A petition calling for major changes to the management of the Spanish Riding School Vienna has received almost 12,000 signatures – as concerns are raised about the school’s future.

The petition, started by classical trainer Alfons J Dietz, who was based at the Spanish Riding School as a rider for eight years, follows the departure of chief rider Andreas Hausberger, who was reportedly dismissed last month after 40 years with the school. This departure comes three months after Alfred Hudler was appointed the school’s managing director.

The petition calls to “stop the destruction of the school” and states “if we don’t act now, we will lose this cultural heritage item for ever”. The petition asks for an “expert leader deeply rooted in classical horsemanship” to be appointed, for the Spanish Riding School to come under the Austrian ministry of culture – instead of the ministry of agriculture as is currently the case – and for the return of retired chief riders.

Mr Dietz told H&H the Spanish Riding School is the “temple of classical dressage” and said it “pains him” to see the future of the school under threat. Mr Dietz is concerned about the management of the school; believing it should be managed differently.

“I see the mission of the school in danger. According to the law of the riding school and the directives, it is the responsibility of the Spanish Riding School to preserve the classical art of riding,” he said.

“The aim of the petition is to give the riders the opportunity to implement what has been mentioned.”

In 2015 the Spanish Riding School joined the UNESCO representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity, which recognises “knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts”, for the school’s classical art of riding.

The school and its stud farm received a second listing in 2022 – for the knowledge concerning the breeding of Lipizzaners – making it the only institution worldwide to be represented on the list twice with two separate cultural elements.

Mr Dietz said the reason the school would be better coming under the ministry of arts and culture is “obvious”.

“It is about horsemanship, an expression of human culture. It was not for nothing that the Spanish Riding School was included in the UNESCO list. The riding school cannot be run like a normal farm with a focus on profit,” he said, adding that he believes the school should be managed similarly to a museum or the Vienna State Opera House for example, which receives funding from the Austrian government.

“In my opinion, the riding school is much more in line with the ministry of arts and culture than the ministry of agriculture.”

Mr Dietz added that he believes there are still riders at the Spanish Riding School who are “committed to the classical way”.

“I am aware that it is difficult to stand against the people who make things difficult. Nevertheless, I urge these riders to stand by their classical path,” he said.

“We can only reach the goal through the riders at the riding school, from the outside we can only support them. Everyone has to show backbone to reach the goal and maintain the Spanish Riding School.”

A spokesman for the Spanish Riding School told H&H the school cannot comment on Mr Hausberger, but with regard to the petition, he said the school is “always open to constructive and soundly based criticism from experts and employees of the Spanish Riding School”.

“Our riders have taken note of the current discussion, their focus however remains the same: passion and love for the horse, the maintenance and cultivation of classical horsemanship and passing down knowledge to the younger, upcoming generation,” he said.

The spokesman added that the knowledge surrounding classical horsemanship and the school are “paramount in all decision-making processes”.

“The Spanish Riding School assures the continuation and maintenance of its world heritage. There are highly qualified and experienced chief riders that remain and ensure the transfer of knowledge and the quality of performances,” he said.

“Through its uncompromising commitment to classical horsemanship the SRS provides the best possible education for its horses and riders. The horses’ education is being assessed by external experts at least once a year.”

On the petition’s calls for the Spanish Riding School to fall under the ministry of arts and culture instead of the ministry of agriculture, a spokesman for the ministry of agriculture told H&H that it was “unclear” of the petition’s aim.

“The ministry of agriculture, forestry, regions and water management holds a lot of expertise in the area of agriculture but also with regards to horses,” said the spokesman.

“We would like to remind that the Piber Lipizzaner Stud is an integral part of the Spanish Riding School and the breeding and agricultural components thereof play an essential role.”

A spokesman for the ministry for arts and culture told H&H that “as far as the ministry is concerned there are no plans to move the Spanish Riding School” from the ministry of agriculture.

This is not the first time concerns have been raised about the Spanish Riding School. In 2021 the Austrian Court of Audit (ACA) carried out an audit to assess the school’s economic value, its impact on tourism, the governance, and the legal provisions on animal protection. The audit period was from 2014 to 2019 – and the auditors also took into account “developments” in 2020 such as the implications of the coronavirus pandemic. ACA published its report in October 2021, in which it criticised how the stallions were kept. It stated that from the available records, auditors “could not verify” whether the horses, who are kept in stables in the centre of Vienna, were given the opportunity to move at least once a day either in training or on a horse walker.

“The auditors furthermore note that due to economic pressure the stallions were put into service at a frequency that was detrimental to the horses’ health. Moreover, stallions were used for performances whose physical constitution did not allow for such use. The ACA therefore recommends to improve the husbandry conditions for the stallions in Vienna,” read a summary of the report.

The ACA also said that the Spanish Riding School had faced “financial problems” since 2001, “hence long before the pandemic” – and the report notes the school’s economic existence was “even at risk in 2014”.

Since 2009 the ministry of agriculture has granted the school an annual breeding subsidy, but ACA said this cannot provide medium-term planning security as the money relates to one year only. The ACA recommended that the ministry of agriculture substitute the annual allowance to form a multi-annual basic compensation, similar to that already in place for other cultural institutes such as museums and state theatres.

