Inside the Manège

Bent Branderup has spent years looking into the historical roots of classical riding and adapting its traditions for training today, in what’s known as the Academic Art of Riding. From rediscovering the school halt, to riding on the square used by La Guérinière, Bent shares his experience and historical findings to help more riders achieve riding as an art.
Bent Branderup is a Danish classical rider and the principal teacher of the Academic Art of Riding, which now has students and trainers around the world. Passionate about sharing his knowledge, in this episode we explore how he developed his riding philosophy, what defines the Academic Art of Riding, and what he’s learned through history and his experience, which he now passes onto his students.
In this episode, he shares:
◼️ How he uses the academic seat to influence the horse
◼️ Why having “nothing in your hands” isn’t always a good sign
◼️ How correctly positioning the spine is key for thoroughness and roundness
◼️ The historical origins of the school halt and different riding seats
◼️ How he adapts his training to different horses and breeds

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:54 Why Is It Important to Develop Yourself as a Rider?
04:22 What Makes the Academic Art of Riding an Art?
07:54 How Historical Research Has Shaped Bent’s Methods
12:43 Rider Seats: A la Brida and A la Gineta
15:58 Throughness, Roundness, and Details of the Spine
29:10 How Bent Uses the Seat to Influence the Horse’s Chest and Bend
37:56 Exploring Lightness and False Lightness
46:16 How Piaffe Can Look Different Depending on Conformation
48:37 How Bent’s Ideas Have Evolved, and Adapting to Different Horses
55:54 How to Learn More with Bent Branderup

Learn Classical Riding Online with INSIDE THE MANÈGE:
Website: https://www.insidethemanege.com
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🐎 Learn more about Bent Branderup’s Work:
Website: https://www.bentbranderuptrainer.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Academic-Art-of-Riding-by-Bent-Branderup-100050161344037
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bent_branderup
🏰 Explore this location:
This episode was filmed at the stunning Romantik Parkhotel Wasserburg Anholt – a beautiful castle and hotel in Germany like nothing I’ve seen before!
Explore it here: https://schloss-anholt.de/ 

🔔 Subscribe to INSIDE THE MANÈGE for more interviews with classical riders
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Additional Episode Notes:
9:55 | Florido
The horse Florido appears in records as having been a Spanish horse gifted by Ferdinand VI of Spain to King Louis XV of France, who were cousins. Important to note is that at this time, Portuguese and Spanish breeding was not yet fully separated, and only around this time did Portugal begin to develop their own distinct Lusitano line as the Alter Real (founded in 1748). 
The engraving of Louis Cazeaux de Nestier riding Florido is dated 1753, only a few years after Alter Real was founded. The brand also curiously doesn’t appear to match traditional brands from either the later royal stables of Spain (Yeguada Real de Córdoba) or Portugal (Alter Real). However, some sources also state that Florido originated from the earlier royal Spanish studfarm at the time, the Real Yeguada de Aranjuez.
The Lusitano association mentioned is not the Portuguese Lusitano Association (APSL), but rather refers to one of the local Lusitano associations such as those in Germany, Italy, and Denmark, which use the image of Florido in their logos.
See also (French, page 260):
https://www.equitation-francaise.fr/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/pdf-3-Les-maitres-du-Manege-de-Versailles_Et-Saurel-web.pdf
13:40 | A la brida
"Breda” may be referring to “al-bardhaʿa” in Arabic, a term for a traditional padded pack saddle.
See also:
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/albarda
14:48 | A la gineta
The word “gineta” or “jinete” in Spanish comes from the word Zenata (Zanāta), referring to the Zenati or zanáti and their riding style, which were the Zenata Berber cavalry of North Africa.
See also:
https://ghcl.ub.edu/diccaxv/dictionary/ViewLema/10365
44:50 | Piaffe
The word “piaf” in French refers to a small bird, and especially a sparrow.
See also:
https://www.dictionnaire-academie.fr/article/A9P2208
45:05 | Spasseggio
“Spasseggio” in Italian refers to strolling or going for a leisurely walk, and appears to be a less common variation of the word passeggio.
See also:
https://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/spasseggio
Historical Riders Mentioned in this Episode:
Egon von Neindorff, François Robichon de La Guérinière, Xenophon, Antoine de Pluvinel, François Baucher, Louis Cazeau de Nestier.

