Inside the Manège
Inside the Manège
Podcast Description
Discover Classical Riding with Inside the Manège, and dive into insights from classical riders, training concepts, and equestrian culture rooted in the art of dressage and classical riding. My name is Maria Cooke and I'm a Zurich‑based, Canadian classical dressage rider and equestrian writer, who began as a hunter/jumper and moved to Europe to learn and practice my passion, classical dressage.Join me as we explore:The details of classical dressage, from biomechanics to self-carriage and balanceBaroque influences such as from the Portuguese and French classical equitation traditionsTraining philosophies from classical masters (like Nuno Oliveira, François Baucher, and Gustav Steinbrecht)Interviews and training principles that explain classical riding for riding today
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast delves into classical dressage, biomechanics, self-carriage, training philosophies from masters such as François Baucher and Nuno Oliveira, and elements of Baroque equitation traditions, with episodes covering influences from the Portuguese equestrian school and practical training applications for modern riders.
Discover Classical Riding with Inside the Manège, and dive into insights from classical riders, training concepts, and equestrian culture rooted in the art of dressage and classical riding. My name is Maria Cooke and I’m a Zurich‑based, Canadian classical dressage rider and equestrian writer, who began as a hunter/jumper and moved to Europe to learn and practice my passion, classical dressage.
Join me as we explore:
- The details of classical dressage, from biomechanics to self-carriage and balance
- Baroque influences such as from the Portuguese and French classical equitation traditions
- Training philosophies from classical masters (like Nuno Oliveira, François Baucher, and Gustav Steinbrecht)
- Interviews and training principles that explain classical riding for riding today
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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Maria’s Blog: https://mariacooke.com
🐎 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/
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🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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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.
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