed in dressage

Dressage

Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...

 at the international level. He has written several books on dressage, and his work is strongly influenced by his study of the concepts of Zen

Zen

Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...

 Buddhism and martial arts. Early in his career he competed in eventing

Eventing

Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...

 before focusing exclusively on dressage.

Belasik is critical of the new trends in competitive dressage that deemphasize the importance of collection

Collection (horse)

Collection is when a horse carries more weight on his hindlegs than his front legs. The horse draws the body in upon itself so that it becomes like a giant spring whose stored energy can be reclaimed for fighting or running from a predator...

. To that end, he has participated in studies in equine biomechanics with Dr. Hilary Clayton and demonstrated that horses trained by Belasik in the classical tradition placed a greater load on their hindquarters when performing than did other horses studied who were used in modern competitive dressage. Belasik's view is that there is no need to reinvent the biomechanics of dressage, stating, "Despite recent developments in breeding, horses have not evolved recently in any manner that requires a re-examination of the principles of Gueriniere

Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere

François Robichon de La Guérinière was a French riding master who had a profound effect on accepted method for correct training of the horse, and is one of the most influential riders on the art of dressage.-History:...

, Podhajsky

Alois Podhajsky

Colonel Alois Podhajsky was the director of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria as well as an Olympic medal-winner in dressage, riding instructor, and writer.-Career:...

, Steinbrecht

Gustav Steinbrecht

Gustav Steinbrecht is considered one of the masters of dressage. His advice to ride the horse "forward and straight" is one of the foundation principles of German dressage training.- Biography :...

, et al.”

He gives clinics, lectures, and demonstrations internationally as well as working with students at his Pennsylvania Riding Academy at Lost Hollow Farm. As an instructor, he attempts to blend both practical and physical aspects of riding, but also the artistic, scientific, and philosophical components of horsemanship. Hunter-jumper trainer and coach Gina Allen-Belasik is a former spouse.

Works published

• Riding towards the light: an apprenticeship in the art of dressage riding London : J.A. Allen (1990)
• Exploring dressage technique: journeys into the art of classical riding London : J.A. Allen (1994)
• The songs of horses: Seven stories for riding teachers and students London : J.A. Allen (1999)
• The Essential Paul Belasik North Pomfret, Vt. : Trafalgar Square Pub. (2001) (compilation volume of Riding Towards the Light, Exploring Dressage Technique, and The Songs of Horses)
• Dressage for the 21st century North Pomfret, Vt. : Trafalgar Square Pub. (2002)
• A search for collection: science and art in riding London : J. A. Allen (2009)