Anyone clinic with Baron Julius Von Uhl?

[enjoytheride]

This clinician is coming to my area, anyone ride with him or audit any of his clinics?

[WTC]

I audited a clinic of his about a year and a half ago. The riders paid $150 each and I think it was $35 to audit. He sat in a chair outside of the arena and shouted his instructions to the riders for most of the day. He also talked a lot on his cell phone during their rides. He seemed to want to convince my friend and I (we were sitting close to him) that we should ride in a clinic with him as he proceeded to tick of various points on his resume to us. It was almost comical. I had heard some things about him from fellow riders and trainers but wanted to see for myself how he was. Not sure how the riders got their $150 worth, as he did not have them do anything except post the trot on a 20 meter circle on the wrong diagonal...what he called an "inside shoulder-in". This was supposed-to be the cure-all for roundness and getting the horse on the bit. I came away rather unimpressed, to say the least. He talks some interesting talk...has a traveling circus and has trained wild animals...a bit of a character as far as personality!

[Foxhound]

Is Baron his first name, or does he consider himself some kind of royalty?

[WTC]

PS: I have been a lurker on here for a long time...signed up specifically b/c I saw your post! I am curious to see if anyone else has had experience with him...

[092556]

Does anyone have a picture of him? I believe his last nname is spelled Uhl. I think he hung out in North Central Florida 25 years ago. If it is the same person he said he rode at the Olympic for the Hungarian or Czech Team, come to find out it was the pentathlon or something of that sort. He was also a lion tamer back in the 80's. At first people thought he was great, he talked a good story, but in the end Baron Julius Von Uhl was a jokel? Google his name!!!

[WTC]

092556, it is indeed the same guy. (that was part of his resume he recited:lol:) He was involved for a time with Arabian Knights...taught Kim and Yvonne Barteau "all they know!"
His *reputation* that I had heard about is why I wanted to see the guy for myself. For my $35 or whatever I paid, it was a very tasty lunch, that is all.

[092556]

[edit] Where is he hanging out now?

On Erin Brinkman's website she had him listed under
"TRAINERS
History of trainers and how they relate to my present philosophies:

JULIAS Von UHL (6yr to 11yr)
I began riding very young, vaulting, eventing, hunter/jumper, dressage,gymkanas and doing some point to points, and with Julius learning to fall off correctly! "

Here is a link to his website http://circusbaron.com/home.html

What kind of clinic is he putting on?
I hope someone that goes to his clinic will give us an up date.

[camohn]

The remarks are accurate at the 2 clinics I was at but ya better have a thick skin because though funny (if YOU are not the subject at hand!) his comments can be pretty scathing. And pretty much everyone had their turn. I was at 2 clinics with him. No cell phone problems there. There were other issues I will PM you about though. He really liked my stallion and the second clinic when I got to the barn he had already gotten my horse tacked and longed for me and was teaching him to Spanish walk just for fun from the ground. Yes, for the most part he does teach from chairside as he is quite athritic/bad knees and really does not walk that well....especially when it is cold and damp up her in the north in the winter. As of a couple years ago he was still calling FL his home....Orlando area....during the winter and somewhere in the midwest in the summer. He IS quite a character. He did not know my TB horse from Adam at the first clinic and accuately told me what his breeding looked like by looking at him (and he was spot on) so he does know his bloodlines.
Added: his attitude towards some of the females at the clinic was more than a tad inappropriate. That is what I pm'd the poster but decided it was fair to post publicly. For the money though: for me it wasn't a total waste/I did get something out of it but there are better clinics to be had.

[slc2]

When he puts on a circus act, pony rides are 4 dollars. Are dressage lessons alot more?

The current outfit, the Noble Horse dinner theatre and performance business, has several horses, including a 'rare black Spanish Andalusian stallion from Spain', and a 'rare black Egyptian Arabian'.

Re the cats:

Two of their cubs (Rajah and Sheba II) were bred together in a brother–sister mating, by Hungarian expatriot and self-styled “Baron” Julius von Uhl, then a trainer with the Shrine Circus, who lived in Peru, Indiana

Baron Julius von Uhl, an exhibitor licensed under the Animal Welfare Act, has worked in circuses and shows as a trainer of lions, tigers, and leopards since 1954. ...He uses a whip and stick to control the animals with which he interacts but said a trainer has to be dominant and have the respect of the animals.... (Tr. 392, 400-10, 413-15).

Julius Von Uhl was born in Budapest and came to America in 1956 from
Hungary after the revolution.

Raja and Sheba II were bought by Baron von Uhl of Shrine Circus

The other, named Scarlett O'Hara, died at the Atlanta Zoo on Jan. 30, 1978 of cardiac arrest while undergoing surgery to correct crossed eyes. She was still owned by Julius Von Uhl at the time.

However, Von Uhl claims all his cubs were born in Indiana and Georgia. Baron Julius Von Uhl Circus existed as recently as 1995, but Von Uhl is now a horse trainer at the Chicago-based "The Noble Horse" having cut ties with white tigers

Eight members of the Illinois Animal Action group picketed a performance by tamer Baron Julius Von Uhl

"The circus was here before Jesus Christ,” von Uhl said.

John F. Cuneo bought Tony for only $10,000, but Hungarian expatriot Baron Julius Von Uhl tried to renege on the sale, threatening to shoot anyone who tried to take Tony (1975 Detroit News article.) The dispute was settled in expensive court action.

[enjoytheride]

This is what I got.

