Academic Art of Riding: A Riding Method for the Ambitious Leisure Rider

Branderup has written several books on classical dressage but only this title has been translated into English. The author, who has trained with classical dressage teachers Don Javier, Nuno Oliveira, and Egon Von Neindorff, expresses his philosophy and outlines and gives examples of his method of instruction. He also relates a brief history of dressage (originally a way of training horses to be used for close combat). After the development of firearms, close combat on horseback was less necessary and the training lost its original purpose and became a recreational activity and a form of equestrian art. Branderup teaches horses all the movements from the ground before he ever rides those movements. One of the goals of academic dressage is to ride with the reins in one hand using a curb bit. This is not likely to be a goal for many dressage riders today nor is teaching horses airs above the ground.