H&H asked the Spanish Riding School if it had carried out any of the ACA recommendations. The spokesman told H&H that the Republic of Austria, which owns the school, had chosen Alfred Hudler as its new managing director.

“His entrepreneurial vision and leadership experience were deciding factors in order to guide the Spanish Riding School into a promising future,” said the spokesman, adding that the ACA report covers up until 2019, and 2020 which was heavily influenced by the pandemic, and this was before Mr Hudler was in position.

“With his excellent team he aims to deliver the utmost quality while always maintaining the horses’ wellbeing as the highest priority.”

The spokesman said that the school employs an in-house vet, as well as “outside experts who take the best care of the well-being” of the school’s stallions.

“Of course only stallions that meet the strict health criteria present their skills in our performances,” he said, adding that the number of performances have been reduced over the years. There are 90 performances planned for 2023.

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Most people have a “bucket list” of things they would like to experience at some point in life – and equestrians are likely to have a “horse bucket list”. Here’s Horse & Hound’s list of suggestions that we think you should consider including – some will be relatively easy to tick off, while others will take a bit of saving up to do. But all of them will be totally worth it when you get there – and even better if you can capture it on one of the best riding hat cameras!

Horse bucket list suggestions to consider

1) Gallop in the sea

Splashing in the surf, galloping along the sand – or even full-on swimming in the sea. Training on the beach was the making of Red Rum, and it’s a treat for any rider and horse.

If you have a horse you can take, here’s what you need to know before you go for a beach ride. If you don’t have a horse you can take, check out these horse experience days to see if there’s a beach riding venue near you.

2) Ride among giraffes in Africa

An African safari is the rider’s equivalent of swimming with dolphins. The Okavango Delta in Botswana is a wilderness paradise of lagoons, islands and forests with the best game viewing in Southern Africa. Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia and South Africa also offer great riding experiences. Here are some tips to help you choose the right safari for you.

3) Ride out for a racehorse trainer

Wangle an introduction and convince the trainer that, perched atop half a ton of galloping horse, you’ll be able to restrain its power. Be prepared for cold, early mornings – but nothing beats the feeling of having galloped three thoroughbreds by breakfast.

If you don’t fancy riding yourself, why not book a behind-the-scenes tour in Newmarket?

4) Fall off in a water jump

Perhaps not top of your list of priorities, but a rite of passage. Tackle them often enough and it will happen. Just try to ensure a photographer is there to capture the moment.

5) Ride side-saddle

Side-saddle riding has gained new interest since period dramas such as Downton Abbey. It’s elegant, skilled and – once the initial awkwardness is overcome – some riders believe it’s more comfortable than astride. Read this tips on how to ride side-saddle before you give it a go.

6) Jump a 5ft fence

Take your pick and pump up some pluck: a Chase-me-Charlie pole, a hedge out hunting or an Irish wall.

7) Go hunting in Ireland

Not for the faint-hearted – but if double banks, cavernous ditches and a totally gung-ho attitude is up your street, there are plenty of ways to fulfil your dream of hunting on the Emerald Isle. If you’re adding this to your horse bucket list, make sure you book an experienced hireling who will know the lie of the land, fill up your hip flask with some Dutch courage, and find out what people say about hunting in Ireland.

8) Drive a horse

In honour of the late Duke of Edinburgh, who took up driving after retiring from polo, this is one sport every horseman should try. The British Driving Society has a list of contacts for all qualified instructors in all areas of the UK, including those catering for the disabled. We’ve also found a few and rounded them up in our guide to horse experience days.

9) Do tempi changes

One to tick off as and when you are ready rather than pushing for something outside your skill level. But if you are not yet up to training your horse to do them yourself, then you can book in a lesson with a dressage schoolmaster at various training centres around the country, although you will need to prove a certain level of riding ability.

10) Have riding boots made to measure

Although they don’t come cheap, nothing feels as good as slipping on a pair of made-to-measure riding boots. No rubbing, no awkward baggy gaps, and the feel of perfect unison with your horse. Here’s a selection of the best long leather riding boots, some of which are available in made-to-measure sizes.

11) Back a horse or pony

Not for the inexperienced horseman, but everyone who backed a horse has had a first time – just make sure you have someone experienced on hand to help and guide you. The joy of backing your own horse, developing mutual trust and going on to compete is immeasurable and definitely one for the horse bucket list.

12) Have a spin round the Golden Button

If you’re an equestrian adrenaline junkie then look no further than the three-mile race over Ledbury hunt country held in February. Anyone can enter – there’s just 22 natural obstacles between you and the finish line.

13) Lead a winner into the paddock

If you can’t afford the Tattersalls Sales, you could join a syndicate. Most racing stables run syndicates with an enormous variation in

numbers of owners and costs, or there are also racing clubs where you can pay an all-in fee. For instance Elite Racing Club has membership for £17 per month. You may not end up leading in a winner, but you’ll be able to visit the horse training and at the races and be privy to some special owner perks.

14) Be a stunt rider in a movie

“Real” stunt riders need a minimum of six skills (fighting, falling, riding/driving, agility/ strength, water, and miscellaneous – any

skill performed to elite standard). However, many riders have been in the right place at the right time and called up to film a riding scene because they look the part and know how to look authentic on a horse.