Baron Von Uhl has spent his life teaching his system of training that is correct, functional, and simple. “Ride Like You Walk” is his core for training; in that, riding and training should be as simple, natural, and balanced as an individual walking on the ground. Considered “the most logical system of horsemanship” since 1957, his method has impressed such trainers as Lazelle Knocke-past USDF President, Mark Miller of Arabian Knights, Bazy Tankersly of Al Marah Arabians, Kim and Yvonne Barteau of KYB Dressage, and even one of the Riding Masters from the Saumur School of France. .A master of horse psychology and physiology, he has complete understanding of the way a horse’s mind and body perform for all styles of riding, Sporthorse performance, and competition. Baron Von Uhl has proven his expertise on a National and International Forum with his trained riders and professionals in numerous disciplines from Dressage to Eventing to Reining, and even the new “Gaited Dressage” presented by the TWHBEA competitions. He continues to “wow” participants of his clinics with fast, effective, and correct results in a short amount of training time that continues to produce winners in competition or at home. Learn to ride a system that will allow you to enjoy your training sessions with your horse, be thrilled with your improved balance in riding, and learn a method that guarantees results with your horse.[/FONT]

[CREDENTIALS
Trained in the Hungarian Cavalry under Joseph Kistler
Riding Master of the Millbrook Girls School New York
Chestnut Ridge Riding Club, New York
Riding Master of Oaklawn Military Academy, Oaklawn, New Jersey
US Modern Pentallion under Col. John Russell, Fort Sims, Houston, Texas
Consultant Trainer for Arabian Nights Dinner Theater for over 25yrs, Orlando, Florida
Vahalla Farm, Instructor and Trainer, Mrs. Brinkman, Welbourne, Florida
Students of Baron Von Uhl
B.J. McKie-Riding Master for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Household Cavalry Rider for Household Cavalry Regiment, Hyde Park Barracks, Knights Bridge, London.
Lazelle Knocke-USDF past President
Riding Clinician of Bazy Tankersly, Al-Marah Arabians
Mark Miller and Arabian Nights staff/riders
Kim and Yvonne Barteau
Lisa Schmidt-1997 Preliminary Combined Training Junior Young Rider Championship Finals
Doug Russell, Wellington, Florida
Mark Dechamplain-Reining Champion
Terry Stutz and Ray Maggard, AHA National USEF Competition Recognitions
Mary Poell-TWHBEA National/International Champion
Renata Heinsen-trainer of: MDC/Glass-Ed Dressage Champions, AHA Sporthorse Nationals Qualifiers, IHJA Medals Finals Qualifier, Indiana State Fair Champions in Dressage, Hunters, and Equitation

FEI & High School $150.00/two 30min. private sessions/day
4th Level & Below/Jumping $100.00/two 30min. private sessions/day
Semi-Private Lessons $75.00/person/one 60min. session
Group Lessons $50.00/person/one 60min. session/day[ requires 3 riders)
A deposit of $50.00/single day participants or $100.00/two days participants is required

[twofatponies]

Baron Julius von Uhl, an exhibitor licensed under the Animal Welfare Act, has worked in circuses and shows as a trainer of lions, tigers, and leopards since 1954. ...He uses a whip and stick to control the animals with which he interacts but said a trainer has to be dominant and have the respect of the animals.... (Tr. 392, 400-10, 413-15).


Can I just point out that if I were within 100 yards of any large cat I would like to have a whip and stick at a bare minimum??? :eek:

[slc2]

Why of course. I just wondered if by habit, he might show up to teach riding lessons with the same tools of the trade. Certainly would make for some forward gaits.

[EqTrainer]

Ahhhhhhh.... truly off topic...

but am I the only person thinking of the movie Intolerable Cruelty with George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones?

Remember the Baron Von... ? Extra points if anyone can remember the rest of his name! With the poodle.

And his words..

"she wanted me to find her a silly man..."

OMG.. I am ROTFLMAO remembering this.

[SerenaGinger]

Baron Krauss von Espy

imdb.com

I nerve saw the movie myself. :(

[Moderator 1]

Let's keep things a bit more focused on giving the OP feedback on this trainer's work with horses and riders. You can certainly reference his interesting background in doing so, but please keep things focused on clinic feedback, etc., for the OP.

Thanks!
Mod 1

[sazerac]

I have never posted to this site before but this topic was too much to pass up. Fortunately, I have not had to pay for any of this man's knowledge, but I did have occasion to have him as my next door neighbor during the summer of 1983 in Alachua County, Florida. I don't know where he kept the big cats he professed to having but he kept his horses on the property next to mine. He told us he was "training" (not sure if he meant people or animals) not far from us, and spoke of all his great exploits and how he was going to change the area by his presence. I questioned his ability to do either when I saw him put all 5 of the stallions he had on the property in a pasture together. I also helped him separate them soon after and helped the vet treat the bleeding fight wounds. He had 2 young palominos that were very bitten/torn up. He acted as if I should be eternally grateful for any words of "wisdom" he might share. I had been breeding, training and showing horses for years and I heard nothing new from him that made much sense. I watched him as he "trained" his own animals and thoroughly pitied them, as it appeared they, by far, were the smarter ones.
He had dogs that barked all the time whether they were inside or out and when his landlords evicted him for non-payment, I walked the property with them as they videotaped the conditions he left behind. When the dogs were inside, he kept them locked in the master bath and never let them out for relief. Need I say more on the bathroom's condition?

Good luck to anyone participating in his clinics. You will need it. I certainly hope the moderators let at least some of this go through as I feel anyone who decides to avail themselves of his services do so as informed.

[SapeloApp]

I know Julius. I know Terry Stutz and Mary Poell (Von Uhl's students). I know Von Uhl's elephant, Twiggy. I've met his daughter, Vickie Diamond, and her pony Sasafrass. I have seen his circus, which is in the tradition of the traveling circuses of Europe... way different from Barnum-Bailey, to be sure, but plenty fun with some quite talented acts. He has worked in my arena in a joint training session with the Bristol Mounted Police and St. Joe County Mounted Police, and the man has a decidedly wicked talent for using arena space to achieve fine mounted close-order drill. Getting 22 horses and riders, at a working trot, to do wheels in my little 70 x 140 space is impressive!

