Ralph Lauren Magazine
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Riders, each of whom trained for as
long as 12 years to appear in the ring,
form a line with their famous
white Lipizzan stallions
The
inspiration for Ralph Lauren’s Holiday 2013 Blue Label collection,
Vienna’s centuries-old riding school keeps a grand equestrian tradition
alive
performance at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna is a sight to
behold. White horses prance in unison, and the riders’ uniforms, the
décor and the music recall the grand Austrian Empire, when no expense
was spared in the name of splendor. The renowned school, which practices
the art of classical horsemanship, or dressage, attracts more than
300,000 visitors annually. Its roots date back to the 1500s, when the
Austrian monarchy founded a riding school for members of the royal
family and aristocrats. Located on expansive grounds that feature
baroque and Renaissance architecture, the school derives its name from a
noble breed of horse sent over from the Iberian Peninsula in the 16th
century that serves as the genetic base for its world-famous white
Lipizzan stallions.
The version of the Spanish Riding School that
exists today, however, had its beginnings in the Congress of Vienna,
which took place from 1814 to 1815 and brought myriad international
guests to the city who reveled in the school’s programs. Since then, the
riding school has become the most distinguished center for the haute
école, or high school, of classical horsemanship and draws Europe’s most
talented riders because it offers the highest level of training in the
world. Today, the school celebrates the art of dressage with more than
70 performances each year and regular visits to other cities. It also
served as an inspiration for the Holiday 2013 Blue Label collection,
which is designed with military- and equestrian-inspired accents and
features a strong palette of black and red perfect for the festive
season.
RL Magazine sat down with Elisabeth
Gürtler, managing director of the Spanish Riding School, to talk about
the institution’s rich heritage, horses and hopes for the future.
Riders and stallions walk between two Austrian flags
RL Magazine: The Spanish Riding School has
been operating for more than 400 years and is the world’s most renowned
institution for classical equitation. Have there been any major changes
in the way that you practice horsemanship?
Elisabeth Gürtler: Well, the way we practice classical horsemanship hasn’t really changed and even dates back [centuries]. We take a lot of pride in the fact that we maintain our founders’ traditions, especially in how we train our horses. There have been, however, significant innovations in our performances because of new technology—they look a lot different than they did 400 years ago! For example, we use top-notch lighting and sound systems, which of course didn’t exist back in the 16th century.
Elisabeth Gürtler: Well, the way we practice classical horsemanship hasn’t really changed and even dates back [centuries]. We take a lot of pride in the fact that we maintain our founders’ traditions, especially in how we train our horses. There have been, however, significant innovations in our performances because of new technology—they look a lot different than they did 400 years ago! For example, we use top-notch lighting and sound systems, which of course didn’t exist back in the 16th century.
The school specializes in a type of
equitation known as dressage. What are the differences between dressage
and other forms of horse training?
The main difference is that dressage represents a perfect harmony between the rider and horse and is the highest level of training a horse can attain. With dressage, the horse must be completely relaxed and in tune with the rider. In other equestrian styles, horses often have a lot of tension.
The main difference is that dressage represents a perfect harmony between the rider and horse and is the highest level of training a horse can attain. With dressage, the horse must be completely relaxed and in tune with the rider. In other equestrian styles, horses often have a lot of tension.
What is the Spanish Riding School’s role in Austria’s cultural heritage?
I would describe it more as Viennese cultural heritage. The riding school has its origins in the Austrian Empire, when a lot of importance was placed on royalty and aristocracy. The school played a huge role in Viennese society, because only aristocrats were admitted. The Habsburg family is very significant in Viennese history, and the school’s Lipizzan horses are also called Habsburg horses.
I would describe it more as Viennese cultural heritage. The riding school has its origins in the Austrian Empire, when a lot of importance was placed on royalty and aristocracy. The school played a huge role in Viennese society, because only aristocrats were admitted. The Habsburg family is very significant in Viennese history, and the school’s Lipizzan horses are also called Habsburg horses.
The levade is a maneuver that involves the horse balancing on its hindquarters
Your school exclusively uses Lipizzan horses,
which were bred from Spanish, Arabian and Berber horses. Why are
Lipizzans ideal for dressage? What makes them unique?
While there are other breeds that are suited to dressage, Lipizzans have special abilities that make them ideal. They are extremely clever and intelligent and have very good health. Also, their muscularity—especially their strong hindquarters—makes it easier for them to show certain exercises, such as the piaffe and passage, which are stationary and moving trots, as well as impressive movements, including the levade, or balancing on the hindquarters, the courbette, jumping while balancing on the hindquarters, and the capriole, a stationary jump in the air while kicking out the back legs.
While there are other breeds that are suited to dressage, Lipizzans have special abilities that make them ideal. They are extremely clever and intelligent and have very good health. Also, their muscularity—especially their strong hindquarters—makes it easier for them to show certain exercises, such as the piaffe and passage, which are stationary and moving trots, as well as impressive movements, including the levade, or balancing on the hindquarters, the courbette, jumping while balancing on the hindquarters, and the capriole, a stationary jump in the air while kicking out the back legs.
