Spanish Horses/Classical riding anyone???

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carol993

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Hi
I bought a PRE platinum grey stallion from Spain in 2009 and he has been trained and ridden by classical riders and taught high school. Although we can do dressage competitions etc I would really love to pursue the Spanish side of his training too....I have found a fabulous trainer, but he lives a bit too far away to visit just me at my yard and all the other liveries seem to think 'classical' riding is something that only 'old fuddy duddies' do (I think many people think it is an aged discipline in it's own right, instead of the way you sit and ride). Anyway...it got me searching the web for other Spanish horse owners and any one else interested in it, (irrespective of what breed of horse you own), in the UK who may also want to learn a bit about Spanish high school, doma vaquera, doma classica and even Garrocha and long reining if that takes your fancy. I live in the Bedfordshire area, so if anyone does fancy taking part in the odd clinic or two, at a yard with fantastic facilities, then I have a very well known and highly respected trainer ready to come who can help anyone with anything equine (he really is that good....). I couldn't believe the massive improvement I instantly obtained when I began to sit up properly and what he taught me in just 1 session made a drastic difference in how my horse went!! That's the brilliant thing...He doesn't teach absolute beginners though, so you would need to have some basic ability to begin with. Your horse does not need to be a Spanish breed for him to want to teach you.
If anyone knows any other classical trainers in the Bedfordshire area, then that would be helpful too.......:D
 
I have a lady who comes to our yard and teaches classical dressage. My horse is completely different now and she has helped with my positon and just getting rid of the tension. We are now learning the spanish walk or irish twit walk!!:D But this has helped him open up his shoulder. His neck is longer and is so much more relaxed. I think classical dressage is great as there so many different things to do without just doing circles. She is based in Bucks so might too far.
 
i'm too far away, but when i first saw work with the garrocha i was was mesmerised, and when i saw jesus menezes on u tube i was blown away, this is real equitation
like the second poster ihave found that my stallion is now, with training, really lengthening his neck, his paces are becoming much larger, he is is a three bloods and would be a fabulous prospect for doma vaquera.
all classical riding is, is riding properly, nothing more, it gives the horse the chance to show what it is really capable of, anyone could do it.
it shows modern dressage training for competitions for what they are, very often not very good.
 
Classical riding is the correct training and riding of the horse and isn't just a Spanish tradition. Some of the best trainers come from the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art - who can forget Nuno Oliveira! There is also the Cadre Noir at Saumur in France - an old director of that establishment, Philippe Karl, is probably one of the better known riders and trainers at the moment.

But not all who use the 'classical' lable are able to teach the correct seat, etc; Be careful it's not just another bos-standard teacher looking for new clients and who have labled themselves clasical.
 
another fan of classical riding here, introduced to it when I was 18, had to forget everything I thought I knew and relearn like a beginner.. love it!! so refreshing after normal dressage instruction, have learnt so much :)
 
"Classical" riding should be the only way horses are trained. It is not just about the position of the rider and the bio mechanics of the horse but also about the riders attitude towards the horse. The importance of tact, respect and patience which is sadly lacking in todays approach to horsemanship.

I found a fantastic trainer when i lived in France, i would love train again with someone with his insight and skill.

Out of interest OP who is the trainer you have found?
 
Peter Maddison-Greenwell teaches classical and hopefully we are going to have him run a clinic at our yard soon!!!! very excited. :-)
I had the same problem trying to find somone in my area, i know he does allot of clinics around the country, give him a call im sure he'd be more then happy to help, nice guy :-)
Would love to see pics of new horsey :-)
 
Thanks guys do, all your comments. With so many riders seeing the results classical brings, it makes you wonder why more aren't doing it! The trainer I have on hold is Peter madisson greenwell. As already mentioned by others, he is an exceptional trainer and although if really wants to train us more regularly the distance I, a problem so a clinic is the only way to get him over to my neck of the woods!
 
I suppose because people think it is old fashioned!

However, the modern way of teaching (and also modern dressage) should be consigned to the history books as much of it is still based on Baucher's methods. Some like it and some don't as with all things... however when you read about his methods you do wonder why any animal loving brit would follow that - but then if you are taught that way then that's all you know. It's what we see in competitions today even with the overbending and the stiff backs and hind legs. BUt it does produce a horse very quickly so no wonder really - time is money!