Julius and I butt heads. Tremendously. In public, unabashedly. I maintain that the guy has no working knowledge of human anatomy and his ability (or lack of) to teach "cues" is... astonishing, to my way of thinking. BUT -- he's a highly capable animal trainer. He can get his riders and their horses to do things, sometimes bordering on magical. Granted, I may cringe at what the human is doing to get the horse to do something, but the horse does it, then says, "OH! NOW I see what you want!"

Julius can be a most charming and even unassuming gentleman. Usually, though, he appears bombastic, boastful, obnoxious, opinionated, and exceedingly curt. You might also note that horses really like him. He has a talent, too, of reading the animals. Which, I figure, is a really good skill to have if you're going to be in a cage with a couple of big cats...

And everything he's told me of his resume -- which he is quite a colorful character! -- has proven to be true, according to internet and library research.

Personally, *I* would NOT clinic with Julius. As I stated earlier, Julius and I butt heads. BUT -- if I was trying to get a quadrille going, or wanted to teach my horse some advanced tricks, I would see about bringing Julius in for at least some feedback. The man has specific talents that other trainers just don't have. If you are in need of those specific talents, you'd be hard pressed to find someone as skilled.

Candace

[BocaDr1]

I have never posted to this site before but this topic was too much to pass up. Fortunately, I have not had to pay for any of this man's knowledge, but I did have occasion to have him as my next door neighbor during the summer of 1983 in Alachua County, Florida. I don't know where he kept the big cats he professed to having but he kept his horses on the property next to mine. He told us he was "training" (not sure if he meant people or animals) not far from us, and spoke of all his great exploits and how he was going to change the area by his presence. I questioned his ability to do either when I saw him put all 5 of the stallions he had on the property in a pasture together. I also helped him separate them soon after and helped the vet treat the bleeding fight wounds. He had 2 young palominos that were very bitten/torn up. He acted as if I should be eternally grateful for any words of "wisdom" he might share. I had been breeding, training and showing horses for years and I heard nothing new from him that made much sense. I watched him as he "trained" his own animals and thoroughly pitied them, as it appeared they, by far, were the smarter ones.
He had dogs that barked all the time whether they were inside or out and when his landlords evicted him for non-payment, I walked the property with them as they videotaped the conditions he left behind. When the dogs were inside, he kept them locked in the master bath and never let them out for relief. Need I say more on the bathroom's condition?

Good luck to anyone participating in his clinics. You will need it. I certainly hope the moderators let at least some of this go through as I feel anyone who decides to avail themselves of his services do so as informed.

Sazerac: Before posting something that could prove to be so detrimental to a person's reputation, it would be nice if you made sure you had your facts straight, as in "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything...". Your next door neighbor in Alachua County was Joseph Rosenthal, who has since deceased. He used to breed pit-bulls, some of which Julius did covet. Julius has never lived in Alachua County, FL in his life; he's never ever owned 5 stallions at one time in his life. He has never owned a Palomino stallion in his life. He did know Joe Rosenthal and would occasionally train some of Joe's clients there. You never saw Julius' big cats for that reason: it was not his property. I would think it very inappropriate for you to "warn" prospective students about this man's clinics, having never taken one and, perhaps, never even having met the man himself. An appology might be more appropriate. If you'd care to know a bit more truth about Baron von Uhl, see my post below. Thanks.
Leon

[BocaDr1]

This clinician is coming to my area, anyone ride with him or audit any of his clinics?

I hope Moderator 1 will indulge me to reply to this OP with the information about the clinic, then to all the other postings with some info about Julius.

OK … First, here’s the information about Baron Julius von Uhl’s next clinic in FL. This comes from the Wellington Equestrian Festival message board http://www.wellington-wef.com/ :

Riding Master Julius von Uhl will be returning to Wellington to hold a Dressage Clinic beginning Friday, October 24th, 2008 and continuing through Sunday, October 26th, 2008.

Location: Border Fox Farm
14475 Wellington Trace (south of Draft Horse Ln)
Wellington, FL 33414

With 52 years of success using his simple “Ride Like You Walk” system of riding, Baron von Uhl can fix or markedly improve virtually any problem almost immediately. The “Ride Like You Walk” system has worked so well since 1956, that B. von Uhl makes the following claim:

ALL LESSONS ARE UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED:
RIDER MUST BE SATISFIED WITH THE LESSON OR NEED NOT PAY

You can be sure that no matter who you may have ridden under or watched train, anywhere, you will have never seen such quick, easy and clearly explained techniques! Learn the definition of the Half-Halt. Learn how to make a horse light and sensitive enough to be able to do an entire Grand Prix test without a bridle!! You really have to see these lessons to believe them.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Dressage - beginner to Grand Prix (including Airs Above...), classical/competition; Jumper - all levels; Equitation - all disciplines; Western - all
TUITION: Clinic tuition is $75/lesson (~1 hr) - group lesson rates are adjusted
AUDITING: Auditing is $35/day - if you take a lesson, auditing is included and highly recommended; video-recording is permitted and also recommended for future review
ARENA: lessons will be in a covered regulation short (i.e. 40m) arena with excellent footing. This arena is designed to remain at least 10-15 degrees cooler regardless of outside temperature. A full-sized (60m) uncovered arena is also available. A full jump course is available for jumping lessons.
STALLING: stalls available for $10/day or $25/night, incl. shavings + water bucket
Private lessons may be available - $100./ hr @ your facility by arrangement.
CONTACT: send email to BocaDr1@bellsouth.net for more info, questions or to reserve ride times.

