Photograph by Nicole Emmanuel

Manolo Mendez is not so much a horse trainer as a practitioner of an ancient equestrian art known as Classical Dressage.

Classical Dressage in its purest form has all but been lost to the modern world. It is today practiced only in rare and isolated pockets around the globe, such as the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, the Spanish Riding School of Equestrian Art (Jerez, Spain), and the Cadre Noir in France. In their respective countries, these schools are reserved and preserved.

Australia has no school of Classical Dressage to call its own. But it does have Manolo Mendez, one of the few trainers remaining anywhere in the world who still practice equestrian art in its purest, most elevated and most celebrated form. This type of training grows into a more calm, focused and enthusiastic partnership no matter what discipline you are pursuing.

He was second in charge at the famous Royal School of Equestrian Art (known as the Spanish Riding School) in Jerez, Spain. Here he trained horses and riders in the classical principles of equestrian art. He, along with his riders, has given many exhibitions and displays throughout Europe.

To this day, Manolo has kept his classical principles of training pure. He says that he still learns from every horse he rides, be it a young horse who has just started training or a seaoned Grand Prix Schoolmaster.

Click here to view details of Manolo's New Training DVD!