15) Ride at sunrise in Hyde Park

The Household Cavalry has a small pool of civilian riders who help exercise their horses, but a serving soldier needs to nominate you

to be added to the waiting list. Alternatively, there are a couple of riding stables on the edge of the park: Ross Nye and Hyde Park Stables, where you can pay for the pleasure. There is also a Civil Service Riding Club for those eligible, which uses Hyde Park.

16) Ride up the centre line at Horse of the Year Show

For showing riders, this is the pinnacle. Ride up the centre line in that hushed arena and you know you’ve made it.

17) Play polo

The feeling of (finally) being able to canter after that white ball and whack it is intensely satisfying, never mind the exhilaration of a ride-off. Check out some venues that offer polo lessons in this collection of horse experience days if you’re adding this to your horse bucket list.

18) Hear the roar at the start of Cheltenham

When the first race of the Cheltenham Festival begins, the crowd’s roar is enough to make your blood sizzle. There were no crowds last year, but hopes are high that this year we will again hear the roar as the tapes are raised for the Supreme Novices on 15 March. Find out more and buy tickets at thejockeyclub.co.uk

19) See a horse being sold for a million

For astronomical prices, head to Newmarket or Kentucky. Records of some kind are smashed year by year, and the buzz of the sales ring is spellbinding.

20) Volunteer at a show

If you phone up any event organiser, chances are they’ll take your hand off. Surprisingly rewarding and for hardcore volunteers, the route to championships around the world. Here are five ways to volunteer in the horse world.

21) Ride at Badminton

An advanced eventer with five-star potential is going to cost you an arm and a leg, and then you’ve got to be able to ride it. However, the Voltaire Design Badminton Grassroots Championships brings together winners from BE90 and BE100 regional qualifiers from around

the country to contest for the championship. This year, Badminton takes place from 3–8 May – find out how to get tickets here. Failing that, or if you fancy the thrill of the chase, take a day out with the Beaufort hunt. You never know where the trail might lead you…

22) Watch the Grand National live

If you’ve never ventured up to Aintree, this is a must. This season, the Randox Grand National Festival takes place from 7–9 April, with the great race on Saturday, 9 April. Get more info at tickets at thejockeyclub.co.uk

23) Watch the Spanish Riding School

Under glittering chandeliers, the famous white Lipizzaner stallions perform the purest form of dressage in Vienna.

24) Get your photo in H&H

Either beat one of our Olympians, or be at the top of your level and send a completely brilliant photo to wow the picture editor.

25) Spend a day at the Calgary Stampede

“The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”, as it is billed, brings out the cowboy in everyone. Top-level rodeo riding, barrel racing and more. It takes place in Calgary each July (8–17 July 2022).

26) See a foal being born

Offer to do the last week of nightly vigil for a friend’s in-foal mare. Or, if you’re extremely lucky on a National Stud tour, you might see a live birth during the foaling season, but probably via a video link. A tour of the National Stud is part of this behind-the-scenes day at Newmarket.

27) Ride in a charity race

A number of charities, such as the British Horse Society (BHS), hold special races on allocated days, usually a one-mile Flat race. Riders usually have to source their own racehorse, raise a set amount of money and physically it’s no walk in the park, with riders facing a gruelling assessment and fitness test. Horse & Hound’s Gemma Redrup gave it a go in 2018 and blogged about the experience.

28) Watch the action on the frozen lake at St Moritz

With freezing temperatures and 1,800m above sea level, the Swiss venue of St Moritz is a dazzling setting for elite polo teams, racing and skijoring. White Turf runs on three Saturdays in February, featuring international horse racing, while the Snow Polo World Cup will take place on the lake 28–30 January. Horse & Hound went behind the scenes at St Moritz to check it out.

29) Herd cattle across the plains of Montana

Unless you have a long-lost cowboy uncle, you’ll need to join a trip or work on a ranch. It’s not a cheap riding holiday, but it’s an unmissable experience.

30) Ride a bucking bronco

Either head to the Wild West for the real thing (madness), or hire one for a party.

31) Try reining

Fancy embracing your inner cowboy/girl? Then why not give reining a go – from spins to sliding-stops, reining could offer you a completely new equestrian experience.

32) Give vaulting a go

If you’ve got a pair of leggings and some pumps to wear, you can try your hand at vaulting. You don’t need your own horse and new vaulters are welcomed into the fold. For more information visit the British Equestrian Vaulting website or book yourself onto a vaulting and trick riding session.

33) Ride a heavy horse

Are you a thoroughbred snob? The rolling gait of a heavy horse gives a completely different feel in the saddle. Cumbrian Heavy Horses is the world’s only BHS-approved heavy horse riding centre and offers a range of riding on fields, fells and beaches in the Lake District National Park aboard magnificent Clydesdale, Shire, Suffolk, Comtois and Ardennes heavy horses.

34) Compete in the Mongol Derby

The longest and toughest horse race in the world – over 1,000km of Mongolian Steppe, on semi-wild horses, changing steeds every 40km. You navigate and survive on your wits and skill, living among the herders. It’s you and your horse vs the wild. Here’s eight things you need to know before you start planning your trip.

