With Riding Master Manuel Jorge De Oliveira
02/17/2025
A beautiful review ❤️ and picture capturing a special visit at Oliveira Stables!
Reflections from Paige, America 🇺🇸 St.Louis
„Two Weeks at Oliveira Stables, Waal Germany
I am nearing the end of my two weeks here at Oliveira Stables and I thought I would post about my experience for those who want to come.
A little background. I learned about Manuel Jorge de Oliveira about two years ago. I am very clear on the timing because the posts started appearing in my FB feed after I had JUST been in Germany with my husband in early winter 2023. The post caught my eye because A) HORSES and 😎 Mr Oliveira seemed to be teaching with the same or similar philosophy I had been trying to follow most of my life. After having been fortunate enough to ride with someone who had also studied with Nuno Oliveira, I had spent time in more competitive barns in the US and Europe and made the decision pretty quickly that, for a multitude of reasons, the competitive approach to riding was really not the place for me. I had not the money, physical strength, or even deep inclination to spend my life chasing scores. I love to ride, I love dressage and I love horses, but I got exactly zero pleasure from horse shows. I also found it physically very taxing to ride horses in the extreme impulsion demanded by the show ring. Instead, I get a real high from getting a horse to react softly and elegantly from the slightest shift of my weight, or inhale or exhale of breath. This is my personal drug. The videos and posts seemed to working toward this same goal, so I watched. After a bit I got brave enough to ask some questions and the answers ("Yes he will answer specific questions") usually included something to the effect of “Why don’t you come to the stables and see for yourself”. So I decided to do just that.
I knew I wanted to come as a serious student, and I knew that to do that I had to give the process enough time. I decided to come for 2 weeks in February largely because it is a slow time for my work and the plane tickets are much cheaper. I have been able to take 2 lessons each day with Martina, who is kind and patient, on some really quite nice school horses (who also deserve medals in patience!). It has been an excellent experience. In addition to being able to watch Mr Oliveira ride, was able to sit in on discussions and lessons with students who have been coming for years, as well as the trainers and working students at the barn. Some students have ridden school horses and some have brought their own. This has been an education in and of itself. So here is my advice if you are considering this adventure. DO IT…But…
Come with an open mind. Training a horse is a process and you can not begin to understand the process if you only see one lesson, with one horse and rider.
Ask questions. But do so with a mind open to hearing the answers, which (given the training conventions in the US) you may not understand at first but if you listen over several days you will likely see the logic. Riding is not about tricks, it is about communicating with the horse to help it achieve.
Understand that each horse is different and almost none in this barn are $100,000 dressage bred machines! Except Jaguar…;-) ...he is gorgeous. Many of the horses came from difficult backgrounds but have been well trained using Mr. Oliveira's philosophy.
Keep in mind that this is first and foremost a riding school. The horses are ridden by many different people who have many different skill sets. Again, be open to what each horse has to teach you.
Take the time. One or two days will not really show you much.
Last, be grateful. If you think on what you have learned here, pick it apart and chew on it for a while, and then you will find the bits of pure gold that so many of us are looking for.
Maybe don't come in February….dear lord it’s cold.“
Paige Strait goes to organize the clinic with Christina Wunderlich in Missouri in November 2025 and she is part of 2026 North American Vertical Experience Tour
