Photo By EPC Member, Priceless Equine Productions
An Interview with Nicole DelGiorno and Quinn Ridgway of The Dressage Academy
In our journey with horses, we all start somewhere. But, how often is that “somewhere” dressage for most new riders? Unfortunately, not very often. Nicole DelGiorno and Quinn Ridgway are committed to elevating youth dressage riders to the top of the sport. Together, they have established The Dressage Academy (TDA) to cultivate the next generation of equestrians, with a focus on youth development, horsemanship, volunteerism, and fostering independence within riders. Their experiences and insights shed light on the challenges and opportunities within the industry, particularly for young riders and families navigating the sport’s Complexities.
Introduction to the Equine Industry:
Coming from a family without pets, the idea of having a horse was laughable. But when Nicole became horse obsessed, her grandfather bought her an unstarted pony from a local auction.. After learning all she could about horses during her time in Pony Club and 4H, Nicole knew she wanted to pursue dressage. From that time on, Nicole was always working and buying/selling horses. From her experience competing and medaling at multiple North American Youth Championships, to internships in Europe, to serving on various boards and committees within the dressage industry, Nicole serves as a great wealth of knowledge and inspiration to the dressage community.
Growing up on her family farm, Quinn was always involved with horses. Whether that be running with them under the sprinklers or spending time with them in the barn, Quinn gained such a great appreciation for them. Upon being introduced to Dressage4Kids, Quinn became serious in her riding and has since grown along the FEI Youth Pathway with the help of her trainer, Nicole.
Youth in Dressage:
Sitting on the boards of The Dressage Foundation, Dressage at Devon, as well as the Dressage4Kids Committee, Nicole has gained a great amount of insight into the sport of dressage, its accessibility to new riders, and limitations that exist within the nature of the discipline. She believes that the dressage industry is not structured to create a friendly or welcoming environment for kids or families. Too often kids gravitate towards other disciplines that make it easy for them to participate and compete at a very young age.
Nicole says, “In dressage, even to compete in recognized competition, you must have a very developed skill set as a rider. Even in dressage seat equitation, you can be asked to perform movements up through First Level. Your average 7 year old is not going to have the degree of understanding or body control to compete successfully. Then we add insult to injury by putting them in the same division as 20 year old professionals who are still classified as youth riders. How can we maintain morale and encourage these kids under these circumstances?”
Nicole acknowledged that there are limited opportunities for riders who do not own their own horse or have an injured or retired horse that can no longer compete. While other disciplines frequently offer lesson horses to introduce new riders to the sport, it is rare to find a dressage
barn that does the same. Unfortunately not having a horse of your own generally means not getting the chance to ride dressage for most people.
“At The Academy we want to create a home for these kids. We are fortunate to have a very good network which gives us access to horses for lease and for lessons. I think we are pretty unique in the sport in that we want to take in kids who may have never even touched a horse before. Then beyond that we also have the ability to develop them from beginners up through the FEI Youth Pathway.”
Culture and Development of Young Riders:
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Where did all of the young horse obsessed kids go these days?” We often attribute the lack of kids in the sport to their unwillingness to work or lack of dedication. But, is that really the case? In Nicole’s experience, she has come across many youth who have possessed the determination and work ethic to succeed. She believes that, “Accountability starts with the professionals” and that “students need good role models who are willing and patient enough to help them learn the proper ways of caring for and interacting with a horse”.
The Dressage Academy (TDA):
This year, Nicole and Quinn opened their very own academy style dressage training program for youth located at Synergy Stables in Colts Neck, NJ. Unlike many other riding programs, The Dressage Academy differs in its structure. They strive to foster the involvement of youth in dressage by instilling independence and confidence through an enrollment based learning system. Weekly lessons will include an emphasis on equitation and biomechanics with assistant trainer, Quinn Ridgeway. Students will have access to various educational opportunities including guest clinicians in areas such as nutrition, saddle fit, and riding itself. Nicole plans to offer students the ability to ride a lesson horse, as well as connect riders with possible lease opportunities. Nicole and Quinn strive to develop well rounded riders by emphasizing volunteer experiences for their students within the equestrian community.
Overview of TDA’s 4 Pillars:
1. Youth Focused
While many programs attract or cater to adult amateurs, TDA specializes in the development of kids within the sport of dressage.
2. Horse First
Nicole mentioned that, ““There is a loss of emphasis on horsemanship in equestrian sports today.” She and Quinn believe that riders must understand the horse as both an animal and a being. They encourage riders to ask themselves, “What are my horses’ fundamental, physiological and psychological needs?”. It is important to meet those needs and remember that “your horse is more than a vehicle for your own achievement”.
3. Inspire Volunteerism
Volunteering both within your barn and equestrian community helps to create a healthy barn culture where riders have one anothers’ genuine support.
4. Foster Independence
TDA strives to develop independent and confident riders who can develop and use their mental toughness in every aspect of their lives. Nicole and Quinn stated that, “We’re not just wanting to create good riders, we want to develop good people”.
Advice to Young Riders Limited by Finances:
Through both Nicole and Quinn’s experience, they have each gained support from others to help in reaching their goals. Quinn mentioned that programs such as Dressage4Kids and working student opportunities serve as a great way to gain experience and build relationships within the industry. She mentioned that while you will work hard putting in sweat equity, your level of trustworthiness and reliability is undoubtedly a huge factor to your success and future.
Nicole adds that youth riders should look to The Dressage Foundation, their local GMO and even their horse’s breed organization for grants and scholarships that can help them achieve their goals. “It’s an expensive sport, but there are people who want to help!”