35) Enjoy the thrill of a team chase

The exhilarating sensation of galloping across the country, over whatever fences block your path, with a group of mates. No one takes themselves too seriously and it’s a lot of fun. Here are some tips on how to get started.

36) Jump bareback

If you want to have a go, the answer is to start small, build up and practise. Just remember, canter is more comfortable than trot! If you feel insecure riding with no saddle, start on the lunge so you can concentrate on your position rather than what the horse is doing. Here are some riders taking part in the Bareback Challenge at Bury Farm to give you some inspiration.

37) Ride an Icelandic in tölt

The small and compact Icelandic horses are famous for their fifth gait, the tölt. Book yourself up on a trip to Iceland to put it to the test – and if you time it right you could see the Northern Lights.

38) Have a go at horseball

Do you back yourself to be able to cling on for a fast-paced game of horseball? A number of riding schools offer lessons and clinics, and the British Horseball Association has a list of registered trainers who are available to come out to groups of riders who want to learn the sport.

39) Ride in the main ring at Hickstead

Hone your dressage, showing and showjumping skills and get out there and get winning.

40) Represent your country

Competition will be exceptionally hot for this year’s World Equestrian Games teams, but there are opportunities at lower levels, such as the CCI3*-S European Cup or the Home Internationals in dressage.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Sheila Layton MBE FABRS, the co-founder of Contessa Riding Centre in Hertfordshire, died on 9 November aged 87, following a period of ill health.

Mrs Layton was known for her love of quality horses, her dedication to Contessa and her work for the Association of British Riding Schools (ABRS).

She was born in 1933 in Wrecclesham, Surrey, where she lived until she met Ron. The couple married in 1954 and moved to Benghazi, Libya, with Ron’s army career, and there she developed a love of riding.

On returning to the UK three years later the couple lived in Kent and welcomed their daughter Tina in 1959. In 1968, the family moved to Hertfordshire, where they bought a home with land and Mrs Layton attended evening classes on stable management.

In 1970, during a family holiday in Devon, Mrs Layton “fell in love” with a 15.2hh part-bred Arab mare called Worthwhile. The family bought her, and two years later bought a pony, Rendezvous, for Tina, followed by a gelding, Dandy, for Ron.

Mrs Layton and Tina planned to start a business buying and selling horses, and bought an unhandled Welsh mountain pony, with the assistance of their friend Cliff Carrick. Tina told H&H Mrs Layton fell in love with the mare, named Contessa, and they decided to keep her to breed from.

“We then fell in love with the foal and ended up keeping her too. We realised the only way to make the business work was to make money from teaching so I took my instructor exams and Contessa was formed in 1977,” Tina said.

While Tina ran the teaching side of the business, Mrs Layton dealt with the administration and accounting. The riding school catered for riders from beginner to advanced level, and was known for its classical methods of teaching, welcoming visiting trainers including the former first chief rider at the Spanish Riding School, Arthur Kottas.

Mrs Layton and Tina also bred Arabs, which were used in the riding school. The mother and daughter enjoyed travelling to World Arabian Horse Organisation conferences around the world.

“The Arabs were super to teach with. My mother knew quality and she always wanted us to have the best horses we could get for the riding school,” said Tina.

Mrs Layton was a member of the executive team of the ABRS. She became chairman of the association’s inspections sub-committee, and Contessa became an examination centre for the ABRS advanced teaching diploma. In 2006 Mrs Layton was awarded fellowship of the association for her dedication and commitment to the organisation, and in 2010 was appointed MBE for her services to the equestrian industry.

Mrs Layton took great pride in Tina’s dressage career, watching her daughter represent Great Britain in the Stubbing Court CDI in 2000. The following year Tina and her partner Paul welcomed their son Zak, who followed his mother and grandmother into riding.

“My mother was very proud of him. She loved to watch him ride,” said Tina.

Tina said she and her mother had always been together and “a real partnership”, especially following Ron’s death in 2004.

“Later in life she slowed down her work for ABRS but she continued doing the administration for Contessa. She was so well organised and would do five-year plans,” she said.

“She loved her garden and planted woodland all around it. She also enjoyed playing bridge and table tennis and was very competitive in table tennis, but not to win – she was competitive with herself and had to play her best,” said Tina.

Continued below… 

Renowned riding school scaling down after 40 years

The riding school has made the ‘heartbreaking’ decision to close the main part of its operation as a result of finances

Following Mrs Layton’s death in November Tina said she had received many messages about her mother.

“People have said she was elegant, beautiful and charming. She was known as being formidable; she was tough but always fair,” she said.

“It’s been really nice reading some of the things people have said, and she was held in very good respect.”

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Spanish Riding School in Vienna will tour the UK next autumn, as the world’s oldest equestrian academy celebrates its 450th anniversary.

The institution will perform at six exclusive new shows in London and Birmingham, hosted by TV presenter and British Dressage ambassador Nicki Chapman in November.

The shows will feature the famous white Lipizzaner stallions performing their in-hand work and movements above the ground, such as the “capriole” — an upward leap with a kick — and the “courbette” — a neat rear with the horse hopping forward.

Host Nicki said that the Spanish Riding School tours are “rare and exceptional”.

