Dancing With Andalusians

A dressage-intensive training holiday with a twist

- Jan Norman

On a riding holiday in Spain, Jan Norman discovered that pressing the right buttons can result in some serious dance moves from high-performance Spanish horses.

“You have to feel it more than do it,” Vivi called out. A near-perfect walk-to-canter transition was, as it seemed, just a feeling away. Platito, my Andalusian for the week, bunched up, tensed his hindquarters and almost as if in a slow-motion mini-rear, his forelegs rose up and rolled into the smoothest of canters. Whoops and cheers from my fellow cavaliers on the sideline and a jaw-splitting beam from me. 

What’s on the cards?

Six nights to explore 59 bars and restaurants in Carmona, a medieval hilltop village near Seville. Five days of equine euphoria at Epona Equestrian Centre. Eight hours of brain-popping and muscle testing intensive dressage lessons. An hour of seat-perfecting lunge lessons, and two hours at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art to inspire us to new heights.

The García family offers a rare and privileged opportunity for expert to wannabe dressage riders. Exceptionally schooled Spanish horses coupled with professional and constructive teachers guarantee that every rider goes home with new smile lines, new friends and full flash drives of memories.

There are a few options to choose from within the six-night package. Trail riding that includes outrides from the farm and one spectacular beach ride can be combined with daily school training. The outriders are allocated a highly responsive trail horse for the duration of the week. With horses who were big, bombproof and experts at forward going walk, trot, canter and quick-stop, every rider returned love-struck.