Master Trainer of the Academic Art of Riding Marius Schneider shares why he chose Academic Riding, why he finds groundwork and changing the horse’s frame so crucial in the horse’s training, and how he uses the airs above the ground to benefit the horse.
Marius Schneider teaches the Academic Art of Riding extensively, sharing his passion both at his own stable Gestüt Moorhof in Germany, as well as internationally and online. His focus is on encouraging his students to foster a better relationship with their horse, and developing horses from the basics to the High School dressage movements with playfulness, sensitivity, and lightness.
From his liberty work to riding caprioles, levades, and mezairs bitless, if you’ve ever been curious to hear about Marius Schneider’s approach within the Academic Art of Riding and how he does what he does, this is the episode to listen to.
In this episode, he shares:
◼️ Why work on the ground can be essential
◼️ Why it’s important to adjust the horse’s frame in training
◼️ How he combines riding on the bit with bitless riding
◼️ How one can use the airs above the ground to benefit the horse

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:59 Discovering Bent Branderup
04:24 What Do You Focus on in Your Own Work?
09:09 Why Is Work on the Ground So Important?
17:13 Longeing with the Cavesson, Snaffle, or Rope Halter
31:58 Training or Retraining a Horse to the Bit
37:04 When and Why Would You Use a Snaffle, Curb, or Bitless Bridle?
41:13 Stallions and Chewing the Bit
46:45 Encouraging the Horse to Seek the Bit
50:00 Lengthening the Frame and Neck
58:45 How Can the Airs Above the Ground Benefit the Horse?
1:10:01 Training the Horse to Collect from the Seat
1:12:56 Comparing Modern Dressage and the Academic Art of Riding
1:19:52 What Do You Wish More Riders Knew?

🐎 Follow Marius Schneider:
Website: https://gestuet-moorhof.de/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariusSchneiderGestuetMoorhof 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marius_schneider_moorhof

🎠 Follow INSIDE THE MANÈGE:
Learn Classical Riding Online: https://www.insidethemanege.com
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidethemanege
Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insidethemanege
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidetheManege
Maria's Blog & Classical Articles: https://mariacooke.com/

🔔 Subscribe to INSIDE THE MANÈGE for more interviews with classical riders
🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Hélène Arianoff, a Belgian classical rider with over 60 years experience and longtime student of Nuno Oliveira, shares how to use the classical riding aids, and how she thinks modern dressage could return to classical riding principles.
Having taught all over the world, Hélène Arianoff is dedicated to passing on the principles she learned with Nuno Oliveira, and helping riders achieve the same moments of unity with the horse that she experienced through his training. Having learned with Nuno Oliveira for over 20 years, she has an incredible amount and depth of knowledge in classical riding, and how to adapt the details of training to each horse and rider.
In this episode, she shares:
◼️ How to use the classical aids; the hands, legs, and seat
◼️ How judging and riding in dressage competition has changed
◼️ How to adjust the aids for different horses
◼️ How to use the seat and shoulder-in to collect the horse

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:30 Why Classical Riding?
05:20 What Do Riders Misunderstand?
08:41 The Right Position and Seat
17:47 How to use the Seat with Horses on the Forehand
23:12 What Do You See in Modern Dressage Competition?
31:21 How to Collect the Horse with Shoulder-in
38:27 How Do You Collect for the Piaffe?
47:19 How Do You Use the Legs?
53:14 How Do You Use the Hands?
1:04:15 Changing Competition & Justin Verboomen
1:10:07 How did Nuno Oliveira Change Your Riding?
1:13:17 Lessons from Nuno Oliveira
1:18:02 Returning to the Basics

🐎 Follow Hélène Arianoff:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helene.arianoff
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenearianoff/

🎠 Follow INSIDE THE MANÈGE:
Learn Classical Riding Online: https://www.insidethemanege.com
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidethemanege
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Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidetheManege
Maria's Blog & Classical Articles: https://mariacooke.com/

🔔 Subscribe to INSIDE THE MANÈGE for more interviews with classical riders
🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Sonja Weber, a classical rider and trainer with over 25 years of experience, shares how to keep the horse healthy long-term with classical dressage, through developing its carrying capacity.
Passionate about sharing how training can be used to develop the horse’s body to support its health, she  has written two books, and produced several films on how to use collection to build the horse’s thoracic sling muscles, and establish a healthy posture.
Based in Germany, and originally from Austria, Sonja Weber has extensive experience using classical dressage to develop horses of a vast number of breeds, from Lusitanos and Arabians, to Icelandic horses and Haflingers.
Sharing her insights online in both English and German, Sonja has a wealth of knowledge about the connection between biomechanics and classical training – and continues to inspire students and followers from around the world with her simple and straightforward insights. 
In this episode, we explore:
◼️ How to recognise Topline Syndrome and Abnormal Compensatory Posture
◼️ How the thoracic sling works and why it’s so important
◼️ How to use classical dressage for different breeds and conformations
◼️ How you can change a horse’s posture through training

