Looking for a dressage trainer, haul-in, between Olympia and Vancouver, WA...

[CupcakeTough]

Hello all!

I tried to cover it in the thread title

I’m looking for a trainer between Olympia and Vancouver. I’m looking for a trainer I can haul-in to. Down the line, one who travels might be nice as I like to ride multiple horses/lessons a day, but we just bought the farm and I don’t have an arena yet!

Here’s the deal though, I’m primarily an event rider. I have no intention of quitting eventing BUT I really want to break into straight dressage. And I ride thoroughbreds- not just because I event, I really like OTTBs. I occasionally take in other breeds that I start, train, and resell, but my personal horses are all TBs. I have one horse, lovely mover, who I’m thinking of turning into a straight dressage horse.

Several years ago I tried to do this, but the person I rode with was less than helpful. She went back to extreme basics (totally great, I’m happy to do that, I want a solid foundation), but she made it clear from lesson 1 that she felt it was a waste to spend this time on a TB. She basically told me that if I expected to learn dressage I would need a warmblood. I took several lessons with her, but left every one feeling really discouraged.

To be clear, I do not expect to ride my TB to Grand Prix, I have no visions of out-competing my warmblood competition! This is purely for my edification and the improvement of my riding and training.

So! Recommendations for dressage trainers who will be patient with an eventer trying to learn the ropes of straight dressage and who will be kind about my preferred breed of horse.

[RedmondDressage]

Jessica Wisdom is great and is in Ridgefield, WA. Lindsay O’Keefe is also down there in Yelm. Either would be good options

[rjr]

Wow! Did that experience happen in the Olympia/Vancouver area??? I am in that area, and find it to generally have GREAT cooperation between eventers and dressage people/trainers, and also to be VERY open to “off breeds” – After all, this area has produced the only Welsh Cob to ride Grand Prix, and the only Fjord to ride grand prix. So pretty much anyone in this area should be quite used to the fact that ANY breed can do dressage! (and both of those horses have also competed in recognized Eventing, by the way.)

The following are dressage trainers who have some background in eventing and/or are currently training some event riders, and are open to off breeds. I would highly recommend any of them (I think contact info for all of them can be found on the USDF Region 6 website):
Jessica Wisdom (Ridgefield WA, and clinics in Rochester), Kari McClain (Olympia WA and clinics in Ridgefield), Nicki Charbonneau (at the same barn and Kari).

Other dressage trainers in the area who I would recommend, but I do not specifically know about their attitude toward TB’s or eventing: Mike Osinski (Olympia), Lindsey O’keefe (Yelm), Regina Agren (Castle Rock), Jennifer Schrader-Williams (Roy).

I have personal experience with many of the above - message me if you have questions that might be too specific for the whole list.

[CupcakeTough]

Whoops! Sorry! I should have been specific that I was NOT living in this area when I had the unfortunate experience. I was living out of state then and was wanting to start studying dressage (same as now), but the experience really turned me away at the time.

I’m from the NW originally, have been back for awhile, but riding eventing only. I’m not hugely familiar with the dressage trainers, so I thought I’d ask here. I’m also moving to the Chehalis area and was hoping to find trainers along that I5 corridor.

Thank you, everybody, for your responses and PMs!

RJR- along with area 6 website, what other resources should I look into/organizations should I join if I want to be involved in the dressage community?

[hoopoe]

Keri McLean I can recommend She has ridden 3 day and has brought “off breeds” to GP.

I cannot say, however, that she would be available to travel to you in the future, But I would ride with her any time

[rjr]

[QUOTE=CupcakeTough;8870486]

RJR- along with area 6 website, what other resources should I look into/organizations should I join if I want to be involved in the dressage community?[/QUOTE]

Join Oregon Dressage Society (due to some odd historical quirks, ODS covers southern WA also). I think that will also get you a subscription to Flying Changes Magazine (but you may already get that through your eventing connections). A lot happens on facebook - so “Like” the “USDF region 6” page, “northwest dressage”, and several of the trainers I mentioned have pages. Keep an eye on the Devonwood and Donida Farms websites - both of those barns have really good schooling show series, and also often have interesting clinics for riding and/or auditing.

Jessica Wisdom has a clinic coming up in Rochester Oct 29 - 30 with free auditing, which might be a good chance to check her out. Info is on a facebook page “Jessica Wisdom Riders of the LPS”

[rjr]

@hoopoe;8870525

Keri McLean I can recommend She has ridden 3 day and has brought “off breeds” to GP.

Then correct spelling is Kari McClain – which might help you find her on the internet. The barn name is Miari Stables. She has a nice website.

[exploding_pony]

Bought a horse from Kari last year. She was absolutely lovely and the horse is absolutely fabulous. Recommend her highly.

[Outyougo]

Erika Graff in Eatonville WA