Equitas Dressage
An Equitas Dressage rider in formal attire on a white horse in an outdoor arena
Learning in the saddle

Rider development

Lessons that build feel, not force.

Lessons with Katie are quiet, focused, and tailored to where you are today. You can ride one of our school horses or bring your own—the goal is a rider who communicates with clarity and a horse that understands.

New to dressage or returning to the saddle, with no horse of your own? Equitas school horses let you learn and progress without the commitment of ownership.

What we work on

A rider who whispers.

  • Position & feelA balanced, effective seat that lets the aids whisper instead of shout.
  • Clear communicationRead what the horse is telling you, and answer fairly.
  • Test ridingPractice the movements and the mindset you will bring down centerline.
  • A welcoming arenaQuestions are encouraged; mistakes are part of learning here.

School horses & how the program works

Ride an Equitas horse of your own.

Don't have a horse? You don't need one to ride here. Equitas keeps a small group of school horses—kind, experienced partners riders can lease and call their own for the season. A lease is how the program works: it gives you a horse to connect with, ride between lessons, and grow alongside.

Quarter lease

Two rides a week—a gentle way to begin, or to fit riding around a busy life.

Half lease

Three rides a week—more time in the saddle to build feel and partnership.

Full lease

Five rides a week—for riders committed to steady progress and a deep bond with one horse.

A lease pairs with at least one lesson with Katie each week. The lesson sets the work, and your schooling rides in between are where you practice it.

That rhythm is what turns a lesson into a partnership. Between lessons you get schooling rides to repeat what you worked on, try it again the next day, and feel the difference. Over weeks and months that repetition builds the deeper connection every rider is really after—the kind that shows up, quiet and sure, when you ride down centerline.

Meet the horses

Some of our school horses.

  • A dark bay school horse portrait at the farm
  • A chestnut school horse with a rider among autumn trees
  • A dapple grey school horse in the covered arena
  • A chestnut school horse with a rider in the arena
  • A white school horse in the covered arena
  • A black school horse portrait at the farm
  • A rider on a dark bay school horse at the farm
  • A bay school horse in motion in the arena
  • A black school horse with a handler at the barn
A smiling rider on a chestnut horse with Katie beside them at the farm

Learning with Katie

“We will take the time to learn what matters to you and your riding—and build a plan together.”

Riders can work toward meaningful goals, make mistakes, keep learning, and know that the horse remains at the center of every conversation. Lessons also pair with our training programs for horses in full or partial work.

Siler City, North Carolina

Let’s talk about your riding.

Whether you have a horse of your own or want to learn on an Equitas school horse, begin with a conversation with Katie.

Contact Equitas