Secondly, if I may, some comments about Julius and these postings:

To agree with Moderator 1, let us try to stay on point here: EnjoyTheRide wants to know if anyone has taken lessons from him, as in would it be worth attending one of his clinics. The answer depends on why you would be attending the clinic, what you would want to get out of it. If you’re just interested in talking about “who you ‘cliniced’ with”, he’s not right for you. But if you want to learn to ride correctly; if you have issues with your horse and want them fixed; if you want to add purity, balance and lightness to your riding and you want to do it efficiently, then you’re not likely to find a better value anywhere than lessons with Baron von Uhl (and, yes, he really is a Baron: it was a title he inherited as a birthright in Hungary from his father). Just to give you some idea of the efficiency of his training, when I started riding with Julius for about 3 yrs ago, I was “like a sack of potatoes”: stiff, holding myself up w/ the reins, no idea even how to cue a canter. I’ve been riding with him on a very part-time basis: he comes down to FL maybe 4 days/month during our winter season – November thru April - and I ride with him then. The rest of the year, I’m on my own and I barely average riding 1 day/wk. But I’m now able to ride correct, effortless canter pirouettes both directions and flying changes with just the weight of the reins for contact! Another one of Julius’ students, a local farrier, picked up an out-of-control TB off the track literally for the 4 quarters she had in her pocket. When I 1st met this horse, he jumped out of his skin when I just patted his neck! I watched her work w/ Julius on this horse and in 1½ yr, she was doing terre a terre, canter half-pass, nice, balanced flying changes, unbelievable Spanish March – just beginning to bring it into the Passage, Piaffe that anyone would be happy with, he was jumping a 2’ course with ease, plus she was able to make the horse sit and lay down on verbal command, and she was able to mount him by sitting on his side while he’s laying down and having him stand up under her from the ground! Years ago, one of Julius’ students rode in to do a Grand Prix test, reached out and took the bridle off the horse and proceeded to ride the entire GP test w/ no bridle. And this was in front of Klimke, who couldn’t believe what he’d just witnessed. Now, that’s light contact! And his riders at Arabian Knights Dinner Theater in Orlando would do that routinely every night during the opening number, which was essentially all bridleless GP choreography or the native Indian number, which is essentially a bridleless Western reigning routine, with the arena filling with smoke, strobes flashing, crowds cheering and the music blaring. So it wasn’t just 1 rider that pulled that off. That degree of lightness of contact is simply the natural progression of Julius’ system.

Five years ago, Julius took an immigrant named Christian out of the fields where he was picking tomatoes and gave him a job at Arabian Knights, taught him to ride a horse. Within 3 yrs, Christian was one of their top riders: he's the one who did the bridleless Grand Prix routines in the shows. Now he's the Head "Airs Above The Ground" trainer w/ Medieval Times, in Orlando. 5 years of riding. And please call them to check my claims.

So I don’t think we really need to concern ourselves about what it’s like being Julius’ next door neighbor or how he treats Twiggy, his elephant, or his tigers or how neat his property is or isn’t up in Indiana. Julius is a very utilitarian horse trainer: he instantly sizes up what needs to be done or what can be done or what should be done and simply gets it done and moves on… no big fanfare, no pomp, no circumstance. If you want to see if it’s all true, sign up for a lesson, bring ANY horse, with ANY problem and ride like he tells you to ride. SapeloApp says “He can get his riders and their horses to do things, sometimes bordering on magical”. That’s what it feels like when you’re up there, like: “How the hell is he getting me to do this?!”. It’s not magic: it’s just that his system is so simple and pure and efficient, it takes almost no effort to set your horse up so that the only thing he/she can do is move on freely and correctly! Then, if you don’t like the lesson – for any reason – you don’t have to pay him. Simple as that. Then come back on the Forum and post your comments.

Is Julius a character? Definitely! I can guarantee everyone reading this post that you will have never met, nor will you ever again meet, such a Character as Julius von Uhl! In fact, to say he’s a “character” is an understatement, like Henry Paulson claiming that the $700 billion bailout involves “some risk”! He's extremely intelligent, tho he keeps that well hidden... Candace, very articulately said “he appears bombastic, boastful, obnoxious, opinionated, and exceedingly curt”. He’s a Showman, a Circus man … he really is a Wild Animal Tamer: perhaps the oldest one still alive on the planet! He’s survived being alone in a cage with 20 wild lions and tigers that he’d never met before! And he still trains lions and elephants with his circus up in the Kokomo, IN area. A person like that can come to appear bombastic! Can he be “politically incorrect”? Absolutely! Can he be offensive? Definitely, though he calls himself “an equal-opportunity offender: he offends everyone without prejudice”. Does he tell lots of stories? Yes. But the life he’s lived defies comprehension, so he’s got unbelievable stories. Is he a bad person? Absolutely not! He is a well-intentioned soul to his core.

Candace claims “I may cringe at what the human is doing to get the horse to do something…”. It’s not entirely clear from your post, Candace, whether you were actually riding during his quadrille clinics or simply observing at your facility. I say this because Julius never has his rider do anything exceedingly forceful to the horse, as I refer to above. He sets the rider up to “create the freedom” for the horse to freely move into whatever is desired.

I thank the Moderator for allowing me this long post. I encourage anyone in the south FL area to come and meet Baron von Uhl and avail yourselves of his extraordinary talents.
Leon

[lipizzan_lady]

YES! I have clinic-ed with the Baron. Would I recommend him? Depends on what you are looking for.

If you want someone to give you sugar-coated, fawning praise when you have no seat or skills, stay home. Or if you like to make excuses and talk throughout your lesson about why you think your horse has this issues or why you simply can't do something......he's not your type of teacher.

