CBV-dressage

CBV-dressage USDF Silver & Bronze Medalist w/distinction FEI dressage rider in Holly Ridge, NC. 2 years ago

Never forget why you got into the equestrian sports - remember when you were little and you could only dream of hugging ...
10/05/2025

Never forget why you got into the equestrian sports - remember when you were little and you could only dream of hugging your own pony ♥️

In my opinion every trainer has to be able to give you an answer to all of these questions. If not? Find somebody who ca...
09/14/2025

In my opinion every trainer has to be able to give you an answer to all of these questions. If not? Find somebody who can.


The effectiveness of the aids
- Do you know when you should be using your inside hand and when you should be using your outside hand?
- Do you know what to do when you have to keep kicking your horse to maintain a certain speed and you want to change this?
- Do you know why ‘holding your horse until he releases’ is never the answer to a soft connection?
- Do you know how to fix your seat when someone tells you that ‘you are sitting behind the movement’?


The biomechanics of the horse
- Do you know what happens in the horses body when you bend left or right? *hint: where do the shoulders go?
- Do you know why you should always have vertical balance before horizontal balance?
- Do you know the difference between collection and ‘going slow’?
- Do you know how to position the head and the shoulders of the horse left and right seperately?


The ability of the horse to learn
- Do you know why it’s positive if your horse makes ‘mistakes’ during training?
- Do you know why getting mad at your horse is NEVER the solution?
- Do you know what are the signs when your horse is mentally closed off and can’t process your aids anymore?
- Do you know how your horse communicates with you when he’s in pain, or when he doesn’t understand you?

These are 12 questions most of my students had no answer to when we first started working together. And I’m the first one to admit that for a long time in my riding carreer I also had no answer to. But in my journey of talking to professionals, riding lots of horses, teaching lots of different students, reading books, signing up for webinars, watching other people ride, listening to podcasts and attending clinics, I realized that simply knowing the techniques of dressage will get you nowhere if you don’t know the answers to the questions above. Those 12 questions are solely just the basics (and I could actually come up with at least another 12 questions). When you make it to the upper levels it becomes even more complicated.

I am hoping to launch a new website sometime this year or maybe next year. Which I envision to become a platform where members can learn not only about how to become a good dressage rider, but how to become a good partner to your horse. Whether you ride dressage, western, show jumping, eventing or anything in between.

To my students: do you know the answers to all of these? If there’s one or more missing answers, please ask me in the next scheduled lesson!

My students are the best 🫶🏼 shout out to Rose Gold Equestrian for letting us play around with Icee 💙🩵🤍
08/19/2025

My students are the best 🫶🏼 shout out to Rose Gold Equestrian for letting us play around with Icee 💙🩵🤍

I’ve been back to work now for a few weeks and I’m motivated more than ever! It’s exciting to see my students were on th...
04/24/2025

I’ve been back to work now for a few weeks and I’m motivated more than ever! It’s exciting to see my students were on their own for a couple months and they’ve been doing good 😄 I’m always so on top of focusing on the basics while maintaining a harmonious relationship with the horse and I can truly see how well my students have progressed in this and made it their own vision too.

To keep educating and challenging myself I signed up for the USDF ‘L’ program to become an official judge. The course will start in November and I can’t wait to meet more dressage people in the eastern coastal area.

🍼 Baby news!Earlier this month we welcomed our daughter Willow into our lives 🥰 We've been enjoying every second of her....
02/14/2025

🍼 Baby news!

Earlier this month we welcomed our daughter Willow into our lives 🥰 We've been enjoying every second of her. That being said, I definitely miss my students and can't wait to be back out there! I will reach out to everybody as soon as I am fully recovered 💖

All of my students have a little place in my heart, and that’s not the pregnancy hormones talking 😅😊 over the past coupl...
12/22/2024

All of my students have a little place in my heart, and that’s not the pregnancy hormones talking 😅😊 over the past couple years CBV dressage has grown into a little equestrian family where everybody is genuinely supportive of each other. But most importantly (to me) these equestrians made it their goal to truly understand their horse, why do certain patterns happen, how can you influence that in a positive way so that both rider AND the horse enjoy their job.

Yesterday my New Bern group spoiled me with all these Christmas presents 🥰 the biggest present to me is when I see students change the way they think and ride, but they definitely made me feel incredibly appreciated yesterday! I’m blessed to be surrounded by amazing people!

Merry Christmas 🎄

The last riding photos I posted was from a year ago, our Prix St. George test in November of 2023.In case some of you wo...
10/21/2024

The last riding photos I posted was from a year ago, our Prix St. George test in November of 2023.

In case some of you wonder what we have been doing since.. this! 🧡

We didn't ride much during the summer since pregnancy is a little harder on me this time. But now autumn has finally arrived we are enjoying our rides again 🍁

It's truly a blessing to have a horse so versatile. Upper level dressage, being a kids pony, riding with or without saddle, always happy, cuddly and the list continues on 🥰

Now who did I inspire to go out and do a barebackpad ride?!