Before chancing upon a classical trainer myself 6 years ago, I would have carried on in my usual way, riding stiff horse after stiff horse... me making them stiff obviously, not because the horse was naturally that way!
 
classicalfan said:
Classical riding is the correct training and riding of the horse and isn't just a Spanish tradition. Some of the best trainers come from the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art - who can forget Nuno Oliveira! There is also the Cadre Noir at Saumur in France - an old director of that establishment, Philippe Karl, is probably one of the better known riders and trainers at the moment.

But not all who use the 'classical' lable are able to teach the correct seat, etc; Be careful it's not just another bos-standard teacher looking for new clients and who have labled themselves clasical.
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Elizabeth's old trainer used to train with Joao Trigueiros in Portugal . And now works with the French trainer George Dewez. She has a riding centre but it is up here in Cumbria. It is good though. She also has a PRE stallion available to ride in lessons.
Here is the website if you are interested in a holiday up in the Lakes
http://www.biglandhall.com/horseridinglessons.php

Hope that helps.
FDC
 
I do suspect that Classical teaching and good "modern" dressage teaching is more similar than many people suggest. If you look at any of FrodoBeutlin's posts on HHO you'll see that in Germany being behind-the-vertical is very harshly penalised. IMHO, the issue is more with the UK view of what an "outline" or "on-the-bit" means rather than difference between Modern and Classical dressage.

I have lessons with a Polish-trained instructor in the UK (both on my PRE and on other horses) who follows the German scales of training and is very focused on ensuring your position is good and that you are using your seat correctly before you do anything else.

I also have lessons in Spain with Antonio Corales, who trained at the Royal School of Equestrian Arts in Jerez (if you look up Corales and Doma Vaquera on YouTube, you can see Antonio's brother, who was Doma Vaquera champion on a horse that Antonio trained). Antonio yells at me for the exact same things as my Polish instructor and expects very similar way of riding, except he prefers toes-down to heels-down but he's got used to me ignoring him on that point now ;)

Apologies that this goes off-topic a little, but I do quite strongly feel that good riding = good riding and ultimately the schools differ little if they are taught correctly. I do plan to have a lesson with Diane Followell however as she comes to my yard and I'm keen to see if UK classical instructors are really any different (plus I've heard great general feedback on her!).
 
Ooh yes, I would definitely be interested! (Finances allowing!). I have a little PRE x pony and would love to see what I can achieve with him. I am fascinated by garrocha and doma vaquera etc. I've just started riding with Jo Newman who trained in Spain and she has already helped me massively, but I have a long way to go! I am Beds/Cambs border.
 
Im a little far away from you too, as down in Kent, but have both Peter Maddison Greenwell and Marcia Wakeman come to a local stud for clinics regulary. Both of them have wonderful reputations and travel all over for clinics.

http://www.marciawakeman.co.uk
 
Another vote for Peter Maddison-Greenwell and he also teaches garrocha. I was really turned off by the thought of classical because I thought it was elitist but I saw PMG in action and changed my mind.
 
j1ffy said:
I do suspect that Classical teaching and good "modern" dressage teaching is more similar than many people suggest. If you look at any of FrodoBeutlin's posts on HHO you'll see that in Germany being behind-the-vertical is very harshly penalised. IMHO, the issue is more with the UK view of what an "outline" or "on-the-bit" means rather than difference between Modern and Classical dressage.

I have lessons with a Polish-trained instructor in the UK (both on my PRE and on other horses) who follows the German scales of training and is very focused on ensuring your position is good and that you are using your seat correctly before you do anything else.

I also have lessons in Spain with Antonio Corales, who trained at the Royal School of Equestrian Arts in Jerez (if you look up Corales and Doma Vaquera on YouTube, you can see Antonio's brother, who was Doma Vaquera champion on a horse that Antonio trained). Antonio yells at me for the exact same things as my Polish instructor and expects very similar way of riding, except he prefers toes-down to heels-down but he's got used to me ignoring him on that point now ;)

Apologies that this goes off-topic a little, but I do quite strongly feel that good riding = good riding and ultimately the schools differ little if they are taught correctly. I do plan to have a lesson with Diane Followell however as she comes to my yard and I'm keen to see if UK classical instructors are really any different (plus I've heard great general feedback on her!).
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Well said Jiffy, completely agree. I have been taught for many years under German Trainers luckily. My German trainer won't even let you out of walk until your competant enough to ride from the seat position is everything.

As for OP question, i can highly recommend Simon Battram he is very good.
 
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