For this special episode, we filmed this conversation in Sonja’s native German, to make it easier to dive deep into the topic, and what you see here is an English translation. If you’d like to see the original German version, you can watch the full episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/gSWwp-XCBBg

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:01 How can you use training to keep the horse healthy long-term?
04:41 Using collection to develop the horse’s carrying capacity
10:21 Why is posture important, and how can you influence it?
14:50 Analysing piaffe and passage & modern competition
19:05 What’s the role of the forehand in collection?
21:35 Abnormal Compensatory Posture & changing the horse’s posture
27:26 Developing piaffe with multiple breeds & stallions’ natural posture
31:13 How Topline Syndrome and Abnormal Compensatory Posture develop
33:00 Elements of collection, balance, & the horse’s natural shock absorbers
41:14 The role of the back, and analysing the long & low position
47:26 What does the correct rotation of the horse’s spine look like?
52:56 What Sonja Weber’s own path has been like & healthy older horses
57:31 Working with different breeds & using classical dressage to benefit them
1:01:47 Working with traumatized horses & flight animal instincts
1:09:48 Using classical dressage across breeds and disciplines
1:13:39 What do you want to see more of in the sport dressage world?
1:17:49 Finding your own path & staying with one trainer

🐎 Learn more about Sonja Weber and her training:
Website: https://www.sonja-weber-reitkunst.de/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonja.weberreitkunst 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonja_weber_reitkunst/ 

🎠 Follow INSIDE THE MANÈGE:
Learn Classical Riding Online: https://www.insidethemanege.com
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidethemanege
Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insidethemanege
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidetheManege
Maria's Blog & Classical Articles: https://mariacooke.com/

🔔 Subscribe to INSIDE THE MANÈGE for more interviews with classical riders
🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Pureza Oliveira, daughter of the now legendary classical rider Nuno Oliveira, shares stories of her father as a rider, an artist, and how her own story and artistic journey developed, told through her experiences with her father.
Having translated both the collected early and later writings of Nuno Oliveira for the first time into English, she continues to be an important representative of her father’s life and work, and can uniquely share what it was really like to grow up with him, and observe him working with the horses.
In this episode, Pureza describes her father’s big personality, his family, their daily life, her artistic work, and their shared artistic approach to life.
As a great lover of music and master of equestrian art, Nuno Oliveira continues to inspire riders and is celebrated as one of, if not the greatest rider of the 20th century.
In this episode, Pureza shares:
◼️ What Nuno Oliveira was like as a person and in riding
◼️ Stories of growing up and learning with her father
◼️ Her key role in translating his writings into English & Portuguese
◼️ How she developed her artistic work, and her father’s influence
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:32 Why Pureza Translated Nuno Oliveira’s Books
05:41 Work in Lisbon, and Building his Stable Quinta do Brejo
10:12 Nuno Oliveira’s Family & Great Riders at his School
13:28 What Was Nuno Like as a Person?
16:18 Nuno’s Daily Life & Accomplished Students
20:55 What was it Like to Learn With Him?
24:06 The Importance of Reading & Studying the Classics
27:05 Discussions with Classical Riders
28:04 Mr. Miranda, Nuno Oliveira’s Teacher
32:03 How Did Nuno Interact with Horses?
37:38 Pureza’s Artistic Family & Influences
40:44 Nuno’s Influence & Love for Music
44:13 Pureza’s Art & Nuno in Switzerland
48:11 Translating His Work into English & Portuguese
52:55 Nuno’s Theatrical Sense of Humour
56:04 Pureza’s Message for Listeners, and Nuno’s Passing

🐎 Learn more about Pureza Oliveira & Discover Her Artwork:
Website: http://www.purezaoliveira.com/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pureza.oliveira.3 
Silk Scarf Exhibition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-6VZ7FIjV0 

🎠 Follow INSIDE THE MANÈGE:
Learn Classical Riding Online: https://www.insidethemanege.com
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidethemanege
Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insidethemanege
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidetheManege
Maria's Blog & Classical Articles: https://mariacooke.com/

🔔 Subscribe to INSIDE THE MANÈGE for more interviews with classical riders
🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:
Equestrian Art: The Collected Early Writings (1951-1956) by Master Nuno Oliveira
Equestrian Art: The Collected Later Works by Master Nuno Oliveira
Princípios Clássicos da Arte de Ensinar os Cavalos
Notable People Mentioned in this Episode:
 Bettina Drummond, João Oliveira, Dom Diogo de Bragança, Ghuilerme Borba, Miguel Tavora, João Filipe Figueiredo Graciosa, José de Ataíde, Jaime Celestino da Costa, Master Miranda, João Nuncio, Catherine Laurenty, Sara Oliveira, Desiree du Pisanie.