Traditions Farm Classical Dressage

06/04/2026

Student Testimonial Thursday, Ashley is a gifted rider and trainer, herself.. I so enjoy working with a student with so much commitment to their horsemanship journey..

ASHLEY JANTZER
I began riding with Tressa after realizing that I was drawn to the study of classical horsemanship, and wanted to find someone that could help develop me as a rider, and help me develop my personal and training horses. I never set out to take online lessons, but the quality of instruction I was looking for was not available in person, so after hearing Tressa on a couple of podcasts, I decided to reach out about virtual instruction.
Tressa has opened an entirely new world of horsemanship for me, and she has improved my equitation, timing, and feel. Tressa misses nothing, and is able to see nuances and explain exactly what I should be feeling in real time. Her instruction is clear, and she is incredibly gifted at explaining what she is teaching. Tressa has brought so much clarity to concepts that others have not been able to explain, and her virtual instruction is far and above the quality of any in person instruction I could receive.
My personal horse has been disregarded by others because she isn’t “built for dressage.” Tressa has held no judgement of my horse, and has worked with us in a way that I have drastically improved her balance, strength, and suppleness, and she has put no limitations on what I might be able to achieve with my mare.
Tressa is a very rare gift in the horse world. Her guidance and expertise has deepened my horsemanship, and I feel like she’s in the arena with me even though she’s states away. I highly recommend Tressa for those looking for a deeper and more refined way of riding and working with their horses.

05/26/2026

02/26/2026

"Theory goes hand in hand with learning experience. You need to feel the theory that you study. Horses are the ultimate teachers. You can over-theorize, but you can't have too much experience. " Melissa Simms
In an interview with Nan Meeks
Melissa Simms on Andalusion Stallion "Peregino" at Reitinstitut Egon von Neindorff

11/16/2025

This..

Fun crusher

As a teacher, my number one job is to keep my student safe. The second is their horse's wellbeing. Usually, hopefully, these two goals are accomplished together.

So when I listen to their goals and desires, this comes forefront in my mind. Sometimes their goals and desires are nowhere near my priority of their safety.

I work hard not to step on toes or hurt feelings, but sometimes making sure the student is safe means curbing their desires, which can of course feel like rejection. It's important for the student to understand here that they are not being rejected but actually deeply valued - enough to rise above maintaining your money, your adoration, and any other thing that is significantly less valuable than your life and you as a person.

If a student can understand this is not rejection but being called up - if they can adjust their goals and learn to internally align with what will serve them best - they can begin the road to developing the basic building blocks to get to their new goals, preserving their safety and horse's wellbeing, and of course, develop finesse and get results sometime through that process too.

But a lot of it will be tedious. Practicing techniques, making mistakes, and sometimes even being correcting is not super pleasant. It requires some tenacity, some resilience, and some self reflection sometimes.

I think it's important to understand sometimes it isn't all fun, and it's ok to be bored. It's ok to not love every second. As long as you can find a way to give yourself permission to be human for a minute, I find students come back to the process so much more readily -

if they get bogged down in shame or denial that it MUST be enjoyable, they struggle. I think some of this is a messaging that you MUST enjoy the journey - and I think this is a well meaning message. But If it must always be joyful, pleasant, and fun, we are unable to continue when our horse struggles in a moment of problem solving, or is a little tired, or we struggle, or feel ashamed, or whatever the case.

I know teachers have to make a living, and we cant afford to lose students - but if they are constantly placated and given the fun, can they be blamed for being confused when that doesn't happen? In an environment where the beginning to end is rarely shown honestly, where struggles are not shared, and where students are shamed for making mistakes, it's obvious the climate is not conducive to the real work of practicing scales, and sometimes not having fun - to make sure our goals are aligned with what we really need and not what we want

11/16/2025

11/14/2025

11/12/2025

🙌 How to recognise hoof distortions, NPLA and poor posture, and therefore horses at risk of injury and pathology 🙌

Hot off the press - our latest article featuring assessment and detailed objective evidence of a horse with NPLA and compensatory posture, as well as recommendations for a welfare-focused, evidence-based integrative hoof care plan.

This presentation and serious welfare problem is more common than you might think and is recognised as being associated with pathological posture, lameness and poor welfare states in horses.

There is evidence suggesting the majority of horses in the UK may be lame. It pays for horse owners to become informed about indicators that your horse might be at risk of injury, lameness and pathology, which reduces the welfare state of the horses we all live.

I encourage you to become informed and empowered, and therefore not subject to unfair blame for the poor state of equine welfare in the UK.

As always, in the comments, you will find science and resources as well as a link to the article where you can learn how to access this and other high-quality, science and evidence-based, welfare-focused educational resources.

A big thank you to our clients and supporters who grant permission for us to share their stories for educational purposes.

Copyright laws apply - Please do not share images or content here or from our website without the author's explicit consent.

Www.holisticequine.co.uk - supporting and promoting compassionate equestrianism for the benefit of all 💚🙏🐴