“I’m lucky enough to have been involved in the UK tours and the experience will stay with me for the rest of my life,” she said.

“I’ve witnessed these graceful horses thrilling crowds with their astonishing combination of elegance and power. This is an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these most celebrated horses performing in the UK during their momentous 450th anniversary.”

The Spanish Riding School has double reason to celebrate this landmark, as its art and horsemanship has been admitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) world heritage list for cultural heritage (4 December).

The tradition of the classical art of riding and the High School of Horsemanship of the Spanish Riding School was proposed alongside 34 other artistic forms and traditions for this year’s list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. It was admitted, alongside 23 other customs, by the intergovernmental committee after an intensive evaluation process.

Tour dates: at the SEE Arena, Wembley — Friday, 11 November 2016, 7.30pm; Saturday, 12 November, 7.30pm; Sunday, 13 November, 3pm; at the Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham — Friday, 18 November, 7.30pm; Saturday, 19 November, 7.30pm; Sunday, 20 November, 3pm.

Tickets are now on sale at a cost of £27.50-£67.50. Visit: www.spanishridingschoollive.com/tours

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Once again, with the news Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill are nolonger a partnership, we have an illustration of how precarious a situation riders can be in with owners. I can’t stress enough the importance of having a watertight agreement from the beginning. Possibly a good arrangement is for riders to work towards a share in the horse, which not only gives a rider a leg to stand on if something goes wrong, but also illustrates the rider’s commitment to training the horse.

That this top pair, so harmonious and lovely to watch, will no longer be seen together is really sad. They’ve given us so much excitement, especially over the past two years. I feel for Helen.

Still the epitome

Questions on the relevance to dressage of the Spanish Riding School are still making their way into print I notice. Maybe in terms of their performance compared to the power and impulsion of competitive dressage, we could say not as much as we would hope. However, as far as correct riding and presentation go, the Spanish Riding School is still the epitome. Granted, the Lipizzaner as a breed and type does not have the scope of its warmblood friends, but I still think we need to go back to the overall terms of good riding and good training, not labels like “classical” and “competitive”, as there are good and bad points on both sides.

After six days of touring with the Spanish Riding School and plenty of talking in the evenings with these great guys, it became clear they have their hands tied in being wedded to tradition.

Very proud of it they are too, but not too proud to discuss their fears for the future of the school and the huge economic strain they’re under now that they’re responsible for their own funding.

The Spanish Riding School still produces a wonderful spectacle, and if you didn’t see them this time round, do try and get a seat for the next tour — which, bearing in mind the above, probably won’t be too far in the future.

I really enjoyed watching the performances, although I admit the in-hand work is not really appealing to me. Not least when one handler was nearly flattened by his horse. As he rose to his feet in true stiff upper lip fashion as the spotlight was quickly trained off him, I could feel his pain. Anyone who has had a horse stand on your toes can still only imagine what it’s like to have a horse land on you from a courbette!

Nicky needs bottling

Nicky Chapman, who presented the Spanish Riding School tour, is a truly wonderful lady. Not only is she a huge TV and radio star in her own right — she was one of the first judges of Pop Idol — but she’s a keen amateur rider.

You may remember poor Nicky getting trampled during the Only Fools on Horses series. And somehow we managed to flatten her here during a dressage lesson too, but apart from these minor accidents she remains as passionate as ever about her riding — and she has got bottle to get back up and back on!

Her hosting of the Spanish Riding School shows is a fantastic way of helping the public understand what’s going on. Nicky was also an ambassador for dressage during London 2012.

British Dressage should not miss a trick with this lady; she is willing and able to help promote equestrian sport at every opportunity. After our return from the Spanish Riding School tour, Nicky called and said she was in Gloucestershire filming Escape to the Country, and had just finished, so could the team pop round and film a five minute slot with us?

She did, and it aired last week. She could make our sport more understandable to a non-equestrian audience at our national championships or another big show. Let’s not miss a chance to engage Nicky — she holds the key to a lot of TV!

This column was originally published in H&H magazine on Thursday 27 November, 2014

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Carl Hester: Hot competition, but no haute cuisine [H&H VIP]

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Classical dressage purist Daniel Pevsner died on 16 June in his native Israel at the age of 73. He had been suffering from cancer.

Mr Pevsner was a fellow of the British Horse Society and a former pupil of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna. He also trained under Mestre Nuno Oliveira in Portugal.

Not long before his death, Danny wrote this of the school:

“The SRS was the only school left that concerned itself with the methodical practice of the art of high-school and, with the cultivation and the preservation of the purity of equine locomotion.”

Having started Alexander Technique lessons after suffering with back problems, he was also the first rider to advocate the use of the technique in riding.

For the past 20 years, he worked and taught from his training yard in Hertfordshire, also travelling worldwide to give lectures.

His daughter Talia said: “He could be a difficult person, but he was also the finest, most honest and remarkable teacher and man I have ever met. I am honoured to be able to call such an interesting and dedicated man my father. He was still riding beautifully a week before he died.”

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The Spanish Riding School of Vienna has announced that Carl Hester and Lee Pearson will be performing in Sheffield as part of its 2014 UK tour.

