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The Spanish Riding School: A Rider’s Look Inside Europe’s Oldest Classical Academy
For over 450 years, the Spanish Riding School has been a centre for cultivating classical riding from within the baroque walls of the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. Once at the seat of the Holy Roman Empire, the School began in the 16th century, and continues today with dressage performances all around the world with its riders and their famous white Lipizzaner stallions. As the oldest and perhaps most well-known of the four classical riding academies in Europe (the others…
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The Portuguese School of Equestrian Art: Classical Foundations for Modern Riding
As one of the four great classical riding academies in the world, the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art aims to preserve and pass on the classical riding principles of the 18th century, that were refined and practiced in Portugal’s royal court. These principles, developed across European courts during the baroque era, have laid much of the foundations of riding today. And, while the School focuses on preserving and performing 18th century court riding, many of its riders have also gone…
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The Library of Equestrian Art: A Unique Classical Compendium
Just west of Lisbon, inside the Palace of Queluz, lies a hidden gem for riders dedicated to the art of equitation. Amongst the ornate baroque rooms and expansive French gardens of the Queluz Palace, lies an unexpected surprise: The Library of Equestrian Art. Unique in the world, this library is dedicated solely to equestrian books and art, and holds about 2,000 books and pieces of artwork created over the past 500 years. Best of all, it is completely open to…
