Classical Dressage – Epona Rafael Soto Clinic, Seville

Written by Jill, visited June 2025

Wow, wow, wow – so this was meant to be the final clinic we did with Rafael – we’d and by we, I mean 4 mostly middle aged, dressage curious women had been taught by him 2 years earlier – it had been a revelation and we’d learned so much, we’d gone home practised and I guess we wanted to return to show him that we had listened and had hopefully improved, there was part of us that wanted to thank him with our improved riding, that he was the best instructor we’d ever encountered and had the pleasure of training with – and that is exactly what Rafael does he trains with you, your horse and him – he won’t admit it’s his expertise he says he is only a conduit between you and the horse and the horses teach us everything – however he is humble and it is through his kind, firm and extraordinary eye for details in ones riding that brings anyone at any level to a place they would never think they could get to or dare I say enjoy! The man is a Master of his Art and quite literally a genius!

So here we are back after 2 years (once again thinking this would be our last time, but funny old world, we’re already planning 2027!) Between the 4 of us, we’d all continued to follow his teachings, but of course, living in Scotland (weather restricted, rain, rain and more rain) working, families, life, trying to train to that level escapes most people, you really need to be in it day to day.

It was fantastic to be back, it’s a fabulous set up at Epona Equestrian – the way it works is we train with Vivi for 3 days prior to Rafaels arrival and we then have over 2 days, 4 private lessons with him. We are given 2 horses and Vivi sets us up working with those horses, forming a bond and partnership, before we go into Rafaels lessons – it’s the perfect balance for anyone to settle into the riding, their horse and to get the most out of their time with Rafael. I have to tell you a bit more about Vivi, because without her and her family, husband Falli, mother and father Jane and Fernando, who founded this centre of Classical Dressage excellence, there’s just no way this would exist. I’ll try and keep it short as it’s an inspiring story of a couple who fell in love (Jane & Fernando) settled in Spain, began a riding school, saw that their daughter Vivi was a talented dressage rider (Fernando was a showjumper originally back n his home of Colombia) and supported her as she went on to train at the Spanish School of Equestrian Art in Jerez. And there she met Rafael, Chief Rider & Instructor of the school – and Olympic medallist who took her under her wings and saw something in Vivi that is special.

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After leaving the school, Vivi naturally came back home and developed alongside her family the centre they have now, which offers programmes for all levels of riders interested in Classical Dressage plus some additional trail rides. It is no longer a riding school and focuses solely on week long riding holidays and training.

Their horses are fantastic, I have ridden in a number of other places across Spain, Portugal and Italy – all I have to say very good however they don’t have the depth of horse power Epona has we took up 8 of their horses over the week, but they still had spare and other training clinics running simultaneously while we were there – that said, it doesn’t feel big or corporate – I think on our stay there were 16 of us in total, and there was a supportive, joyful, family feel about the place – alongside us were some wonderful women from Australia, New Zealand, UK and age wise, it spanned from 30 up to 70! As we always say you are never too late to learn…………….!

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The Riding

In our week, we had 2 lessons per day, plus a couple of lunge lessons – I got a lot out of the lunge lessons they were very good, very relaxed and collaborative, looking for solutions to improve our positions and way of riding, it was a lovely quiet time to focus without having to think of the way of going of the horse.

My Horses

I had 2 horses, one a stallion called Almendro and a gelding called Enebro, both very different – Almendro is spicey, wiggly, everything moves, compact and powerful sort of horse, very typically Andalucian, any slight movement with the body and he changed legs, moved a different way, it was incredible to sit on something so sensitive and to feel his talent. Thankfully although spicey, he wasn’t spooky or naughty at all, I felt very safe – dare I say sorry for him at times, when I messed up and confused the poor boy! And then Enebro he was tall, lanky, less reactive but still hugely talented and more of a floater, he had more expressive movement.

I have to say I did find it hard in the beginning, I couldn’t stop my body moving when any movement escaped me, I flung everything at it instead of sitting still and using my legs, but sure that’s what training is for right? Make the mistakes, learn, change the muscle memory and don’t do it again!

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From where I was with both horses at the beginning of the week to where I ended up, was astonishing – at the last clinic, I had watched other riders performing Tempi Changes, Pirouettes and more – I had managed to get up to Canter Half Pass and Passage all of which I was very proud and coming back again I wondered where I would finish this time – after a lot of work all all sides, to end the week, I was executing Tempi Changes, Piaffe into Passage and even a few Half Canter Pirouettes – it felt incredible I was in tune with my horses and I didn’t feel I was letting them down anymore. I hope and think my fellow riders felt the same, we’d all worked hard, supported each other in low moments (and there were some borne out of our own sheer frustration) but in the end we came away happy, better riders, grateful and yes, ready to book again!

Carmona

The added bonus to this trip is where we stayed – each night you return to Carmona this absolutely beautiful white washed cobblestoned hill top town just 10 minutes from the yard and stay in a Classic hotel with views over the plains. It has a swimming pool, and on return each day we’d dive in and cool off, enjoy a couple of glasses of Cava, before a little siesta perhaps and then shower, dress and head out for late evening tapas – so many fabulous restaurants to try just a stone’s throw away from the hotel.

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Who is this trip for? Anyone keen to improve their riding – and I would encourage some understanding of lateral moves, even if you can’t quite master them at home yet – shoulder in, traverse, leg yield, half pass – I have to admit because of being dressage curious, having never really trained or competed in this discipline, I had to ask a lot of questions, and reading books also helped my understanding of the shapes we are trying to execute to supple our horses. I think if you ride well enough, with feel and can take instruction, and enjoy being critiqued good or bad, this is the place for you!

Riding Programmes

Week long programmes run through out the year from basic training, right up to the Rafael Soto clinics, if you have any concerns on which one to choose, get in touch with me and we can chat and work out which one works best for you. jill.dolan@zarasplanet.com.

If you are specifically looking for the Rafael Clinic, there are set dates throughout the year you can choose from or if you are like us, have a group of 4 of you, we can ask for a specific date for you.

I’d also recommend booking a night in Seville as near to the Cathedral as you can, and make a visit to the Alcazar Palace for a walk around, then evening time just saunter out for a stroll and some tapas, it’s a lively, beautiful, friendly city and easy to get in and out of, the airport is half an hour from the centre.

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Right – what are you waiting for? BOOK NOW you won’t regret it!

Dressage Curious – Jill