Olympic team gold medallist Carl Hester will open the show with a master-class and a dressage to music performance. 10-times Paralympic gold medallist Lee Pearson will then join him.

This is the first time that white Lipizzaner stallions have visited Yorkshire and the evening will be hosted by TV presenter Nicki Chapman.

“This will be the third time I have supported the Spanish Riding School of Vienna on tour and I am excited about going to Sheffield,” said Carl.

“I train lots of riders based in the north of the UK so hope that they come along to see this great show.

“Nicki Chapman and I will show the audience how the modern sport of dressage has evolved from that of the classical art and to be able to watch the 2 side-by-side is awe inspiring and magical.”

The Spanish Riding School of Vienna 2014 UK tour starts in Sheffield on 31 October for 3 nights followed by a further 3 nights at Wembley Arena from 14 November 2014.

Ticket prices start from £22.75.

To book tickets visit www.livenation.co.uk 

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For the first time in its 440-year history, the Spanish Riding School of Vienna is opening its doors to the wider equestrian public, offering lessons, theory and seminars.

The sessions, due to start next spring, will take place at the Lipizzaner Training Centre in Heldenberg. This is where the famous white stallions spend their holidays and the young horses are trained.

Chief rider Andreas Hausberger — who is also director of the training centre — told H&H: “We want to maintain the tradition of the Spanish Riding School and share our centuries-old knowledge. The capacity is there and we have enough [16] riders to do the training.”

But only advanced riders with their own horses — and deep pockets —need apply.

“They need to be riding at a high standard,” said Mr Hausberger. “But it is not important that they be competition riders.

“Anyone can apply, but they must submit a video clip of them training and we will decide who to take on.”

Individual lessons cost €250 (£202) and group sessions — for a maximum of three people — are €450 (£363). There is plenty of space, with 40 boxes free for the 10 months of the year that the stallions are based in Vienna.

But demand is expected to be huge.

“It will be really, really big,” said Mr Hausberger. “We already have bookings and I am receiving calls from all over the world.”

British Olympian Richard Davison, one of the few foreign riders to have trained with the Spanish Riding School, said: “It’s a great idea for as many people as possible to benefit from their teaching.

“I am not surprised that they will not be using the Lipizzaners [for teaching riders], because maintaining the standard of highly trained horses while students are learning on them is a challenge,” he added.

In 2007, the school was reported to be running an annual loss of £2.31million.

Businesswoman Elizabeth Gurtler, who took over that year, has attempted to redress the deficit by cutting wages and doubling the number of performances given.

Find out more at www.srs.at.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (18 October 2012)

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The Spanish Riding School of Vienna will be returning to the UK this November, following its success in London last year.

The show will be held at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham on 16,17 and 18 November and tickets are now on sale.

“Traditionally the Spanish Riding School has always played London and Birmingham together, however last year we were sadly only able to do London,” said a spokesperson.

“But due to public demand from Birmingham and the Midlands we will be back this year for three shows.”

Horses and riders from the 430-year-old school will be demonstrating classical equitation including their famous above the ground movements such as the capriole, levade and courbette.

Olympian Carl Hester and nine times Paralympic gold medalist Lee Pearson will also be doing a dressage demo.

Prices start at £25.

To buy your tickets visit www.livenation.co.uk

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A small number of tickets priced at £25 have been released for next week’s Spanish Riding School UK tour.

The seats are for the weekend shows of the tour – which runs from 24-27 November at Wembley Arena.

As well as the Spanish Riding School performers, Carl Hester and Lee Pearson will open the show with an exclusive display.

“We have a wonderful show that is very unique,” said a spokesman for Live Nation. “Being able to watch the world famous Spanish Riding School of Vienna perform outside Austria is in itself a rare opportunity – add to the mix dressage gold medallists Carl Hester and Lee Pearson, the crowds are in for a show like never before.

“Tickets have nearly sold out for the weekend, but the additional Thursday night show that was added a month ago has seats of all prices available.”

Imperial Dream by the Spanish Riding School takes place at Wembley Arena, London:

• Thursday 24 Nov 2011 – 8pm
• Friday 25 Nov 2011 – 8pm
• Saturday 26 Nov 2011 – 8pm (last few tickets available)
• Sunday 27 Nov 2011 – 3pm (last few tickets available)

Tickets and information from available from www.livenation.co.uk

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

In the visitors’ centre of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, a candle burns alongside a framed photo of Harald Bauer wearing the distinctive cocked hat, as guests queue to sign a book of condolence.

According to local reports, a cleaner found his body in the locker rooms of the riding school early on the morning of 19 September. He was 43.

Officials have said little about his death, other than to express sympathy to his family.

But friends of Mr Bauer – who held the position of Bereiter (rider) – have told H&H he was unhappy about the way the school was being run and was concerned about its future.

Hans Riegler, a former chief rider at the school, told H&H his former pupil had been finding work difficult.

“Harald started in my private yard when he was 15,” he said.

“He was everybody’s darling – friendly, a talented rider, skilled with the horses.

“He loved the school, but I know he was worried about it. He may have had private problems, too, but the situation there was not easy.”

Increasing pressures

Mr Bauer’s girlfriend told the Austrian newspaper Heute he could not deal with the strain of working at the school.