BUT - if you want someone who gives you a clear understanding of the mechanics of how you can help your horse actually do what you are asking - he is the man. He may give you a seemingly simple exercise to do for a month! But the REASON is that he is trying to correct a fundamental weakness either in horse or rider so that forward progress can be made.
In my first ride with this man he told me "Dahlink, Dahlink, get offa de horse. You are ridink like a chicken on da fencepost." And truthfully, I was. He has showed me great things, wonderful exercises and clear concepts. If I don't get what he his point is, I ASK HIM.
I have since moved away but hope to share him with my new dressage community. Is he brash and truthful, egotistical and plain-spoken? Oh, yes. And a great mind, and an amazing horseman.
And why post on the wrong diagonal? To strengthen the opposite muscles and gain suppling and flexion. Vets do it in ridden vet checks all the time to check for subtle lamenesses! You'd be surprised how many horses just can't do it. But I have seen this man do miraculous things with my horses and with others horses, and, quite frankly, with my riding and my spirit. He taught me to believe I was a rider, not a passenger, a thing I transmit to my students.
The Baron is also a European at heart - a ladies man, absolutely - but happily married with a beautiful daughter. He loves to flirt and does it well, but I could never imagine feeling threatened by it.
So go - audit - ride - have questions - but recognize that truly no one is a perfect clinician for everyone. Clinics are for getting a fresh eye on a problem or a blockage in your training progression. Not every answer you get is necessarily the right one for your or that particular horse. But I personally like to have a large bag of tricks I have learned to try to have a solution that will be situation-specific ---- and for that, Julius is wonderful.
And we need to remember, sometimes, that the really great ones can be a bit eccentric. But this is the man that barked a seemingly nonsensical chain of commands to me (to get my mind off the result) which I followed precisely and found myself doing a lovely piaffe - passage tour with NO TENSION.

Perhaps I would also call his "Ride Like You Walk" method the "Shut Up and Ride" method - he brooks no excuses. You do it or you don't. I personally adore the man - I've driven 100 miles out of my way with an infant in the back seat just to go say hi to him - but I also respect him immeasurably as a horseman.

[BocaDr1]

My wife actually earned a "Shut Up And Ride" T-shirt from Julius! I covet it everytime I see her wear it!

[BocaDr1]

If anyone happens to be in the S. Florida area later this month, why not come and see what all the fuss is about? Then you can see 1st-hand and decide if what he teaches has value for you or not, rather than relying on all the above "hearsay". See the Calendar posting for October 25-26. Thx.

[NEEDS A NAP]

No, but I know someone who married him.

I THOUGHT I recognized that name. I grew up in Peru, Indiana, yes, the home of the world's most famous amateur circus, at least so it is claimed. I am sure there are other towns that would dispute that claim.

I remember when the very first circus was put on in a tent, in 1963. The late artist Robert Weaver was very instrumental in getting the circus started. The parade on Saturday, the last performance day, is claimed to be the largest in Indiana! How well I remember the many floats, such as the "Sons of KY" motorcycle club, whose float was basically them sitting on a flatbed trailer surrounded by cases of beer!

There were people (adults, not young performers) riding horses western style in the earliest years of the circus, but animals disappeared from the circus performance itself until the late 80's & early 90's when a vaulting horse appeared for several years.

Of course, during Circus City Days, at the downtown carnival, there were several people with big cats and other types of wild animals in cages. We considered them kind of scary people.

I remember Julius von Uhl, although at that time he didn't refer to himself as "baron". He came into town in about the early to mid-70's maybe, and he married an acquaintance of mine, one of three sisters from a local Catholic family.

As I remember, they were not too thrilled about their daughter marrying the glamorous Julius. She was very quiet and shy, and Julius seemed impossibly, um, "racy". I am 57, and this girl was a year younger than me. Julius was quite a bit older than her, which was one of the many objections her parents had to the marriage. I believe he had also been married before. I am quite sure they left town shortly thereafter.

The town of Peru was winter quarters to many small traveling circuses earlier in the century. There is a very good book on the subject, "The Circus in Winter" by Cathy Day, which captures the flavor of the town, and recounts many true incidents, with names changed of course. I'm surprised that there was not a chapter on the glamorous Julius.

You cannot imagine, unless you come from a similar background, what a small and insular place a town like Peru, Indiana is. Someone like Julius coming into our town was an event.

To illustrate how gullible we were, there was another fellow in the 60's, whose last name was Mattel. He was stationed at Grissom Air Force base between Peru and Kokomo. He actually convinced my parents and all of their friends that he was from the toy Mattel family (he said Doris Duke was his parents' neighbor), and he married the daughter of a local judge. Of course, the truth came out later that he made the whole thing up, but they actually quite liked him, and so forgave him.

He said he started it as a joke, and couldn't believe that people actually bought it, so he kept it up. The daughter at that time was about 30 (considered impossibly old for getting married in that town at that time) and didn't have too many other prospects.

But I digress, back to Julius....he was very good looking in a rugged blond nose broken a few times kind of way. I don't remember anything at all about his being involved with horses, it was all the big cats at that time. To connect him now with dressage training in my mind is kind of unreal. Of course, in Peru, IN, at that time, I'm sure no one had ever heard of dressage!

What a small world it is indeed!

[flamenco horse]

I met the Baron a few years ago and can say I have seldom been so entertained. He is truly a fascinating man. I watched him teach the same students and horses over the course of 3 days and saw absolutely nothing wrong in his instruction or advice..... actually, he was quite classical in his approach to the horse and rider and always kept the welfare of the horse first. Perhaps he does well because of his innate ability to cue into animal behavior. Also, he is extremely keen on the biomechanics of the horse, which I found fascinating.

