The Dressage Institute
The Dressage Institute is a online, competency-based learning system that builds independent, confident riders.
Whether you’re finding true contact for the first time or lifting your Prix St. Georges scores from the 60s into the 70s, this program meets you where you are and shows you what to do next.
With measurable milestones, live Q&A sessions, and video-based feedback, progress becomes visible and repeatable — wherever you ride.
Seminars
Five-day intensives that bring the Training Scale to life. Held at premier equestrian venues across the UK, Europe, Australia, and the United States.
Through live demonstrations, biomechanics analysis, and psychology-driven discussion, riders learn to see the Training Scale in motion and apply it independently.
Limited to 20 participants for individual attention. Places fill quickly and are often reserved by returning riders, so waiting lists are common.
DI Performance Pathway
Outcome-based, KPI-driven training.
You don’t buy a horse – you buy a goal.
Each phase is governed by measurable KPIs, verified scores, and documented milestones.
You pay for results, not the hope of them.
Progress is structured, accountable, and transparent — a partnership that treats improvement as a deliverable.
Schoolmaster & Competition Horse Lease Program
Access elite performance without ownership risk.
Train and compete on exceptional small tour and Grand Prix horses across the UK, Europe, Australia, and the United States.
Many of our horses have achieved early-70s scores at Prix St. Georges and Grand Prix in venues such as Wellington, Florida. Each is chosen for soundness, temperament, and suitability, allowing riders to focus on development, not logistics.
About the Founder
Alicia Dickinson is a Grand Prix rider, educator, and founder of the Dressage Institute. She has completed her Level 2 Dressage Specialist qualification (NCAS) in 2014 and is known for her clear, human approach to teaching the German Training Scale — making a traditionally complex system understandable, measurable, and ethical.
Not a professional rider in the traditional sense, Alicia has never made her living training horses. Yet when she competed nationally at Grand Prix level, she consistently placed among the top two riders, outperforming many established professionals in competitive fields. Balancing a full-time career, motherhood, and life beyond the arena, she represents a version of success built on understanding, balance, and perspective.
Alicia believes progress in dressage comes from comprehension, not control. Her teaching philosophy blends biomechanics, sports psychology, and ethics to create confident, independent riders. She advocates for open discussion over hierarchy, kindness over pressure, and integrity over image — encouraging a culture where both horse and rider can truly thrive.