“Harald was a sensitive person,” she said. “He could no longer cope with the pressure of his profession and the management of the riding school.”

Critics say the problems at the school stem from 2001 when the 400-year-old institution became a private company owned by the Austrian government.

Former Olympic eventer Michael Bullen told H&H: “It has been going downhill since then. They have changed the ride the horses perform and top riders have been leaving. That is very sad to see.”

Mr Bullen – who trained with the legendary chief rider Alois Podhajsky (see box right) – said the school could not be run as a commercial venture.

“Something like that will always run at a loss. It is commercial in that it brings huge numbers of tourists to Vienna – but they never put that into the equation,” he said.

An immediate change in culture

Hans Riegler told H&H recent changes at the school had convinced him to leave in 2008 – after 39 years.

In 2007, businesswoman Elisabeth G ¼rtler took over the riding school.

With an annual loss of €2.65m ( £2.31m) to address, she doubled the number of performances from 35 to more than 70 a year.

She also cut the wages of long-serving riders and “excessive” extra payments

for tours.

Mr Riegler said the change in culture had been immediate.

“She was always saying, ‘We need to make money, we need more income’,” he said.

“That was all I used to hear.”

The school did not return H&H’s calls, but its business plan states that the new salary scheme benefits the younger riders, while performance numbers are now back at 1970s levels.

It also states that the horses will visit France twice, Moscow, Brussels, London (in November) and Switzerland this year.

The school insists the “wellbeing of the horses always takes centre stage”. But Michael Bullen believes the new regime may be too intense.

“Their legs can only stand so much,” he said. “If you start putting pressure on them and sending them all over the world, they are going to start going lame.”

To see the full news story, see the current issue of Horse & Hound (29 September, 2011)

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The Spanish Riding School of Vienna is heading to London.

Tickets for next year’s 60th international tour of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna go on sale today (Wednesday 17 November).

The new show “Imperial Dream” has three London dates — Friday 25 – Sunday 27 November 2011 and will be held at Wembley Arena.

It is five years since the highly trained horses and riders of the 430-year-old “High School for Classical Horsemanship” have visited the UK.

“Famed for their in-hand work and movements above the ground such as the capriole,levade and courbette the Imperial Dream show will feature all the classics but with a difference,” said a spokesman for the riding school.

“In keeping with their Austrian heritage the addition of live orchestral music and dance will add another dimension to this breathtaking extravaganza.”

Tickets are priced at £65, £55, £35 & £25 and are available from www.livenation.co.uk

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The Spanish Riding School in Vienna is praising its new “intelligent call routing” communication system, after just a month of use.

With its conventional telecommunication system reaching the end of its working life, the Spanish Riding School installed SwyxWare in May.

Many of the calls received by the Spanish Riding School’s ticketing centre come from abroad.

The new IP telephony system, which directs calls over a private network, allows for customers to be greeted in their own language, and for their calls to be routed to employees who speak their language.

Riding school CIO Wolfgang Steineder said: “With the new solution we could significantly improve our customer service within a very short period of time.

“The system completely satisfies our expectations — we were convinced immediately.”

Each employee at the Spanish Riding School has their own fax number, and can use the SwyxWare on their mobile phones — to record calls, for example.

The SwyxWare IP telephony solution is based around familiar Microsoft® Windows® applications, and designed to integrate easily with a business’s existing software, including financial and business process management tools.

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Weekend performances at the world-famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna have been cancelled after nearly half the school’s horses have developed a cough.

Thirty of the 73 horses at the riding school have come down with a severe cough, forcing cancellation of the shows.

Although 10 of the horses are on the road to recovery they still need rest, and 20 are still unwell.

“Due to a number of Lipizzaner stallions having contracted a severe cough the performances scheduled for Sunday 21 March, Saturday, 27 March and Sunday, 28 March have been cancelled, as it would not be possible to show a complete performance,” said a spokesman.

“We apologise for any inconvenience but must emphasise that the health and well-being of our Lipizzaners is our greatest priority.”

The school was founded in 1572.

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A British female rider is one of the first two women to pass the entrance exam for the Spanish Riding School of Vienna.

“There have been female applicants in the past, but none of them has matched our requirements,” said a spokesman for the school.

The identities of the 18-year-old Briton and 21-year-old Austrian will be kept secret until they have passed a four-week trial, taking place this month.

If they pass, they will have to train for five years before they are able to perform in public and become a part of the school’s 436 years of all-male riding history.

Visit the Spanish Riding School official website

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Albion Saddlemakers has won a major exclusive contract with the prestigious Spanish Riding School of Vienna.

The Walsall-based company will supply the school with a range of saddlery products, branded with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna name, until at least 2010.

The range will be sold in over 300 shops worldwide, including one at the riding school in Vienna.

This is the first commercial contract issued by the Spanish Riding School in 435 years.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (27 March, ’08)

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The Spanish Riding School of Vienna has a female director for the first time in its 430-year history.

Hotelier Elisabeth Guertler took over, together with Federal Forestry Agency manager Erwin Klissenbauer, at the beginning of this month.

Their joint appointment comes after the resignation of Armin Aigner, who has headed the school since May 2005.

