What is classical dressage? The Spanish Riding School is a four hundred year old traditional horse training institution that develops Lippizan horses and their riders up to the Grand Prix Level. It is located in Vienna, Austria and is one of the last places in the world where the development of horses still follows a centuries old training system. I believe all succesful horse trainers share their commitment to the principles of balance, harmony and lightness. The SRS will always be an example of horse training with patience and compassion.
In my mind, modern dressage is the competitive form of riding, topped off with the Grand Prix Musical Freestyle. Dressage began becoming popular after its addition in the Olympic Games in 1912. When women were allowed to compete in 1952, the rush was on and the development of a modern horse really took off. We now have lighter, more refined horses as a result of changes made by the European breeding registeries and private breeders. The show horses of today are incredibly agile and elegant.