I'd certainly pay the cost of admission to at least audit if he came to town again. He's a fascinating man, full of amazing stories of his travels and adventures, and he can actually do a decent job teaching. Better than some of the other big name clinicians I've ridden under and audited.

[BocaDr1]

Needs A Nap:
The girl you refer to was 1 of his riding students. In 1960, he was training across from the Circus Winter Quarters at "Oak Haven Arabians" farm, belonging to Ray Maggert. He still trains there occasionally, when he is home from the circus. I was there watching him couple of yrs ago. The girl you mention gave him 3 sons, 1 of whom is now a Navy Seal, then she ran off with Hugo Zaccini, the Human Cannonball! He did not refer to himself then as "baron" as his father was still alive: on his father's passing, he automatically inherited the title. He's currently married to his 5th wife for 21 yrs, who's younger than his oldest daughter! He has a 14 yr. old daughter, Vicki Diamond, who is a horse-riding machine! He still trains lions and tigers and has an African elephant, Twiggy, up in Macy, IN and still takes his circus out. In fact, I just took riding lessons w/ him this past weekend down in Wellington, FL --- to be sure, he's as arrogant as ever! But he's probably one of the best, most efficient, no-nonsense riding instructors anywhere!

[KellyC]

I've audited a couple of Julius' clinics and am looking forward to riding in his next one. He takes as much care teaching the Grand Prix rider as he does with the beginners. No sugar coating - but I'm not looking for someone else to tell me how wonderful my horse looks. I can get that for free at home. I've noticed he first gets the horse reaching beneath himself and using his hind end before going on to other movements. Interesting how posting on the "wrong" diagonal can help a horse with some of the movements and transistions.

[lovemyhorses]

I have taken private lessons, group lessons and clinics with the self proclaimed "Baron". I never wasted so much money in my life! He makes crude and vulgar remarks, without prejudice. He also makes racists and chauvinistic remarks. Anyone and everyone is a target. He's a legend in his own mind.
The knowledge he shares is directly related to how much money he thinks you have and what he thinks you can do for him. He's made a lot of enemies here in Indiana. I've seen first hand 2 riders nearly get seriously hurt under his "fine" tutelage.
He likes to drag out your lessons so he can take more of your money. I took lessons for about a year and he said I still wasn't ready to canter. If he were half the wizard he claims to be, wouldn't he have had the talent to get me cantering? The thing is, I was cantering on my own horses at home. I can't tell you how many times he would go talk to the BO and leave me to just ride by myself. I would finally just stop and wait to see how long it would take him to notice that I had quit riding. But believe it or not, he does have a few groupies who worship him. Everyone else hates him. People dropped out of his lesson likes flies.
My advice, save your money! Been there, done that and then finally fired his sorry ***.

[slc2]

"Interesting how posting on the "wrong" diagonal can help a horse with some of the movements and transistions.
"

Not exactly secret esoteric dressage knowledge.

Every pinhooker in the world knows to do this to conceal lameness when showing a horse to a buyer.

"The knowledge he shares is directly related to how much money he thinks you have and what he thinks you can do for him"

Sadly, not unique to the "Baron" at all, but you can find people who don't do this.

[NEEDS A NAP]

BocaDR1: I don't think we are referring to the same girl, as in 1960, both she and I were under 10 years old. The circus in Peru did begin in the year 1960, and Julius may have been in Indiana in 1960, but the girl that I am referring to, he married in the early to mid-1970's, and she would have been about 21-24 years old. But I do remember they had at least one son, because she came back to town with a child. We were all in a bit of an alcohol and (I will admit it) recreational drug daze in the 1970's, so I don't remember all the exact details. It is possible he could have married one Indiana girl in the 60's and one in the 70's?

I went to several parties where Julius was present, and I don't remember any talk at all about horses. It was all about the big cats. But that's just my memory - I wasn't into horses at all back then, and probably was just listening to what I cared about.

I googled the name and came up with another Julius von Uhl, who looked to be in his early 30's teaching tumbling at a gymnastic school in Indianapolis, so this must be one of his sons and fits right in with the circus background.

And yes, I did look up his website and saw that he had his circus up in Warsaw, Indiana this month.

It's interesting to me that many people have apparently newly joined this board just to comment on him. It shows that he elicits strong feelings, whether pro or con. I just find it personally fascinating that someone that I knew as a wild animal trainer nearly 40 years ago has resurfaced as a dressage clinician. I would love to hear from the OP if she attended the clinic and what she thought of it.

[BocaDr1]

I have taken private lessons, group lessons and clinics with the self proclaimed "Baron". I never wasted so much money in my life! He makes crude and vulgar remarks, without prejudice. He also makes racists and chauvinistic remarks. Anyone and everyone is a target. He's a legend in his own mind.
The knowledge he shares is directly related to how much money he thinks you have and what he thinks you can do for him. He's made a lot of enemies here in Indiana. I've seen first hand 2 riders nearly get seriously hurt under his "fine" tutelage.
He likes to drag out your lessons so he can take more of your money. I took lessons for about a year and he said I still wasn't ready to canter. If he were half the wizard he claims to be, wouldn't he have had the talent to get me cantering? The thing is, I was cantering on my own horses at home. I can't tell you how many times he would go talk to the BO and leave me to just ride by myself. I would finally just stop and wait to see how long it would take him to notice that I had quit riding. But believe it or not, he does have a few groupies who worship him. Everyone else hates him. People dropped out of his lesson likes flies.
My advice, save your money! Been there, done that and then finally fired his sorry ***.

