Dressage Institute Membership
From: $197.00 / month
About
This Program
To ensure your success, the Dressage Institute is founded on the concept of competency based learning.
Based on the Training Scale, you will learn the key dressage theories and principles so that you understand the WHY behind each and every step to success.
Every Rider Wants to do Right by Their Horse.
You invest in lessons, clinics, and hours in the saddle, always chasing that elusive “better feel.” You listen, apply, repeat. Yet despite all the effort, progress feels inconsistent — some days brilliant, other days uncertain…
Most riders work incredibly hard, but effort without structure can only take you so far. You can ride every week, repeat the same patterns, and even feel moments of brilliance — yet the foundation never truly changes. Without a framework that explains why something works and how to recreate it, training becomes habit, not progress.
Dressage isn’t built from hours — it’s built from understanding. It’s the difference between rehearsing movements and developing a body that moves differently. When the horse’s shape, balance, and coordination evolve, that’s when training begins — and that’s what we teach.
Where Flatwork Ends and Dressage Begins
Flatwork builds shapes; dressage reshapes the horse…
Flatwork can look correct — the circles, the rhythm, the outline — but nothing in the horse’s way of going truly develops. The body stays patterned but not transformed: the same tightness, the same imbalance, the same energy escaping rather than recycling. Movements repeat, tension builds, and the horse learns to brace instead of flow.
True dressage transforms that pattern. It teaches the horse to use its body as a coordinated system — to channel effort through, not against, itself. Energy flows forward, through the back and into the contact, creating lift, stability, and ease. Each stride becomes part of a self-sustaining loop where balance and elasticity renew one another.
For the beginner, that might mean feeling the horse truly connect to the hand for the first time — that moment when the contact softens, the frame breathes, and the back begins to swing.
For the advanced rider, it might mean finding consistency in the canter pirouette — keeping the stride active and the energy circulating, so the horse lowers the croup without losing forward intention.
In both cases, the principle is the same:
- Tension doesn’t create power — circulation does.
- Dressage isn’t about adding more; it’s about refining what’s already there so the horse can do more with less effort.
How we Redefined Training
Traditional coaching teaches riders to depend on instruction. The Dressage Institute teaches riders to understand themselves and their horses — to ride with clarity, not dependence…
Most riders don’t fail because they’re bad riders. They fail because they’re taught momentary reactions, not systems.
When a horse loses tempo, they’re told “more leg.” When a horse isn’t coming through properly, they’re told “make him more through.”
But those are band-aids — quick fixes with no discussion about why the problem exists or what part of the system has broken down.
Without understanding the framework, every correction is temporary.
If you’re not solving the system, you’re not solving the problem — you’re only managing the moment.
Traditional coaching addresses the symptoms; DI rebuilds the structure underneath.
DI teaches riders to read the system — the biomechanics, timing, and psychology under every stride.
Instead of reacting to a moment, they learn to see the whole circle: rhythm settles the nervous system so the back can swing (suppleness); connection then organises the body — the reins acting as a paired pulley to lengthen the topline and shorten the wheelbase so load is shared over all four feet; from that same base, impulsion, straightness, and collection emerge — not as add-ons, but as the natural deepening of the foundations.
When the loop stays unbroken — hindlegs → back → topline → neck → hand → back into the body — the horse carries you.
When riders begin to see training as a loop rather than a list, their lessons change too.
They no longer walk in asking “how do I ride a shoulder-in?” — they arrive saying, “this is what I feel happening in my shoulder-in — is that correct?”
Coaching becomes collaboration. The instructor becomes another set of eyes, not a voice of control.
These aren’t lessons anymore; they’re calibrations — deeper, faster, more productive sessions where both rider and coach are speaking the same language.
When a rider understands the system, the coach’s input can go further, faster, and with greater precision. It’s not about replacing coaching; it’s about elevating it.
In independent study, 84.2% of riders who complete the full program report needing live coaching less — not because they’ve stepped away from instruction, but because each session now achieves what used to take months of repetition.
Coaching becomes collaboration again — refining instead of repeating, building instead of fixing.
What’s Inside DI?
The Dressage Institute is a complete training ecosystem — built for riders who want structure, science, and support without losing connection or compassion…
It brings together the tools, feedback, and psychology that every high-performance sport already uses — but adapted for dressage, and delivered with empathy.
Each membership gives you everything you need to progress with evidence and understanding:
- Competency-based progression — Advancement is earned, not scheduled. You move forward when real, visible change is achieved — no more guessing or plateauing.
- Video-based feedback — Send in your rides for detailed analysis. We identify where energy stops flowing, where balance breaks, and how to restore the loop.
- Live Q&A sessions — Interactive, real-time discussions with coaches and specialists. You’ll ask, challenge, and clarify concepts directly — no more riding in confusion.
- Sports psychology integration — DI embeds psychology into every level of training. You’ll learn to recognise focus triggers, manage emotional pressure, and channel clarity the same way elite athletes do — replacing tension with precision and pressure with purpose.
- Social learning rooms — A structured space to connect with like-minded riders, share insight, and celebrate progress. Every member becomes part of a system that values understanding over opinion.
- Educational library — Deep-dive blogs, short video lessons, and practical guides turn complex biomechanics into everyday language.
- Progress tracking and KPIs — Defined competency markers and visual feedback keep your growth measurable. You don’t wonder if you’re improving — you can see it.
Together, these elements create a learning environment that’s not just informative but transformative — a system that teaches you how to think, analyse, and ride independently, with kindness at the centre of every stride.
The Result
Riders who once rode by instruction now ride by understanding…
They no longer chase shapes — they develop balance, posture, and communication that last.
Flatwork can make a horse obedient; dressage makes the horse capable.
Most riders work harder than anyone gives them credit for — they just haven’t been shown how to think like athletes.
In every other sport, mindset and clarity are trained alongside movement.
In ours, riders are told to “just feel it” — to guess their way toward precision.
Without the mental tools to process pressure, focus, and feedback, good riders become stuck riders.
DI brings sports psychology into every stride — helping riders recognise focus triggers, manage emotion, and ride with calm precision.
True dressage comes from comprehension — from knowing why something works and how to build it with kindness.
Because every other sport has evolved — it’s time ours did too.
The Dressage Institute delivers the training scale as it was always meant to be understood.
Course Breakdown
Dressage Training (from Intro to Grand Prix) provides you with the foundation you need to successfully train your horse from Intro level through to Grand Prix. In a competency based system, Alicia takes you through how to apply the Training Scale to your training and breaks down all the must-know concepts to have success in your training. With quizzes at each step of the way, you will ensure you have a deep understanding of every concept and movement in dressage.
Course Content
Dressage Test Riding (from Intro to Grand Prix) is the ultimate guide to test riding. You will not only learn how to maximise your test marks, but gain a deeper understanding of what the judge is looking for, and WHY he/she is looking for this. Starting from Intro level, Alicia talks you through what you need to compete successfully, explains each new movement introduced at this level, and what you should be working on in training at home to get ready for the next level.
