Inside Abu Dhabi Royal Equestrian Arts opening night: A stunning showcase of horses, heritage, and horsemanship

Dubai: It’s not every day you watch horses do ballet — but that’s exactly what unfolded last night on Jubail Island.

The occasion was the official inauguration of the Abu Dhabi Royal Equestrian Arts (ADREA) by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, with H.H. Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, in attendance.

ADREA isn’t just another equestrian school — it’s the first global academy outside Europe dedicated to the classical art of horsemanship. And if the glittering opening night was any indication, this new cultural landmark in Abu Dhabi is set to redefine how the region experiences heritage, performance, and spectacle. Gulf News was witness to the opening night and it was nothing short of pure poetry in motion - but with horses taking centre stage.

Imagine this: When the giant iron doors opened, the arena came alive — horses with perfectly braided manes, riders in immaculate uniforms, and music swelling like something out of a Ridley Scott epic.

Each movement was deliberate, each rhythm precise — a ballet of hooves and heartbeats that proved horsemanship can be both athletic and artistic.

There were no dusty arenas or thundering races. The riders didn’t yank reins or bark commands; their communication was quieter, subtler — a shift of weight here, a slight pulse of the calf there. It was horsemanship stripped of ego, distilled down to pure trust and control.

For an hour, the audience watched a conversation between human and horse — one built on patience, tradition, and an almost mathematical understanding of rhythm.

The performance had no dramatic crescendos, no gimmicks. Its beauty was in its restraint. Watching a horse lift into a levade — balanced, poised, unhurried — was as hypnotic as watching calligraphy come to life.

ADREA itself is a statement of intent.

The new academy — the first of its kind outside Europe — sprawls across 65,000 square metres on Jubail Island and houses everything from a saddle-making atelier to a sprawling equestrian library filled with 14,000 manuscripts. There’s even the Furussiya Gallery, home to more than 170 artefacts that chart humanity’s centuries-old fascination with horses.

But this wasn’t nostalgia dressed up as performance. The highlight of the night — a rare joint display from five classical riding schools from Austria, Spain, Portugal, France, and the UAE — made one thing clear: classical horsemanship still has plenty to say.

When the final horse trotted out, its coat gleaming under the lights, the applause was steady but subdued — not out of politeness, but reverence. In a world obsessed with spectacle, ADREA’s debut reminded us that elegance doesn’t need volume.

It was an hour of measured perfection.

Don’t Miss It

• What: Abu Dhabi Royal Equestrian Arts (ADREA)

• When: November 1 & 2, 2025

• Where: Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi

• Why go:

  • Be among the first to experience this 65,000-square-metre cultural landmark.

  • Witness a historic two-day gala featuring performances by all four heritage schools of classical horsemanship — from Austria, Spain, Portugal, and France — performing together with ADREA for the first time.