Latest Kottas Academy drama

[Miss Dior]

Saw that he has a notice up about sending a personal email to all that had subscribed , and how he is no longer associated with the crappy provider. has anyone had the pleasure of being contacted???? I am soooo patiently waiting. Better have a drink or 2 while I wait.

[Lambie Boat]

will he be sending REFUNDS$$$$???? way to wreck your street cred mr. kottas

[Capriole]

Miss Dior, that note has been up for MONTHS. I wouldn't hold your breath. :(

Two months ago, ideayoda assured us that Dressage Today was "addressing" it. Any news from that front, ideayoda?

[Miss Dior]

Yes, a refund would be great and entirely in order. I think that a better use for it at this point would be lessons with my trainer who is fabulous.

[SaddleFitterVA]

How much was this program?

[Miss Dior]

over 200.00 USD for highest level

[Moll]

I'll say it again: I cannot believe that you people don't take action against whoever is responsible for this charade (I don't necessarily think it's AK himself though). That's a lot of money to lose.

[egontoast]

I don't see how Herr K can distance himself from this since memberships were bought based on his name and involvement. I don't know the details but I suspect he may have some direct responsibility ( if not legally, then ethically) to the people who bought memberships and then HE can go pursue the provider for HIS losses. I don't think he can jsut wash his hands of the situation.

[ise@ssl]

Well financially it depends on who the subscribers paid their money to for their subscription.

[Kyzteke]

I don't see how Herr K can distance himself from this since memberships were bought based on his name and involvement. I don't know the details but I suspect he may have some direct responsibility ( if not legally, then ethically) to the people who bought memberships and then HE can go pursue the provider for HIS losses. I don't think he can jsut wash his hands of the situation.

How many people do you think subscribed? Maybe he should offer a free private lesson for thoses....I didn't buy a subscription, but I'd pay $200 for a lesson with AK

[Miss Dior]

I sure as hell would not. He is not any more fabulous than my current trainer, so why pay so much more for nothing better!!! No net gain for me esp since he already owes me $$$$.

[slc2]

This is really sad. I was really hoping it would get cleared up by this time.

[Zen and Horses]

I'll take my $ back thank you very much !!!

[MaresNest]

I sure as hell would not. He is not any more fabulous than my current trainer, so why pay so much more for nothing better!!! No net gain for me esp since he already owes me $$$$.

I understand your anger. But is your current trainer a former Chief Rider of the Spanish Riding School? Kottas Academy debacle aside, there are not many people in the world with as thorough a knowledge of classical dressage as Arthur Kottas. If it was within my budget, I would certainly pay $200 for a lesson with him. Of course, I'm not in a position to go around dropping $200 for dressage lessons. Just saying that I think he's worth it.

[Miss Dior]

No but he has 35 plus years experience and holds several current judges license in Germany. He was an examiner for the state school and had usually 2 apprentices at a time working under him. Regional delegate for the sport in Bavaria and very well respected. Master license and so on. So, um, yeah!!!! He just relocated on July 1st permanently so color me very happy!!!! I would not trade his experience for Herr Kottas. My guy has outstanding integrity to boot.

[hoopoe]

"ground manners" go a long way

[Miss Dior]

back at ya!!!! If you have nothing to add that is pertinent...get off the topic!!!

[egontoast]

back at ya!!!! If you have nothing to add that is pertinent...get off the topic!!!


:confused:

Maybe she was agreeing with you. That's how I read it but perhaps your ground manners do need some work.

[MaresNest]

:confused:

Maybe she was agreeing with you. That's how I read it but perhaps your ground manners do need some work.

Ha, yeah. I thought hoopoe was agreeing with Miss Dior, too.

[Dressage Art]

A. Kottas 45 minutes lesson cost $300 and IMHO is worth that money. He has a way of getting an advanced harmonious performance from both horse and rider with out crank and spank pressure. At the beginning of a lesson, we had issues with flying changes (some excitement tension + konfu moves), by the end we did wonderful 4 loop serpentines with flying changes that came naturally to both me and my horse. To watch him work with horses is really interesting. He seems to know their language and horses do understand this man and eager to please him… and it’s all comes from Kottas moving ½” only…

I had several very good, accredited GP trainers, but I never met a horseman who connected with horses on such level. There are no questions: Kottas is one of a kind. He will leave his mark as a horseman for centuries to come.

I'm not familiar with the web issues, so can't comment on those. I really hope that he can straiten those up and put it behind him. For those who are involved, did you try to take an action thru your bank or your CC on the undelivered goods?

[SaddleFitterVA]

My suspicion was that the website, distance learning was not going to work so well.

But, I just spent the past weekend, watching Kottas teach and riding 3 days with him.

I learned tons, he was a fabulous instructor, and I think it was well worth they money.

I, of course, have never had a lesson with Miss Dior's trainer, so cannot compare.

I liked him much better than DeKunfy, and it was a cheaper lesson rate.

[Miss Dior]

If she agreed with me then I apologize for getting crabby. However ,when I think back over the past few years of all the $$$$ I have wasted on trying to learn this sport ,it is quite irritating. I am certain that there is much to be learned from Mr. Kottas, no doubt. But there was not ANY return on this investment. Not even an oops..sorry!!! So rather than worry about anyone's "ground manners" in a forum, I would rather out the specific instances of what amounts to fraud, in an effort to prevent others from falling prey to the scam. This was handled in very poor form all the way around.

[BaroquePony]

Originally posted by DressageArt:

A. Kottas 45 minutes lesson cost $300 and IMHO is worth that money. He has a way of getting an advanced harmonious performance from both horse and rider with out crank and spank pressure. At the beginning of a lesson, we had issues with flying changes (some excitement tension + konfu moves), by the end we did wonderful 4 loop serpentines with flying changes that came naturally to both me and my horse. To watch him work with horses is really interesting. He seems to know their language and horses do understand this man and eager to please him… and it’s all comes from Kottas moving ½” only…

I had several very good, accredited GP trainers, but I never met a horseman who connected with horses on such level. There are no questions: Kottas is one of a kind. He will leave his mark as a horseman for centuries to come.

Aahhhh ... the difference between "accredited GP" and what I call "correct dressage".

[MaresNest]

So rather than worry about anyone's "ground manners" in a forum, I would rather out the specific instances of what amounts to fraud, in an effort to prevent others from falling prey to the scam. This was handled in very poor form all the way around.

The way I read it, I thought she was saying that his ground manners were not good, though his dressage is outstanding.

Hope you get your money back or other acceptable remuneration. What a sad situation.

[AYLESLAND]

i am from the UK and joined the Academy when it first 'opened its doors'. Along with a group of people in the UK we tried to get information for several months once we realised that there were serious problems. Unfortunately the people who could contact Kottas direct were not prepared to do so, even when told that the internet provider had applied to be wound up.

i have no doubt that he is an incredible trainer - that is why we joined - and at your quoted rate of $300 a lesson it would not take him long to reimburse those of us who have lost money on this debacle.

i am not made of money and certainly am in no position to afford an actual lesson with him, however my love of dressage and learning is great and this was my only oportunity to get near to the wisdom Kottas has to impart.

we in the UK are NOT happy to have lost our hard earned money in such a fashion either.

we are debating on how next to proceed, it is a tough swallow to realise that in a couple of weeks he can probably earn the value of all our subscriptions.:mad: