Lusitano Center Alcainca

Introduction
Lisbon Area Portugal
Spend a whole week or even just a few days at the world renowned Escola de Equitação de Alcainça. Each day you will work closely with and learn much from the  knowledgeable professional trainers of dressage on site (tuition available from novice through to high school dressage!). The town of Alcainça lies only 25 miles northwest of Lisbon, 4 miles from the famous cloister of Mafra, and 6 miles from the stunning Atlantic Coast. It is surrounded by wild pastures and small forests. The Atlantic Ocean on the west coast helps assure a nice, even temperature throughout the year so that even in the heights of July and August it never gets too hot to ride. Your gracious host, Salette Rodrigues, will make you feel right at home.

The school's director, George Malleroni, studied with the legendary Nuno Oliveira for the last 10 years of the master's life. The instructors here are some of the finest dressage riders in the world, who can give lessons on any level. The riding school provides 20 highly trained Lusitano stallions for their guests. The program includes two 1.5 hour sessions per day - leaving very little time for activities other than a dip in the pool or sun tanning between lessons, so we advise if you wish to fit sight-seeing in as well into this intensive  program you save some days on either end of your stay at Alcainça or downgrade to the one session per day.  The groups are small, personalized and always divided according to riding level so that every rider gets a lot of personal attention.

Accomodation



Accommodations
This is a stationary ride, so all nights are spent at the same location.

Description
Set on a hill-side, the farm was originally built as traditional “Quinta” (a Portuguese country estate) complete with stables, indoor and outdoor schools, as well as an antique bullfighting arena which is nowadays used for traditional working equitation sessions or as a turnout for our horses. You will be staying in the newly constructed guesthouse at the riding school (5 double rooms with private bath) or at the adjoining facilities (3 rooms with 2 separate baths). 
Amenities on-site include a swimming pool, billiards, and living room with fireplace and TV.



WIFI is available on site & laundry is available on request.

Room Occupancy
There is no single supplement fee if riders are willing to share.



Meals
All meals from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on the last day are included. Complimentary water, tea and biscuits are always available in the dining room and in the Riders Lounge. Soft drinks, beer, white and red wines, and the Portuguese specialty Vinho Verde are sold in the Bar and the Riders Lounge.

Home-made delicious Portuguese meals are served daily in the dining room overlooking the indoor riding school. Lena, the chef, prepares all meals with healthy, fresh and mostly organic ingredients.

A continental breakfast with local bread, jams, cheese, cereals, seasonal fruit, orange juice, tea and coffee.
A 2-course lunch with a meat/fish* dish, salad, fruit, house wines, water, coffee or tea.
A 3-course dinner with soup, a meat/fish* dish, dessert, house wines, water, coffee or tea.   

Dietary Restrictions
We can cater to vegetarians with prior notice.

This trip includes some wine with dinner and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding


Riding Experience
Riders should be balanced and independent at walk, trot, and canter, and it is an advantage to know the basic lateral movements such as shoulder-in and half-pass.
Following an assessment, riders are divided into groups of 1-4 according to their riding ability and experience, in order to ensure every student receives proper individual attention from the instructor.
Riders are welcome to assist in grooming, tacking up and untacking the horses although there are grooms to prepare and assist if you are unfamiliar with the process.

Riding School
Our dressage riding school has been in operation for over 30 years and is steeped in the classical horsemanship tradition. We offer riders, both novice and experienced, the opportunity to experience the renowned Portuguese pure-bred Lusitano horse and classical equitation in the spirit of the grand masters, in their original environment.
You can train up to twice a day with our expert and multilingual dressage instructors in the indoor or outdoor arenas (195ft x 75ft) on the estate. Above all, we teach the art of riding in harmony with, rather than against, the horse.
Our focus is to teach the rider how to improve the horse’s natural balance, develop self-carriage, making the horse supple and flexible. Our aim is to inspire and provide every rider with improved feel and technique, as well as an increased understanding and insight, which can be further built upon at home for continued improvement of both horse and rider.

Horses
Alcainça is a dressage stable in which you will find horses able to cater to different training levels. You will be riding purebred and part-bred Lusitano horses, including some stallions. The horses are not only well tempered and of a docile character but they will allow you to explore the great feeling of riding a well-trained dressage horse.
Firmly believing that a good school horse is the best teacher, we school our horses with thought, compassion and patience according to the classical principles over many years, to develop great schoolmasters for our students.
The horses able to do Shoulder In, Half Pass, Flying Changes, Piaffe and Passage.

Instructors
The instructors are some of the finest dressage riders who can give lesson on any level. They do speak English as well as French and Portuguese.
The main instructor is Mr. Georges Malleroni who was a student in classical dressage of the “Haute Ecole” under Nuno Oliveira, the great Portuguese Master and one of the best world Masters.

Hard Hat
Although the school horses are all very well trained, gentle and safe, it is mandatory to wear a hard hat/helmet at all times when riding for your own security.

Itinerary


The riding center offers 2 different programs:
- Intensive Riding Program (Program A) - 2 riding lessons per riding day (morning & afternoon)
- Moderate Riding Program (Program B) - 1 riding lesson per riding day  (morning or afternoon)

The magnificent horses are well trained and the instructors are some of the finest dressage riders in the world available for lessons of any level (the instructors speak English as well as French, Portuguese and Spanish). The center has three instructors, with Head Instructor being the renowned Georges Malleroni. Within a short time you will improve your riding level.

Prior to your first lesson, you will have the chance to talk with your instructor about what you are currently doing and what you hope to achieve from the holiday and your courses.
Following an individual rider assessment, riders are divided into groups of 1-4 according to their riding ability and experience, in order to ensure every student receives proper individual attention from the instructor.
An interest in dressage is important on this holiday; you will need to be willing to learn from the experienced instructors to get the most out of your stay.

Our lessons take as long as the rider needs to achieve the particular goal for the lesson. In general, the group lessons are about 90 minutes long and the individual lessons are a bit shorter.
Usually, morning lessons start at about 10 am and afternoon lessons start at about 3:30 pm.
In between the lessons you have some time to relax.



Sample Riding Program
It is possible to exchange one of your lessons during your stay for a lesson on the arrival and departure day.

Each lesson starts with a warm-up consisting of 30 minutes of lateral work at the walk: counter shoulder-in, leg yield, zigzag, half pass and shoulder-in on small circles. The movements are done slowly in the classical manner of four tracks. Riders remain almost constantly on circles and bends. Then, a brisk rising trot period follows and leads into more collected work. Group lessons teach riders to pay attention to rhythm and be efficient with their aids. The Center's style of dressage is rooted in lightness and follows the Portuguese tradition, focusing more on artistry and on expression. The Portuguese way of dressage evolved from the bullfighter's needs to control their horses at all times and being able to place them instantly anywhere the rider wishes. The Lusitano can sit back on his haunches and collect his gaits extremely well, freeing his forehand for quick turns.

During your stay, you may also have the opportunity to experience high-school movements such as the Spanish walk, levade, piaffe and passage. Believing that riders learn mostly by feeling, Malleroni aids the horse and tells the rider to just sit and feel the movement.



Non-Riders
For non-riding companions there are several golf courses nearby. A visit to Sintra, Mafra, and the wide open beaches (a 10 minute drive away, is always a great outing. Sightseeing options and prices are available upon request.

Rates and Dates for Lusitano Center Alcainca

Dates Note: Arrival can be any day of the week

Other Info
Meeting: Alcainca
Airport: Humberto Delgado Airport
Transfer: Lisbon Airport or hotel

Climate:
                                                Lisbon area