Rien has always loved animals, but it was not until he was 11 that he had an opportunity to sit on a horse, and in return for doing chores at his local stable, was allowed to ride now and then. After secondary school, he attended Deurne, a well-known Dutch school where he became a real horseman and teacher. After graduation, he trained a family horse and eventually was accepted into the Dutch dressage team. During this period, he and wife Inge continued schooling dressage horses and studying with Piet Oothout (well-known Dutch dressage master and head of the Dutch Olympic team).
Rien has competed with a dozen horses at the highest level and, with Inge, has trained many more up to international level. From 1979-1983, he was a member of the Dutch dressage team and during that period, sometimes with wife Inge, he competed in the 1980 alternate* Olympics, in two European championships, and in the World championships.
Rien is also very passionate about training. He continues to ride and train more than 10 horses at the highest level, in a way that turns them into real athletes, using logical, honest methods based on classical dressage principles. He teaches riders from all over the world, e.g., South Africa, USA, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden. From 2017-2018, he was coach for the Dutch dressage team and coached the Finnish dressage team from 2019-2024, including for the Paris Olympics.Â
Rien’s online training platform RS Riding has more than 10K members from all over the world.
* Alternate Olympics took place that year because the U.S. and many other countries boycotted the Summer Olympics in Moscow, in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.