I’ve had my core Dressage instruction with one trainer, who took me up through the levels and gave me the golden opportunity to be a grand prix dressage rider. Her name is Cyndi Jackson, of To The Max dressage in Scottsdale, AZ.

In the beginning, I was just a student who did what I was told.  As I developed the technical and feeling skills from horse to horse, she gave me the freedom to train horses on my own.  Sometimes it worked well and sometimes she had to save me. Ironically, this is still true many years later.

What I respect most about Cyndi is that it doesn’t matter if I’m a full-time client or if she’s an on-call instructor. She has so much knowledge and is willing to help me in any way needed.

We both understand that it takes more than a lifetime to learn dressage and that each horse presents unique training challenges. I’m grateful to have someone like her in my life!

I hope every dressage rider finds their happy instruction home with someone who can be a guide, a teacher and a savior as we all work to develop and evolve our own training programs.

Welcome to Dressage with Michell!

I was born with a love and respect for horses. Luckily my parents were tolerant of this extreme obsession and supported my journey as I transformed from such a shy little girl into a confident woman.

For a long time I didn’t care what horse or discipline I was riding, it was just perfect to be on a horse.  Then as circumstances dictated, I was encouraged to give Dressage a try. It’s a standing joke that when my horse and I first started taking Dressage lessons, we were “pre-intro” level.  I didn’t know what a 20-meter circle was and I didn’t know the Dressage “seat”. But over the years, with excellent instruction, insightful clinics and willing horses, I was able to progress through the levels, earning my USDF Gold Rider Medal in 2013.

Giving back to the Dressage community is very important and one way I do this is through judging. I’ve graduated from the USDF L Program with distinction and I further my judge training at local, USDF and USEF clinics. Recently, I was accepted into the USEF “r” Dressage judge training program and plan to continue my training.

My journey has been interesting, full of surprises and full of amazing and generous people.  Please check back as I share some of my insights and inspiration, which will hopefully help you in your journey.  And I look forward to seeing you in the show ring soon!