What kind of options are there for dressage barns and trainers in Ontario? I’m not looking for right now, but I will probably be moving to Ontario for a couple of years for graduate school in the future. I like to get things sorted early, so I’m just trying to figure out what my options are. I want to stay as close to the Toronto/ North York area as I can.
In general, how much does board cost? Do any of the dressage barns have upper level school masters available for lessons? Brownie points if any of the coaches have PRE lesson horses. How often do/ how many upper level dressage horses come available for lease?
I’d be looking for an FEI successful trainer. I don’t know if I would want to bring my own horse, or if there would be enough options available for me there.
Actual dressage school horses are few and far between anywhere in Canada. And beware of a few places that do advertise having them as many are no different than the WTC schoolies in up-down lesson programs in terms of their level of training. If school horses are a must have, then I would focus your search on a good eventing barn, where at least the coaches and horses have a solid understanding of dressage basics.
Lease horses are more commonly available, especially if you have an established relationship with a reputable dressage trainer. He or she should have the contacts to easily find you something to lease. That route would probably be your best bet. Find and meet with a trainer you like, discuss needs, wants, skills and budgets and hire the trainer to help find you an appropriate lease.
Schoolmaster lessons there are a few places that advertise - M2 Dressage in the west GTA will do them sometimes, Stephanie Jensen Equestrian advertises lessons on upper level schoolmasters but is an hour or so east of Toronto. Ditto Tina and Jaimey Irwin, though they are closer to the city. Many more have a schoolmaster in the barn they will give lessons on to the right person, but don’t necessarily advertise it. Make some calls or send some emails to trainers you like and ask. Expect to commit to a lesson program though, not just a one off.
Also depending where you’re coming from and who you ride with now, ask your current trainer to offer recommendations or make calls to any contacts they may have here. Word of mouth is the best - often the only - way to find an upper level lease, unless you have a huge budget.
Board varies widely depending on location, facilities and services. Closer to the city = more expensive. In general for quality indoor board expect to pay anywhere from $600-$900/month, not including lessons or training.
If you had your own horse or were leasing a horse I would 100% recommend Meredith Risk at Nobleton Dressage. It’s right in your preferred area, the farm is lovely and the care is great, including large grassy paddocks, home grown hay and a heated indoor arena. Meredith has been teaching, training and competing for more than 20 years and consistently, year after year, her clients and their horses successfully move up the levels. She works with any breed of horse and any level / skill of rider, and has brought at least 4 draft crosses herself from green broke to FEI levels. Her own mare - a lovely warmblood also started by Meredith from green broke - just did her first Grand Prix tests in competition this year.
If competitve dressage isnt important to you, then you might enjoy riding at Frank Grelo’s, which is not far outside your desired area. Though not necessarily what we think of as " competition dressage" training, Drank’s Lusitanos are generally very well trained in more of the Portuguese classical style and most have quite a few fun “tricks” like Spanish walk, piaffe and passage. They will teach lessons on school horses there.
