The Portuguese Way
The people and horses of Alcainça give visitors a taste of
history and a feel for classical dressage
Article in
Dressage
Today, June 2001
Portugal and dressage belong together like Americans and football. Freelance writer Jec A. Ballou went to Portugal to experience Portuguese dressage at the Escola de Equitaçao in Alcainça near Lisbon. The school's director, George Malleroni, studied with the legendary Nuno Oliveira for the last 10 years of the master's life.
Malleroni's riding school provides 20 highly trained schoolmasters-all Lusitano stallions-for visitors to ride. Riders usually come for a full week. Two lessons per day, lodging and meals included.
Group lessons of six to nine students are given in a nose-to-tail formation, teaching riders to pay attention to rhythm and be efficient with their aids. Escola de Equitaçao's style of dressage is rooted in lightness and following the Portuguese tradition, focuses more on artistry and on expression.
The Portuguese way of dressage evolved from the bullfighter's needs to control their horses at all times and being able to place them instantly anywhere the rider wishes. The Lusitano can sit back on his haunches and collect his gaits extremely well, freeing his forehand for quick turns. To achieve this, riders concentrate on driving the horse's haunches under by doing a lot of lateral work and deep bends. This is the way the Portuguese make their horses straight, engaged and balanced.
Just as the overall goal of riding is different, so is the character of a lesson at Escola de Equitaçao. The warm-up consists of 30 minutes of lateral work at the walk: counter shoulder-in, leg yield, zigzag, half pass and shoulder-in on small circles. The movements are done slowly in the classical manner of four tracks. Straight lines don't play a great role. Riders remain almost constantly on circles and bends. Then, a brisk rising trot period follows and leads into more collected work.
During their stay, riders also have the opportunity to experience high-school movements such as the Spanish walk, levade, piaffe and passage. Believing that riders learn mostly by feeling, Malleroni aids the horse and tells the rider to just sit and feel the movement.
After a busy day, students enjoy a rustic Portuguese dinner and local wines. The day's experiences are exchanged, videos about classical dressage are watched or the local pubs of Alcainça are explored.
..... for reservations, please, contact the Hidden Trails office