Dr. Klimke somehow always made time to ride as many as four horses per day. He has produced a number of outstanding equine athletes over the years, but is perhaps best known for the charismatic Ahlerich.
A highly-strung bundle of power in his youth, Ahlerich could easily have gone wrong under another rider. It is testimony to Dr. Klimke's tact as a rider and trainer that the late "Ali" has come to epitomize correct classical dressage training.

Dr. Klimke's style was very distinctive. A tall, slim man, he personified elegance, absolute control and total precision in the saddle. A deeply thinking and tactical rider, his approach was an academic one, underscored with patience. Taking one day at a time, the Klimke method is slow and painstaking. 

Dr. Klimke's most rewarding achievement in the dressage arena to date, was surely winning the Individual Gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He described the occasion as "the most beautiful moment of my life," since Ahlerich had given him everything a rider could wish for from a horse. "I have seldom sensed such an intimate connection between horse and rider as I did that day."

This was a man who built the relationship with his horses to a level of great understanding and shared intimacy. Discipline is always there, as is a determination to win, and everything is analyzed with a great deal of thought; but for all his desire for victory, Dr. Klimke always displayed a psychological understanding of the horse which is compatible with the classical principles.