Looking for recommendations for dressage instructors in the Ocala area for low level rider. Just getting into dressage so i do not necessarily need a big name rider. Thanks
Seconded! She’s the best!
@acottongim I don’t know if you have any suggestions or are looking, but I thought this might be relevant for you. 
For low level dressage I would definitely NOT rule out some of the eventers in the area - I started dressage with an eventing trainer who I just love, and a lot of eventing trainers truly get the basics of freely moving forward.
I third Michelle
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Jacqui Cuddy
Eline Ekroth
Belinda Nairn
No one beats Anna Toomey when it comes to cheering on her crew and providing solid basics. She is one of the most positive instructors I’ve watched to give lower level lessons.
A second for Anna. She will start you on the right path. You might want to stop by the STRIDE showon the 27th at the Horse Park and watch some of the trainers.
Thank you everyone!
I have a great instructor that is in Ocala. She has trained a few grand prix horses and a few are showing in Wellington. She is now in Ocala and works with lower level students. She loves to teach. She worked with my boy who is in Ocala still.
I worked with Sharon Jerdeman when I lived in Ocala. She was fantastic. She has clients of all levels, and helped me quite a bit with my dressage.
Dee Loveless. A R judge.
In addition to Anna Toomey, I have a few other suggestions. These folks all did some H/J and/or western before turning to dressage, and so have a handle on the challenges faced by someone not used to riding in a “balanced seat”… Laura Perla teaches lots of lower level riders and H/J folks. She herself competed at The Garden etc in past years and all ehr horses have solid dressage foundations. She is fair, honest, and interested all aspects of happiness for horses… She has helped me with my seat and position, and is working with a horse I own that has contact issues…
Judy Downer is my trainer. She works with all levels. She has experience in all sorts of equine disciplines, and brought a horse with conformational challenges up through the levels to successful GP, AND earned all her freestyle bars with him as well. (Only somethng like 9 people have all the medals and all the FS bars…). She is an R judge and is in the S program.
I would recommend Judy Downer.
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This is a good point. I the previous eventer I trained with taught great dressage (in addition to being an overall great instructor) . And I honestly couldn’t have asked for better than the new one I just started with - extremely knowledgable and had a solid 4th level horse for me to ride.
Regarding the event instructors, just my experience but, many are overpriced here. When I moved here and started shopping around for an instructor for jumping (before I switched to dressage), the quotes I got from event trainers were all $100-$125+ per lesson. From people who did not have experience competing above Prelim. That, to me, is insane.