Elisabeth Guertler will be responsible for strategy, sponsoring, marketing and public representation, while Mr Klissenbauer will be responsible for operations and finances on a day-to-day basis.

“It is a childhood dream come true,” says Ms Guertler, who sees a bright future for the school.

“I am sure that everyone will be happy when the enterprise is on a sound financial footing and marketed well.”

The school ran up deficits of €3.4m and €3.9m in 2004 and 2005 respectively, but its deficit fell to only €821,000 in 2006. Then in the first half of 2007, the school returned a profit of €195,000.

Mr Aigner has brought the school into the black during his time in office and will remain available as a consultant until mid-2008.

His resignation came as a surprise to many, but he said he saw himself only as a substitute managing director during dire times for the school.

“I was only the emergency doctor that helped prop up the patient,” he said. “The economic success came faster than we had hoped. Now, someone else has to take over.”

Ms Guertler believes her background with horses will help her lead the riding school successfully: “Before I entered the hotel business, riding was a big part of my life and I have never lost my passion for the sport.”

The number of visitors to the school has risen from an average 175,000 to a projected 231,000 this year, and the number of visitors to the school’s stud farm in Piber, Styria is expected to rise from 51,000 in 2005 to an estimated 90,000 in 2007.

www.srs.at

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Britain is unashamedly proud of its historical tradition of horsemanship. Stubbs, Van Dyck and Snaffles depict a nation of heroic horses and horse lovers. Riding is the sport of the Royal Family and horses their most treasured possessions. But when it comes to the pure art of classical riding, Britain must look to Europe – to the 400-year-old Spanish Riding School of Vienna. Kings, Queens and politicians have enjoyed the spectacle of the Spanish Riding School since the fifteenth century – and later this month the ballet is returning to Britain for the first time in five years.

“It’s interesting for the British to see the most classical form of riding,” said Herwig Radnetter, who has trained with the Spanish Riding School since he was 16. “Everything has to happen so fast these days but our horses are trained over many years.” The Spanish lipizzaners used in the ballet account for why the Vienna-based school is known as the ‘Spanish’ Riding School. Impressed by the intelligence of Spanish horses, Archduke Maximillian started to breed them in Austria in 1562, before establishing a riding school to teach young nobles the ‘Haute Ecole d’Equitation’. Later this month a fleet of lorries will transport 29 white lipizzaners over to Britain, along with one ‘lucky’ black lipizzaner stallion.

In contrast to reality television programmes such as Only Fools On Horses, where participants learn to ride in a few days, the Spanish Riding School trains both its pupils and horses over a period of ten years. “The horses are allowed to develop slowly, it is much better for their muscles and joints,” explained Mr Radnetter, adding that the horses are often still performing in their thirties. Lipizanners are smaller than other breeds, making them easier to train and their strong confirmation and placid temperament ensures they cope with the demands of the Haut Ecole movements.

Mr Radnetter was inspired to join the school after watching a performance in his hometown when he was a young boy. Only one or two ‘eleves’ are selected each year – they must be at least 15-years-old and ‘athletically and creatively talented.’ Mr Radnetter had little experience with horses before his audition and was extremely surprised to be selected but the chief rider spotted his potential.

The early years were spent working in the stables and training on school stallions. Once Mr Radnetter could present a trained stallion in all the movements of the Haute Ecole (see below), he became a student rider and was assigned a young stallion to train. After six years horse and rider were accepted into the Haut Ecole itself – and since then Mr Radnetter has trained countless eleves, student riders and stallions as well as performing regularly to music with the other senior riders.

Dressed in the uniform bicorne hat, brown tail coat (with a small pocket for sugar in one of the tails), long black boots and 9.5cm spurs, he will be performing along with 14 other riders in front of crowds at Wembley and Birmingham NEC. The ballet has been specially choreographed to include top dressage movements as well as the Haute Ecole ‘off the ground’ movements. Young stallion Maestoso Cattinara will be performing his spectacular Capriole, while Conversano Undine I, who is blind in one eye, will form part of the ‘pas de deux’. The performance will end with the School Quadrille – eight riders performing a strictly choreographed and extremely difficult ballet, based on the carousels and knight’s games of Imperial times.

There is nothing to stop young British riders applying to the Spanish Riding School – applications are considered from all EU countries. “We see ourselves as cultural ambassadors for Austria on our overseas visits like this one,” explained Mag. Armin Aigner, managing director of the Spanish Riding School. “And we want to show our audiences, particularly the younger spectators, the beauty of the art of classical riding.”

The Haute Ecole Movements

• Levade – all the weight on the hind legs and no forward movement at all
• Capriole – an upward leap without going forward and with a backward kick of the hind legs at the height of the leap
• Pas de Deux – two riders performing various movements with mirror-like symmetry
• Long rein – the only solo performance – a particularly refined and well trained horse with his rider displays all steps and figures of Haute Ecolé without the rider, with only light guidance from the reins and crop.
• Courbette – The horse raises himself at an angle of 45° then executes one or more forward leaps on his hind legs while maintaining bent forelegs.
• School Quadrille – finale presented with eight riders. This is a relic from the times of the Carousels, all of the steps and figures are integrated in a precise and exact framework of choreography

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now