Tracey started taking horses to Melanie Turner Dressage in 2007 when she was dabbling in the world of competition. Mel’s unique approach goes far beyond simply teaching someone to ride and enabled Tracey and her Friesian partners to achieve more in that world than she ever thought possible.

Aside from those achievements, experience taught Tracey that the competitive world was not for her. She wanted a horse’s individual welfare to drive every care decision made on their behalf and knew Mel’s training would be key.

The goal is to build a long-term understanding of each horse’s needs, both physical and emotional, and meet  those changing needs over time so they can feel comfortable, confident and balanced. Mel susses out the intricacies of the horses’ movements, and where riding is a part of their fitness routine, helps a rider understand how their positioning influences a horse’s health and performance while under saddle. Whether a horse is young, older, or not ideally suited for riding, Mel’s expertise in groundwork offers a practical way to stimulate a horse’s mind, encourage their natural movement and build trust.

We feel incredibly fortunate to have someone with Mel’s insightful knowledge and skill so close to our doorstep.