While you are absolutely intitled to your opinion - and Julius obviously doesn't sit well with some/many - everyone who takes any lessons w/ Julius knows that all his lessons are unconditionally guaranteed, meaning if you don't like your lesson for any reason or think that he hasn't helped you and your horse, then you simply don't have to pay him. This has been his policy since he began training in 1957. You could have not paid him for the lessons that you felt were ineffective.
Look: as has been amply pointed out in this whole thread, yes, Julius can be rather crude. Even I, a very close friend of his, often just sit back and shake my head listening to some of the things he comes up with! His personality is very definitely NOT for everyone. I would even go so far as to say, sometimes, his personality is hardly for ANYONE! He is definitely not for the "thin-skinned". HOWEVER: his training techniques, if applied exactly how he instructs and with an open mind while riding, without being 'offended' by some of his occasional comments, WILL HELP EVERY HORSE/RIDER, bar none. Meaning, if his training system doesn't seem to be working for you, you can be confident, you're not doing it right; if you're doing it correctly, it simply has to work. I've seen it over and over, students insisting "they're doing exactly what he's telling me to do and it's not working", that is until they look at the video of the lesson afterwards. Then it usually goes more like "Is THAT what I was doing?? I had no idea...oh my god!!". Even in my own lessons, I'll sometimes be struggling with this or that and he'll be telling me to do that or this and it's just not working. He'll keep telling me to do it and I'll yell back "GODAMNIT, I'M DOING IT!!!!" but, if I get in front of a mirror, I can see that while it feels w/ every fiber of my being like "I'm doing it", I'm not...then I can see the correction I have to make in my position - often extremely minor, but critical - to really "do it" correctly and when I make that little correction, the effect on the horse is INSTANTANEOUS! The feeling up on the horse is very much like putting the correct "key" into a machine: ride with the correct position and the rest just happens almost effortlessly.

[curlyhorsefan]

Yes, my 11 year old daughter rode in a clinic with Julius last month. She enjoyed it thoroughly. She brought a 4 year old gelding she has trained herself. He is of Missouri Foxtrotter breeding but being the determined child she is, she has produced a trot from him and had been jumping him all summer. We were curious and wanted instruction for her to accomplish what she wanted to do with her gelding. So we went for two private half hour sessions in one day. The morning session was nothing short of amazing. Within 15 minutes there was such a noticable difference in the horses stride and he was reaching under himself at least 12" more than when they started. Julius taught my daughter how to properly ride the horse to a trot, something he was not even bred to do ! By the end of the first session she was able to go outside and ride him at both the trot and the smooth gaits at WILL. Her own will, not the horse's will. He helped her immensely. She was very happy with his instruction and cannot wait to ride with Julius again when he comes back. Her second lesson was just as impressive. I have looked and visited other clinics and compared to his gentle way of teaching the horse and communicating with my daughter I would be hard pressed to find a better instructor at his prices. he is worth every penny we spent and will do it again without a doubt. He was very kind to my daughter and although he does like to make jokes it was never in a crude or harmful manner. He can teach in 30 minutes what it would take a month someone less capable of reading horse and rider a month to accomplish, if ever. With regards to colorful remarks and stories, so what? I saw a clinician this past weekend who charged $160 a session and if I had to ride under that lady I would have plowed her over with my horse she had such a wheedling, snooty attitude and I actually felt sorry for the rider and the horse ! Baron von Uhl is definitely worth checking out if you want to learn in an easy to understand method.

[BocaDr1]

Anyone following this thread may be interested in knowing that Julius will be back down in the Wellington, FL area January 16-17, 2010 for lessons.

Please email RideLikeYouWalk@gmail.com for more information or to set up lessons.

All lessons are guaranteed unconditionally: this means that if you are not satisfied with your lessons FOR ANY REASON you need not pay for the lesson.

If you have ANY problems with your horse - any breed, any discipline: dressage, equitation, western, jumping, trick - Julius will diagnose the problem and improve or fix the problem or the lesson is free.

If you are having trouble moving up to the next level or are having trouble with any particular movement - basic gaits, flying changes, tempi-changes, pirouettes, 1/2-pass, piaffe, passage - Julius will explain what's needed to move forward and/or fix the problem and provide you with clear exercises and drills to practice. He will continue to work with you until you understand virtually no matter how long it takes or the lesson is free.

Julius will work with all levels of rider from "Lesson #1" through Grand Prix and beyond, to Airs-Above-The-Ground and Trick Riding. The lessons are absolutely risk-free: at the end of the lesson, if you don't understand his system or don't feel the improvement or simply don't agree with it and don't think it's right for you and your horse, simply thank him for his time and ride off into the sunset.

If you read all the posts in this thread, there are a few that are pretty negative. Study them and you'll find that many of these posters are from the Indiana area, where Julius is based. His system of training is so efficient and effective that it may pose a threat to these individuals, if they happen to be local trainers, and they feel they have to "bad-mouth" him for their own job security. Read the posts from the rest of the people who've actually taken lessons from him.

[dlparsons]

I did a mini-clinic with him this past weekend. He is a VERY colorful character and self absorbed - he'll be the first one to tell you that, and he has no problem telling it like it is. I can see how he would rub people the wrong way. If you're a sensitive person, or easily offended - stay home. However, if you have an open mind and are interested in learning something different and willing to ignore what you know as well as ignoring the occasional color comment and try what he tells you - then the clinic would be very beneficial. I had originally planned on taking just one horse and riding one day, but after riding and then watching several others ride, I decided to come back a second day with a second horse and am not looking at sending one of my horses to him for 30 days of training. My trainer is planning on bringing him back several more times in the next few months and I'll be there with all three of my horses the next time. His methods work, are easy to follow and execute and he clearly understands the horses. He made great improvements in a very short time with each horse/rider that executed his instructions. He was not critical of a person's riding, but made colorful remarks throughout. If you're someone who wants to see an Olympic medal in the hands of a rider before respecting a person's riding or teaching - then Mr. Julius' clinics may not be for you. However, if you believe that you may not actually already know everything and are open to trying new methods and give them a real chance to work - well then you would enjoy these clinics. There's nothing "revolutionary" about what is being taught, however, the advances made by the horses and riders I saw after just a short ride was really eye opening. I'm hungry for the next steps!

