What kind of riding?

Our teaching is founded on the engagement of the horse, a physiological phenomenon that can apply to all horses in all spheres and should be the basis of all riding. It protects the horse, giving the strength and suppleness to carry the rider comfortably, and it protects the rider because it creates the unity that puts the horse under full control. It gives rise to a whole realm of wonderful sensations between horse and rider, and is the means for the athletic development of the horse's movement giving it beauty and expression. Engagement is not an additional quality aquired by advanced dressage horses - it should be present to a greater or lesser degree at all levels of the horse's training.

Engagement on the 'ring': the synchronised action of groups of muscles throughout the horse which brings about the longitudinal stretching of the entire spine; the lifting of the abdominals and back; tucking of the pelvis bringing the hindlegs further underneath the body, and the arching of the neck. The horse feels to the rider like it 'locks-on' to this postural ring, and the locomotive muscles can then relax rythmically, giving suppleness and expression to the movement.The whole horse lifts underneath the rider, giving a feeling of weightlessness and the disparition of the forces that the horse normally exerts on the rider.

To achieve engagement, the rider first needs to aquire postural strength, begin to develop flexibility in the right joints, and most importantly lose the reliance on the reins for balance and control. Then an understanding of aligning (straightening and bending) the horse can be achieved, along with the skills required in the seat to modify the horse's equilibrium.

When riding is broken down in this way into its essential elements and then built back up into an effective whole, it loses the mystification and misunderstanding that often makes trying to improve one's riding frustrating or boring.

Whether you are inspired by competitive or Classical dressage, or simply want to improve your riding in general, for us it comes down to the same principles. The gymnastic harmony that can be achieved between horse and rider through good riding is an amazing phenomenon no matter what the context, and our aim is to impart this through teaching that is sympathetic to both horse and rider. Many of our clients have found the unity with the horse that they discover with us to be a profound experience. For us this is what riding is about.

We offer the option of either one or two lessons a day. All lessons are individual and geared to your individual requirements, with the focus on progressing with each lesson throughout your stay.

In case that may be what you're looking for, we are not offering the kind of holiday based on sitting on schoolmasters performing advanced movements. Our goal is that you go home with a whole new understanding of riding that you can apply it to your own horse(s)…having had a great holiday too!

Some suggestions

Insurance

We recommend that you have your own travel insurance if this is a concern for you. The safety of the rider is always our utmost concern, but nothing is ever guaranteed with horses!

Clothing

If you prefer to wear a hat, ideally bring your own that you are used to and is the right fit. We do have a small selection if this is not possible.

We recommend that you bring a lightweight waterproof jacket for riding. The weather in Gascony can be somewhat unpredictable in Spring and Autumn, however it is usually possible to fit lessons into a dry spell.

We also strongly recommend that you bring sunglasses suitable to wear for riding - the sun can be very bright and could spoil the enjoyment of your ride.