Describe the process and time it takes to fully train a horse at the Spanish Riding School.
We start training when they are 4 years old, which is a little later than usual. For six days a week, they work with the same trainer doing exercises, and it takes six to eight years for a stallion to be fully trained.
We start training when they are 4 years old, which is a little later than usual. For six days a week, they work with the same trainer doing exercises, and it takes six to eight years for a stallion to be fully trained.
How does the school select its world-famous riders? How long does a rider have to train before he or she is able to perform?
First, we preselect apprentices, who might not be accepted as riders at the end of their apprenticeship, which lasts three years. We always look for riders who have a good feeling for what is really going on with the horse. If an apprentice becomes an assistant rider, it takes around eight more years before [he or she] can become a full rider. Assistant riders work with a young horse and educate and train it so that it can be presented in a performance one day. They really have to have a lot of patience and enthusiasm, because the entire process takes around 12 years to complete.
First, we preselect apprentices, who might not be accepted as riders at the end of their apprenticeship, which lasts three years. We always look for riders who have a good feeling for what is really going on with the horse. If an apprentice becomes an assistant rider, it takes around eight more years before [he or she] can become a full rider. Assistant riders work with a young horse and educate and train it so that it can be presented in a performance one day. They really have to have a lot of patience and enthusiasm, because the entire process takes around 12 years to complete.
“Dressage represents a perfect harmony between the
rider and horse and is the highest level of training a horse can attain.
With dressage, the horse must be completely relaxed and in tune with
the rider.”
The riding school’s performances are known as
white ballets, and each one features several components, like a pas de
deux and multiple horses and riders moving in synchronized formation. Do
you have a favorite part of the show?
I really love the solos, when one rider performs with one horse. They show how a horse can move with absolute perfection. The second aspect I enjoy is when a rider works on the long rein and walks behind a horse while it performs. You can only do this kind of thing with an extremely well-trained, attentive and good-tempered horse.
I really love the solos, when one rider performs with one horse. They show how a horse can move with absolute perfection. The second aspect I enjoy is when a rider works on the long rein and walks behind a horse while it performs. You can only do this kind of thing with an extremely well-trained, attentive and good-tempered horse.
A stallion performs the capriole, a stationary jump in the air while it kicks out its back legs
Describe the music and dress chosen for the Spanish Riding School’s ballets.
The music is all classical Viennese music—Mozart, Strauss, et cetera. The riders’ uniforms originate from traditional European military uniform designs, complete with gold buttons, tails, buckskin pants and very high boots. The uniform really hasn’t changed much since the school was founded [more than 400] years ago, but the current uniform specifically dates back to 1814.
The music is all classical Viennese music—Mozart, Strauss, et cetera. The riders’ uniforms originate from traditional European military uniform designs, complete with gold buttons, tails, buckskin pants and very high boots. The uniform really hasn’t changed much since the school was founded [more than 400] years ago, but the current uniform specifically dates back to 1814.
What challenges are facing classical equitation today?
The world of competitions has brought about a lot of negative changes. Because of the hypercompetitive nature of dressage, horses display a lot of tension when they perform, which they shouldn’t. Many people buy expensive horses and begin to train them too young and too hard. Then they quit performing at 15 or 16 years of age, which is quite young when you take into consideration that our horses retire at 25 or 26.
The world of competitions has brought about a lot of negative changes. Because of the hypercompetitive nature of dressage, horses display a lot of tension when they perform, which they shouldn’t. Many people buy expensive horses and begin to train them too young and too hard. Then they quit performing at 15 or 16 years of age, which is quite young when you take into consideration that our horses retire at 25 or 26.
Do you have any special projects planned for the future?
We will still have regular performances in Vienna and tour around the world, but we’d like to begin traveling to several Arabian countries and Russia. And while our main purpose is classical equitation, we are now also focusing more on events on our beautiful grounds. We began our famous Fête Impériale in 2010 and hope to continue this tradition for many years to come. It’s a ball that takes place each summer, and everyone dresses up in evening gowns and tails, just like they did in the 17th and 18th centuries—it’s a true Viennese experience!
We will still have regular performances in Vienna and tour around the world, but we’d like to begin traveling to several Arabian countries and Russia. And while our main purpose is classical equitation, we are now also focusing more on events on our beautiful grounds. We began our famous Fête Impériale in 2010 and hope to continue this tradition for many years to come. It’s a ball that takes place each summer, and everyone dresses up in evening gowns and tails, just like they did in the 17th and 18th centuries—it’s a true Viennese experience!
Learn more about the Spanish Riding School at www.srs.at.
Ich liebe Pferde und denke, das ist sehr cool.
ReplyDeleteThe focus is the unique, extraordinary training ability of the Lipizzaner horse, its background from Xenophon in the 4th century, four centuries of pedgree, Imperial Horse of the Habsburg Empire and Royal Horse of Europe.
ReplyDeleteLipizzaner horse classical training