ALEX PEARSON
Give me a call on 07961 472950
to discuss your requirements
Dressage and Flatwork trainer
AND NOW....
My teaching has now become my all consuming passion.
I love it, from grass roots to advanced from 4 year old children to 70 year old adults, on cobs, thoroughbreds, Irish sport horses, warmbloods.. I teach them all, unaffiliated, affiliated, people who don't compete, nervous riders, confident riders. The work I do with clients covers a huge range from helping those who need to develop a bond with their horse, (cuddle training, as I call it) to teaching lungeing, managing horses that buck and rear, horses that bolt, horses that won't go forward, horses that people have given up with.
We start with the basics and build naturally from there. It's seldom easy but in nearly 20 years of training I haven't given up with a single one of them. I truly believe there is no such thing as a bad horse. only bad training.
For those with a competitive bent, my clients compete from Introductory up to Advanced Medium. I have clients winning on huge percentages at every grade, wins at area festivals, top ten placings at regional level, selection for BD Home Internationals and winning local unaffiliated championships. In eventing, I have clients posting scores as low as a 19, clients competing at Intermediate and Advanced level eventing and one client recently competing at international level with her dressage score putting her higher than most professionals. I also have clients competing and placed in the top ten for the last 3 years in the Young Event horse classes at Bramham three day event.
AND FOR YOU....
I have BHSAI, I'm British Dressage accredited and am awaiting my BD judging listing. I am fully insured. But it is the years of experience that I rely on most heavily, and my results speak for themselves.
Horses can be taken for schooling and livery and I am available for private or group lessons, and clinics, at your yard or mine. I have two- way radios so riders can hear me perfectly if they to want to use them.
I also teach local riding clubs such as Nidd Valley (Dressage Team trainer) and Brimham Rock.
Over the coming months, we will be expanding my yard and will be running some unaffiliated competitions and test riding days at my new premises.
In the pipeline also are video riding lessons incorporating the latest technology of the iPad to video lessons and then running through them with you.
I will always work with you in the way that suits you and your horse.
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​REALISING THE DREAM
Well, true to form, my wonderful new horse would not move forward a step without rearing. Trainer after trainer came and went and it seemed that no-one could do a thing with him. There was nothing for it but to set off back to work on Jane Bredin's yard and to get some help. It was very hard work, but so worth it, I rode ten horses a day, groomed for her when she competed at the Nationals, looked after her Olympic horses but, most importantly, started making real headway with my Finley!
When we entered the British junior team trials, Carl Hester saw us working in and immediately recognised Finley. He couldn't believe that a 15 year old girl had managed to get him going. In the competition, we came second behind Sarah Millis, who is now based with Kyra Kyrkland. I was so chuffed.
After a few more attempts at the trials we had done it - I was on the British junior team ! We rode at Olympia and then went on to be selected for the Young Riders team and competed up to Inter 1 at regional & national level, winning the advanced medium regionals at Frys.
I have trained with the best of the best, Jane Bredin, Judy Harvey, Stephen Clarke, Dane Rawlins, Ian Woodhead, Jennie Loriston-Clarke & Laura Fry. Laura Fry became my trainer when I then bought two youngsters at 4 years old; with Laura's firm guidance and encouragement I trained Remy & Mayson up to advanced level, riding and winning at both regional and national levels and since then, I've gone on to train and ride about another five horses to advanced level.
But Finley was the best horse of my life, he was my best friend, my Black Beauty. He had taught me so much, and every inch of it had been done through kindness and consistency. Every time he reared I ignored him and kept my leg on and then when he moved forward from my leg even a fraction, I immediately took off my leg and I patted and praised him like he had won gold! Thank you, Finley, for everything that you taught me. All that I learnt through that long, difficult journey became the basis for "my" method of training!
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
I began my horse journey at 4 years old. I constantly begged my mum and dad to let me learn to ride for months, even thought they were not in the slightest bit horsey. I still don't know how I could have seen anything about dressage but I knew even before I sat on a horse what I wanted to do - I remember my mum asking me what I wanted to do with horses and my reply was that I want to dance on a horse with a top hat on!! And those early ambitions have never wavered.
I was never a confident young rider but I had good training from the late Miss Beaumont of Westways riding school where I spent years, working very hard & learning as much as I could. Inevitably, I started to pester for my own pony, so dad made me a deal; if I worked every weekend for two years at the riding stables, he would buy me one.
Well I worked and worked, never missing a day. One weekend, it snowed so badly it didn't look like I was going to get there. I remember crying my eyes out, anguished as to how Miss Beaumont could possibly manage with all those horses if no one could get there...so Dad got me there! I'd proven to him how dedicated I was, so we started looking for my first pony, and that's where my dressage journey started.
I was spotted by a local dressage trainer within a year, and from her I had the amazing opportunity to have lessons on her advanced horse, and so I learnt half pass, flying changes, pirouettes - and I competed in my first advanced medium at 12 years old. I was hooked.
I had a couple of other horses on which I did some prelim and novices and then realised I had decided on my goal... I wanted to get on the British dressage team! So we started our search for the right horse, literally scouring the country, armed only with the limited knowledge that I, now 14, and my parents had accumulated.
Eventually we came across an ad for "Finley". He was 5 years old, talented, and "sold as seen" (whatever could that mean?) he was with the amazing late international rider Jane Bredin. He turned out to be very naughty, a confirmed rearer, nappy, and only Jane could ride him - in fact he'd broken his last owner's back, and everyone -including Olympic rider Carl Hester- had said he was crackers!!..... Hence the price.
Yes, you've guessed it. This was the one I wanted.
