Spanish international dressage rider Pedro Jose Nieto Lopez came from a non-horsey background and has enjoyed remarkable success after having his first riding lesson at the age of twelve. This highly talented young man has had the opportunity to work with Olympic riders and ride Olympic horses such as Focoloco. In addition to competing, Pedro also manages the Virgen del Miracle equestrian club and is a professional rider for several Spanish and European stud farms producing and competing predominantly young horses with incredible success with many victories culminating in winning a medal at this years Salón Internacional del Caballo (SICAB) world championship in Sevilla.
How did horses come into your life?
Meet the very talented Pedro Jose Nieto Lopez
Horses came by chance; it was the curiosity to know this world when I was a child and in my family no one has ever ridden or been related to this. With insistence I got my parents to sign me up for riding lessons when I was approximately twelve years old and the best thing of all is that I started jumping. But I didn’t last long in that discipline, at the age of fourteen I decided to change and that’s where dressage came into my life. When I was a little older, and already being more aware of the range of possibilities that horse riding had as a sport, classical dressage began to catch my attention, I began to see the precision of the exercises and the elegance in the execution of each of them. Seeing great professionals competing in Grand Prix doing very difficult exercises such as piaffe, passage, was really what led me to want to learn and be able to be there one day.
When and where do you ride?
I have ridden in many places, in Spain, I have worked both in the south and in areas like Asturias, and also outside of Spain for short periods such as Mexico and Holland, although for many years I have been in Murcia, closer to home.
It takes a team to do dressage, who is in your support team?
I have to say that I have a great team that accompanies me in every competition, the ranchers themselves who are always supporting me, my coach who accompanies me every time he can and my partner and teammate Maria who is always on hand. We also have the collaboration of sponsors, this year Econex has sponsored us, and I take this opportunity to thank them for all their support.
Who do you train with?
Like all riders, I consider it very important to supervise your horses with a trainer, even if you are a professional rider. The vision of a horse when you ride it is never the same as seeing it from the outside and I think that external vision is very necessary to improve and learn. I have been training throughout my career with different great professionals such as José Garcia Mena or Daniel Martin Dockx among others. Currently and for approximately a year we have been working with Juan Francisco Fernández, a great rider, with whom we do monthly reviews to see the evolution of my horses and be able to improve based on the competition.
What are you and your horses currently working on?
We currently have several foals that we are preparing for their debut next year and preparing other horses that are already starting at level 7 years and Saint George. And as a coach, we are preparing a competition team of promising children next year.
What do you love about riding?
I especially like to see the evolution they can have, to achieve every day even with a lot of work that they learn something new, and even though it is work they give me freedom and it is their time and to not think about anything else. And although I love teaching my students and seeing the things they are capable of, my passion is competition, that adrenaline that I feel every time I am about to go into the arena.
Do you have any rituals before competing?
Yes, I always carry some very special things for me in my jacket that always accompany me and before competing I always spend a few minutes alone.
What would you like to be doing in the future, and do you have any goals?
My dream or rather my dreams would be great achievements, riding horses in Grand Prix or riding in a world championship.
Your Top Tip?
It takes a lot of patience and perseverance, and that with hard work everything comes and enjoy the journey.
What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given?
Having a lot of patience is not an easy job, but with effort and perseverance you can achieve everything. And although sometimes in that process it is hard to enjoy every moment that horses give us because we will always learn something from them.
Down the Centre Line
Who would be your dream horse to ride?
Totilas
Who is your equestrian hero?
Isabell Werth
If you could have five people to dinner, who would they be?
Isabell Werth, Edward Gal, Juan Francisco Fernandez, Jose Garcia Mena, Carl Hester
Favourite colour horse?
Dappled
Favourite horse event?
Chio Aachen
Favourite food?
Macaroni with tomato, tuna, cheese and egg
Want More?
If you enjoyed meeting Pedro you might like to view more dressage rider “chatting with” interviews here . You can keep up with Pedro’s progress and check out his instagram page here
I have ridden in many places, in Spain, I have worked both in the south and in areas like Asturias, and also outside of Spain for short periods such as Mexico and Holland, although for many years I have been in Murcia, closer to home.
Like all riders, I consider it very important to supervise your horses with a trainer, even if you are a professional rider. The vision of a horse when you ride it is never the same as seeing it from the outside and I think that external vision is very necessary to improve and learn. I have been training throughout my career with different great professionals such as José Garcia Mena or Daniel Martin Dockx among others. Currently and for approximately a year we have been working with Juan Francisco Fernández, a great rider, with whom we do monthly reviews to see the evolution of my horses and be able to improve based on the competition.
I especially like to see the evolution they can have, to achieve every day even with a lot of work that they learn something new, and even though it is work they give me freedom and it is their time and to not think about anything else. And although I love teaching my students and seeing the things they are capable of, my passion is competition, that adrenaline that I feel every time I am about to go into the arena.
My dream or rather my dreams would be great achievements, riding horses in Grand Prix or riding in a world championship.
