Rumor has it that you are patiently waiting for my trip report of The Spanish Riding School as a result of the Heldenberg Training Center Fund in Memory of E.L. Dreitzler for The Dressage Foundation. Not to worry, I brought home copious notes and drawings (sticks and shapes?), as well as Andreas Hausberger’s (Chief Rider), brilliant and timely quotes along with 300+ stunning photos on my camera. With this posting, I give you the promise of good things to come and a sneak preview of my once in a lifetime opportunity. 

I have to tell you all that Vienna is a city that never stops walking. Walking was my golden ticket to experiencing everything local; the sights, sounds and smells are beyond comparison and not fully appreciated or accessible behind closed windows. On the first morning, I stood just outside of the boutique hotel I was staying at, which is essentially the entire first floor of a renovated Viennese-style house from 1893, and was in awe of the diversity all around me. Without a doubt, walking is the pulse and the rhythm of this grand city.

The receptionist at the hotel provided me with basic directions to The Spanish Riding School and a pictorial map; however, I still managed to get myself turned around on multiple occasions (too many times to count, really). Do all of these buildings suddenly look the same to you? I wasn’t stressed and perfectly happy with the allure of the unknown because I was in the heart of a city so beautifully alive. I did find it necessary to keep my eyes up while walking and to maintain a brisk pace, or I risked becoming pancaked flat by a bicyclist, horse drawn carriage or Bims (tram) sharing the path.  

When I located The Spanish Riding School, I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to leave at all. My feet were firmly planted and I was not leaving. So…eventually I would leave, but in that moment I felt it would be OK if time stood still. I was captivated by its existence. Being there was completely different than how I imagined it would be. Compelled to get a photo of my first encounter, I noticed a family posing for photos and convinced the father with some not-so-subtle hand and facial signals to take mine too. I should really learn a little bit of German and make things easier.

The parks within Vienna are plentiful and natural pieces of artwork, filled with flora and fauna and good benches for people watching, or reading My Horses, My Teachers by Alois Podhajsky. In case you are interested, Andreas assigned me all volumes of Podhajsky for my homework and light reading. There wasn’t a single drop of rain or cloud in the sky the entire time I was there. The sun was so toasty that I may have taken a quick nap to compensate for some of those early-to-rise mornings.

All of this walking certainly made me hungry and I eventually found myself tucked inside the very cozy Demel Café. I was literally drawn from the streets by their impressive, thinly layered, cinnamon spiced apfelstrudel. Their apple strudel is so superb that nearby customers in the same dining room stopped what they were doing and turned their heads to view the towering excellence placed on my table. A few moments later there were multiple apple strudel slices being served.

I chose not to rent a car; however, I count my lucky stars that I was able to share a rental car ride to the Heldenberg Training Center with my (new) friend from Norway who was attending the same course. The Heldenberg Training Center, for those of you unaware, is located in the breathtakingly gorgeous rolling countryside of lower Austria. A train ride from Vienna would have taken all day, a taxi would have been enormously expensive, and my running shoes would probably not commit to that journey. The group joked that I would still be walking in the hills if it weren’t for my friend to the rescue.

The Heldenberg Training Center is paradise for the white stallions. There is no better way to describe it, and it’s more of a feeling that defines the space than the actual facility. It’s modern, spacious and spotless, but what I noticed most was the sense of calm with a purpose. There are no abrupt movements and conversations are soft. The stallions thrive on consistency while they are here for their vacations, and it’s a time for them to relax, continue training and enjoy ample turn-out in the absence of performances. The stallions are surrounded by open space with luscious green grass that goes to infinity and beyond. The riders take their stallions out for leisurely walks in the woods as much as possible. Inside the stable, the stallions are happily munching on hay or curiously peering over their stall doors.

Watching the stallions being worked in the arena, I was mesmerized by the purity of their gaits. Preservation of the gaits is crucial when starting the youngsters. The mouth of the horse is considered sacred and the reins are never touched for grooming, leading or in-hand work. Each stallion is outfitted with a custom cavesson that is placed over the bridle for those purposes. In the saddle, the rider adjusts to their horse.  The rider is supple with quiet hands and legs that are receptive to the conversation and not disrupting the horse.  Forward and extended walk are on the buckle and collected walk is with contact suitable for the level of the stallion. The walk is not a warm-up; it’s part of the daily work. With these characteristics, the aim is for the stallion to become more beautiful and to stay healthy as long as possible.

Feeling inspired? During the holidays, gather your friends, family, neighbors, horses, dogs, cats or chickens for a community walk and enjoy all that nature has to offer. It’s the perfect time to digest life.

Read Jen’s full report on the Dressage Foundation’s website. It includes a daily account of her experiences at The Spanish Riding School with a special backstage tour and pages taken directly out of her notebook.

Jennifer Whitelaw Shepherd is one of the adult amateur dressage riders who received an inaugural grant from the new Heldenberg Training Center Fund in Memory of E.L. Dreitzler to attend the Spanish Riding School’s Training Center in Heldenberg, Austria. She grew up in Ontario, Canada and has spent most of her adult life in Hillsborough, N.C. after graduating from North Carolina State University with a degree in Biological Sciences. She works in the field of clinical research, which supports her seemingly endless riding activities, triathlon races, family and fish. Jen is an adult amateur dressage student and passionate advocate for classical dressage. She currently rides and proudly owns an unconventional dressage horse who has taught her essentially everything there is to know about life. You can read all her blog entries here.