📸Forward Shadow Werks

This weekend I spent coaching a few students at the USDF show in Pinehurst. I'm so proud of how well the riders and hors...
09/30/2024

This weekend I spent coaching a few students at the USDF show in Pinehurst. I'm so proud of how well the riders and horses performed and how everybody helped each other out. It's lovely being with a group who is so supportive of each other.

There were so many highlights, let me share a few with you.

Student Evelyn (12 years old!) rode her first ever rated show with sweet Rosie. Riding First Level test 1 and scoring 63% is just so impressive!

Student Rachel (15 years old) rode her first ever rated show as well with both Rosie and Mannie. In Second Level test 3 she scored 65% with Rosie. In First Level test 3 she scored 66% with Mannie, and in First Level test 2 a nice 63%. With both horses she qualified for the Regional Championships and she's quickly on her way of earning that Bronze Medal!

Student Cathy started the day off with a beautiful ride on her horse Ben. The goal was to give him a good experience and to have him canter trough the test. Scoring 66% in Training Level test 2 and a smashing 71% in Intro B.

Student Lisa S rode her horse Bad to a nice 61% in Second Level test 2. The goal was to keep him at length, relaxed and in self carriage. He already improved much from the show late August in Williamston. I can't wait to see the future for these 2.

Trainer Jeanette van Mill (and fellow Dutchie!) was there to coach Stephanie and Lisa G who also both had good rides. Today, Sunday, I spent the day with my family and Jeanette continued with the whole group. It's truly great to be part of such a motivated group of riders and trainers.

My New Bern group picking up all the prizes today at the 2024 Dressage at the Endless Summer Horse Show in Williamston 🏆...
08/24/2024

My New Bern group picking up all the prizes today at the 2024 Dressage at the Endless Summer Horse Show in Williamston 🏆 so proud of all these ladies, the dedication and hard work over the past few months are paying off. We had a wonderful time all together, already looking forward to the next adventure 🥰

Who I am to write something about the Charlotte Dujardin case? Just an equestrian trying to make a living out of riding ...
07/24/2024

Who I am to write something about the Charlotte Dujardin case? Just an equestrian trying to make a living out of riding and teaching but nowhere close to Olympic level.

What I can say something about? Is that working or being at big international (Olympic) stables IS intimidating. All the comments of ‘Why are they releasing the videos 2 years later?’ and ‘These people are after ruining Charlotte’s career’ and ‘Why didn’t they say something right there right then?’

I can answer that. Because you get intimidated. Because who are you to speak up to an Olympic gold medalist? Then you go home and your mind starts racing. ‘Was it really that bad or am I overthinking?’ and ‘Who am I to share this video and go public?’ and ‘Who cares about my experience, I’m a nobody.’ Then this girl’s parents might be non-equestrians, and maybe they felt intimidated during the lesson and said on the way back ‘let’s just never go back and forget about all this’.

I seriously can’t and won’t understand how people get mad over the video getting released now. Shouldn’t you be happy that Charlotte isn’t taking home more Olympic Medals knowing this is what she does? Do you truly believe that this was the first time she picked up a whip like that? Do you really think this girl ruined Charlottes career? How about Charlotte did that herself?!

Am I a saint, have I never done anything I don’t regret now? Absolutely not. I have been and worked at international (Olympic) stables myself when I was in my teenage years. And I too have seen things which deep in my heart made me question whether that was fair to the horse or not. But I was intimidated too, thought ‘these people know better than me’. So I never said anything. Now that I’m 31 I would finally have the courage to say something right there right then. That’s about 14 years later. It took this girl only 2 years to open her mouth. And I’m happy she did.

If we want to keep seeing the equestrian sports at the Olympics something major needs to change. Why don’t we see somebody like Featherlight Academy there?! Isn’t that the ultimate goal of control, harmony and partnership? And frankly, if this is how horses nowadays are trained to be an Olympic dressage horse, then I don’t think we as riders are even worth showing up at the Olympic Games.

LESSON SCHEDULE 🔻Weekly I receive texts and emails from people who are interested in taking lessons with me. Most of you...
07/23/2024

LESSON SCHEDULE 🔻

Weekly I receive texts and emails from people who are interested in taking lessons with me. Most of you find me through this page or my website.

My current lesson schedule:
Wednesday morning in NEW BERN
Thursday morning in HAMPSTEAD
Thursday evening in JACKSONVILLE
Friday morning in BURGAW
Friday evening in RICHLANDS/JACKSONVILLE
Saturday morning in NEW BERN

If you are located in one of these areas, or you have the possibility to trailer into one of these locations, I should be able to fit you in. Unfortunately I have no other options. I feel very blessed my schedule is busy, but I can't add more locations or other days/times.

If anything changes in this schedule I will update here again.

Thank you all for putting your trust in me and also thank you for new people reaching out to me! 🥰

Address

Holly Ridge, NC
28540

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 9pm
Tuesday 9am - 9pm
Wednesday 9am - 9pm
Thursday 9am - 9pm
Friday 9am - 9pm
Saturday 9am - 9pm
Sunday 9am - 9pm

Telephone

+17608147528

Website

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