The world famous white stallions of The Spanish Riding School of Vienna, are set to return to Britain this week for a two-centre tour sponsored by Horse & Hound.
The tour will visit two venues – Birmingham NEC and Wembley Arena – and will also feature the Band of the Blues and Royals, the Drum Horse and State Trumpeters from the Household Cavalry.
The dates are:
The great tradition of classical riding and the extravagant “airs above the ground” which date back to 1572 will once again be demonstrated by the Lipizzaner stallions and their trainer-riders in quadrilles, pas seul, pas de deux and work on long reins. The highlights of the programme, under the artistic direction of First Chief Rider Arthur Kottas-Heldenberg, includes:
The Band of the Blues and Royals with the Drum Horse and Mounted Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry welcome the Lipizzaners.
HORSES AND RIDERS
Steps and movements of the classical school
Introducing those horses which have been trained in the principles of classical horsemanship. The rider and the horse execute the most difficult movements with apparent ease and effortlessness. These exercises are required of dressage riders in the most demanding international competitions.
HORSES AND RIDERS
Pas de Deux
A performance by highly trained horses in perfect lines and figures to the strict rhythm of the music
HORSES AND RIDERS
ON THE SHORT REIN IN HAND
These exercises prepare the stallion for the “Schools above the Ground” and also teach the piaffe (a trot on the spot with the haunches deeply bent).
When this movement is mastered it is performed between the pillars. The exercises on the short hand rein enable the trainer to decide for which of the movements of the “Schools above the Ground” each stallion is best suited.
HORSES AND RIDERS
ON THE LONG REIN
A challenge to which only the best trained stallioncan respond. Controlled only by the long reins and the touch of a light switch, the riderless horse executes all the dressage steps and movements of the haute ecole.
HORSE AND RIDER
SCHOOLS ABOVE THE GROUND
Only the most gifted stallions, with great physical strength and an unusually high intelligence, can perform these movements which are based on natural behaviour.
HORSES AND RIDERS
THE MOVEMENTS
LEVADE – Squatting deep on its haunches, the stallion slowly lifts his forefeet off the ground and maintains this position in perfect balance
COURBETTE – One of the most difficult of the “Schools above the Ground”. The horse raises itself as in the Levade, and then takes several leaps forwards on its hind legs, while maintaining its upright position.
CAPRIOLE – The horse leaps with all four feet off the ground and, at the height of its leap and with its body horizontal in the air, kicks out with its hind legs.
SCHOOL QUADRILLE
The Ballet of the White Stallions, which recalls the baroque splendours of Imperial court celebrations in Vienna’s Hofburg. This demands the utmost concentration form horse and rider, to be able to perform the intricately choreographed figures with such precision and apparently playful ease.
HORSES AND RIDERS
For more information visit www.spanishridingschool.com
Tickets for the shows are priced between £15-£55 (subject to booking fee) and are available from NEC (tel:0870 010 0616), Wembley Arena (tel: 0870 736 6969, Ticketmaster (tel: 0870 077 2001), First Call (tel: 0870 906 3714).
