About Natalie — Natalie Mendelssohn Dressage

Natalie Mendelssohn

Classical Dressage Training - Harmony, Expression, Lightness, Partnership

“For me, dressage is not just about the end goal or competition success. It is learning to love the process of working and training horses in a way that creates a partnership where both horse and rider are at ease and one with each other and love what they do.”

Natalie is an advanced dressage rider and coach. With a passion for strength and soundness in both horse and rider she focuses on how the rider influences the horse. She helps riders become aware of their own strengths and weaknesses and not only how to improve themselves but in turn also improve their horse. She trains with top level instructors including Daniel Bremner, Jessica Gale, and Grand-prix dressage rider and judge Sara-Jane Lanning. Previously, Natalie also took part in jumping and cross-country competitions which gives her a useful insight when teaching eventers and show jump riders as well as dressage.

Having completed a foundation degree Natalie has secure knowledge on how important it is to train and work horses correctly, including;

Equine Anatomy and Physiology - Equine Exercise Physiology - Equine Fitness And Training - Equine Health Management - Equine Lameness And Rehabilitation - Equine Veterinary Nursing - Initial Training Of Young Horses - Equine Biomechanics - Behavioural Science - Equine Therapeutics

Continuing Professional Development has enabled Natalie to continue to grow in her knowledge and remain up to date with developments including attending training days such as Rider Psychology run by Flying Changes Coaching as well as attended lectures and demonstrations such as Monty Roberts at Merrist Wood College and Charles de Kunffy at Training Teachers of Tomorrow as well as Alice Oppenheimer, William Fox-Pitt and many others. Natalie is pleased to have earned the Duty to Care badge from UkCoaching - learning and knowledge checks based on 5 key pillars; Safeguarding, Inclusion, Diversity, Well-being and Mental Health.

Fully insured with recent up-to-date first aid training.

Natalie’s current horses

Ace

Ace is a 16.2hh Holsteiner, competing successfully at Advanced medium level. A wonderful horse is much more to come.
Rubix

Rubix is a 17hh Oldenburg gelding. Having competed at medium level, this talented horse now training towards advanced at home.
Spartan

Spartan is a 17.2hh Percheron x Friesian who has competed to medium level. He had kissing spine surgery in 2017 and has made a full recovery and loves to play with piaffe and other advanced moves at home!
Boris

Boris is a 16hh ISH who is worth his weight in gold. His temperament is second to none and is a wonderful, kind horse who has competed to elementary and training some medium level work at home.

“My real passion for dressage started in 2009 in southern Spain when I had the fantastic opportunity to train with Sarah-Jane Clarke, classical rider and international instructor, and have lessons on Andalusian stallions. This wonderful experience was then reinforced by coaching from the professional trainer Sam Twyman on his Andalusian stallions and Friesians in Warwickshire.

Since then I have been to training courses, demonstrations and workshops at Talland School of Equitation, the TTT, The Open College of Equine Studies, Plumptom College, Merrist Wood and many more.

I started riding at the age of 4 after I went to a fair where I sat on a tiny pony called Polo. I was hooked. My passion for horses grew with each ride and with a non-horsey family it was a big step getting my first horse at 14. I was extremely lucky to find such a perfect first horse who taught me a huge amount and allowed me to quickly progress to competing in dressage, lower level show-jumping and hunter trials. With each new horse that came along I learnt an awful lot. Some proved a real challenge mentally and physically and I soon realised the importance of having a strong partnership and bond with the horse in order to enjoy them and reach ones goals.

My dressage ambitions developed further in 2013 when I owned a quirky, but very talented, KWPN 8 year old gelding by JAZZ who gave me a taste of what it would be like to move on up the levels.

Whether I am bringing on a youngster or schooling a more advanced horse towards its next affiliated Medium competition or working on the half steps for the higher levels, my goal is to work with the horse to help them use their strengths and overcome their weaknesses. I enjoy working with all types of horses from all backgrounds from warmbloods to chunky cobs. I strongly believe every horse can do dressage.”