THE TRAINING
The Long Journey from a young Cadet to a fully qualified Rider
The budding rider has to overcome many challenges on his long journey from inexperienced cadet to fully qualified rider, perhaps even to chief rider. Depending on each cadet’s individual talent and personal commitment it takes approx. 4 to 6 years to leave the supervision of the Stable Master and achieve the career jump to the position of an assistant rider.
A cadet’s early years are spent learning not only proper horse care and maintenance, but also the correct handling of all the equipment: saddles, bridles, everything needs to be painstakingly cleaned, neatly stored and properly used. And whilst the fledgling riders learn how to care for horses, taking into consideration the special characteristics of stallions, they also receive regular riding lessons. In daily sessions an experienced Rider patiently but firmly teaches the student the correct seat on a fully trained School Stallion – for the first years on the lunge. The history and long standing traditions of the School and of classical horsemanship are also part of the curriculum. After approx. four years the School Director and the Chief Riders evaluate the student’s progress, expertise and skill. A positive evaluation results in the Eleve’s promotion to the position of an Assistant Rider, which also means that a young stallion is entrusted into his care and he may ride a fully trained School Stallion in the School Quadrille during a performance. He now leaves the Stable Master’s supervision to subsequently report to the School Director.
The Assistant Rider is now personally responsible for his protégé and under the professional guidance of experienced Riders and Chief Riders he must train his young stallion and himself to the extent that they can both successfully participate in a School Quadrille during a public performance. This training phase takes another six years and demands a great deal of discipline, patience and sensitivity from the young rider.
It takes around 8 to 12 years to successfully achieve the status of a fully qualified Rider, years in which many give up and only the very best persevere.
The criteria for becoming a cadet are:
- Minium age 16
- Completed school education
- Ideal height of 172 cm; slim stature
- Athletic and creative talent
- Good foreign language skills (English preferred)
- Strong connection to horses
- At least basic equestrian skills
More information is available at georgina.whittle@srs.at
> The Riders of the Spanish Riding School