The Great European Schools of Classical Dressage

Book excerpt: For nearly 400 years, four illustrious riding schools have striven for perfection in the equestrian art: the Spanish Riding School in Vienna; the Cadre Noir in Saumur, France; the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Jerez, Spain; and the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art in Lisbon. Each school is a guardian of traditions--ancient, technical, and artistic--and together they have preserved and enriched the long dressage tradition. This meticulously researched study reveals the inner workings of each of these schools, including details about their traditions, their systems for recruiting and training riders, and of course their horses. It also discusses the future of these prestigious yet seemingly anachronistic establishments.