[Beasmom]

Interesting that most of the "Pro Julius" posters are newbies who seldom post about anything else.

What's up with that?

[melody1]

Hi all,

I realize that this is an older thread, but considering this thread still comes up in a google search when looking for information on Julius, I figured I should share my experiences. I am originally from northern IN and occasionally Julius would come up north to teach at my barn. I took lessons with him whenever it fit in the budget. Every poster who has said that he is crude, harsh, and bordering offensive is spot-on... but never once did he direct any unreasonable negativity toward me or make me feel uncomfortable. I was, at the time, a very young, very beginning dressage rider with a young, green Arab mare (who Julius just adored!) and the progress we made together under his instruction was magical, inexplicable. I would not hesitate to bring him out to New England for a clinic if I had the means to do so.

If you are easily offended or put-off by harsh words, then Julius is absolutely not the trainer for you. As strongly as I believe that he does have a very kind heart somewhere in there, he has a rough exterior and is NOT an easy person to be around if you like the warm fuzzies. However, if you are able and willing to put those feelings aside and open your mind to what he has to teach you, then you can and WILL learn how to RIDE. I have only had the fortune to ride with one other trainer whose methods (and rate of success) was comparable to Julius', and she was no sweet bunny rabbit either, but to me good teaching far outweighs the personality quirks.

Just my two cents... He is not the trainer for just anybody, but I hope that those of you who may be considering his instruction are not turned off immediately by the negative posts on here. IMHO he is more than worth at least one try.

[BocaDr1]

I'm glad you had the opportunity to ride for Julius...he is quite a character and definitely not for those who are not in possession of a stout sense of humor! I've gotten to know him quite well over these last few years and can assure you that "good heart" you refer to is actually just below the surface. I've watched countless lessons he's given to children and it's actually inexplicable how much patience he has with them! I've really never seen anything like it...no matter how they're behaving or how hard of a time they're having getting what he's trying to show them, he somehow always comes up with some variation that eventually - but always - allows them to succeed and come away with a positive experience. It's often said that "you either love Julius or you can't stand him"...I think those who are able to recognize a real Master of one's Craft - whatever that craft may be - tend to quickly overlook Julius' 'idiosyncracies' and just be dumbfounded at his ability to train a horse and rider. If you're not able to recognize a Master, then Julius is just going to seem like some crackpot b/s artist. Anyway, we're going to be lucky enough to have Julius in the Wellington, FL area for the weekend of April 15-17, 2011. It would be great if you were able to join us for some fun riding!

[NJRider]

Interesting that most of the "Pro Julius" posters are newbies who seldom post about anything else.

What's up with that?

I was thinking the same thing....
His whole spiel sounds very familiar; we have the female equivalent here in MO!

[SunsAfire]

I've never ridden with him, but I've spoken with him a few times. I know a couple girls who have ridden with him, but they aren't on this forum.

He's really nice and super charming. From what I remember he was an older man, and the last time I saw him was 6-7 years ago.

- I edited this because I remember him being crude, but it was not intolerable. I just think you have to have a sense of humor and brush it off.

[SunsAfire]

Interesting that most of the "Pro Julius" posters are newbies who seldom post about anything else.

What's up with that?

And who are you to make that judgement?

[Beasmom]

It's not a judgement. It's an observation. Nothing more.

[SunsAfire]

It's not a judgement. It's an observation. Nothing more.

Just because we're new to this forum, or have a simple question, does not make us "newbies".

People are so rude. I hope that made you feel superior, you obviously really needed that one!

[Beasmom]

Oooh, I feel so -- chastised!

I've ridden longer than you've been alive -- times two. Von Uhl might be the real deal -- but I've seen enough charlatans to be a sceptic.

Don't take it personally. It's an opinion.

[Dressage_Julie]

ok I will chime in... I "auditioned" for him when we was at the Noble Horse theater in Chicago. It was a joke. I was recent graduate of the FEI Young Rider program, and he put me on this "4th level" horse. He told me to half-pass- I asked they way I was trained to ask a horse to half pass and nothing happened. He then told me to cross my reins over the neck and do pretty much the exact opposite of how I was trained including sitting on the wrong seatbone. I found him very much a trick rider and not understanding throughness and true collection. He was extremely rude the entire time... and at the end after tearing me apart, he offered me a job. I declined as I felt that his horses would ruin my riding. Personally, I wouldn't waste the money on him.

[katarine]

I find it curious that the Boca Dr is never active on COTH except to shill for Baron, and how interesting that there's a chance to ride with him, just around the corner! Click here to sign up today and all that.

Fascinating timing, really.

[Beasmom]

Very enlightening, Dressage_Julie!

[NEEDS A NAP]

Also second, very enlightening dressage Julie.

See my posts above regarding Julius' time in Peru, IN. It was circus, circus. He never mentioned horses.

IMO, anyone who spent any length of time in Peru was slightly touched with the crazy wand as a result - strangest small town in the universe.

Google Malachi Martin's book "The New Castle" - he thinks Peru was some kind of spiritual center of the universe because the streets were laid out in a certain way.

Google a book called "Deadly Seduction" (and I believe it was also a TV movie), about the murder of a local DA by his wife. Was also an episode of "Snapped". Strange town. Great Circus heritage, though.

[driveshorses]

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