Cheshire based freelance dressage rider and coach Holly Lucas, rides and teaches a huge variety of horses and clients including show jumpers, gypsy cobs and pony club children, as well as riding and teaching other dressage horses and riders. Holly and family have a small livery and training yard which consists of four of her own horses and six livery horses. Holly runs the yard alongside competing three of her own horses. She has four of her own horses in total, all of which were bought as foals from Germany and were broken in and trained by Holly herself. Three of the four are out regularly competing, whilst the fourth horse is being ridden at home after a couple of years off in the field after some unfortunate lameness. Holly completed her degree in equine performance and coaching at Morton Morrell college and afterwards went to work for Dan Greenwood for two years in the Cotswolds. Six years ago, she moved back to Cheshire to develop her coaching career and give more time to her own horses.
How did your journey progress from the initial stages to dressage?
Holly and Lenny at the winter area festivals 2024, Advanced medium where they finished fourth.
My mum had a pony when she was a child and had carried on riding at a riding school on and off ever since. The riding school she went to have a minimum age of seven, so I was too young to go and ride even though I wanted to, so she used to take my sister. Eventually we found a riding school closer to home and both my sister and I started riding there when I was about five. When I was seven, we got our first pony, and within a year we had 3! Me, mum and my sister all had our own one each. Initially I used to do all disciplines, and lots of pony club and camps etc. As I got a bit older and got my first horse, I started eventing but soon realised that both me and my horse were terrible at show jumping. I did an unaffiliated dressage competition, and the judge wrote on the bottom of the sheet that I should have a go at affiliated dressage, so I entered my first BD show, won both classes by a huge margin and the rest is history. I kept eventing my sister’s horse for a few years whilst she was at university, but it became clear that I was much more suited to dressage.
Did you always know you wanted an equestrian career?
Holly and Donny’ competing at the Nationals at Somerford Park 2023
I always adored horses but never really thought I would be able to ride and teach for a living. I always thought you would have to be willing to get on absolutely anything and everything, so I never thought I was brave enough. When I was younger and at school I worked my way through my Pony club exams, all the way up to the AH test. When I finished school, I went to Moreton Morell college to study for my degree in Equine performance and coaching, alongside this I worked towards and passed both my BHSAI and UKCC level 2. Straight after my degree I went to work for Dan Greenwood, based in the Cotswolds where I gained invaluable experience, especially with young horses as at the time I had two of my own whom I broke in whilst I was there. I used to teach for the pony club, that I used to go to, on some of my days off to get some experience teaching. In 2019 I moved back home, as I wanted to have more time to spend with my own horses and start to teach more. Over the last 6 years I have got busier and busier with both teaching and riding, and I can confirm that you don’t have to be the world’s bravest rider to make a career in dressage. Don’t get me wrong, all horses can sometimes be a bit fresh and cheeky, and you can’t be a total wimp, but I know what I’m comfortable to get on and what I’m not. At the end of the day, it’s often about being able to prevent the hairy scary moments, rather than being brave enough to sit them out.
Who do you train with?
At about sixteen years old I started training with Janet Horswill, I have trained with her ever since (I’m now twenty-nine), and I aim to see her every 2 weeks. She has been a complete mentor to me, always at the end of the phone whenever I have needed her help, advice and experience. Also, the last 2 or 3 years I’ve started training once a month with Abi Lyle, which has also been amazing as she is so supportive and positive also.
What are you and your horses working on?
Donny and Lenny are both competing at advanced medium, so with both of those I’m working on getting the flying changes more consistent, as well as dipping our toes in with some of the other more advanced movements, pirouettes, half steps, baby passage etc! Fred is competing at Elementary, this year I really want to work on getting him more confident in the arena, and getting stronger in his body. He hasn’t had much experience at bigger shows like the Area festival, or regionals so it would be great to get him qualified for some bigger shows like that.
It takes a team to do dressage, who is in your support team?
It takes an army! But the biggest and most important in my team is my mum, I couldn’t do it without her. She helps me on the yard with the horses, come to all shows and training, helps with all my admin, accounts, show entries … the list goes on. I also have four girls who work for me on the yard who keep it running smoothly on a daily basis; Alex, Izzy, Charlotte and Jenny. My dad is an amazing help around the yard with all the maintenance side of things meaning I can just crack in with the horses. My boyfriend, Dylan is super supportive and always there for support when I need it. Also, our physio, Andraya. Our saddler, Bea. Farrier, Matt. Corrie and Caroline from Baileys horse feeds. And my dad who fixes everything that we break … oops!
What would you like to be doing in the future?
I would love to be able to train one of my horses and ride them through a Grand Prix (wouldn’t we all!!) I think having them from a foal and training them all the way through to Grand Prix would be so cool.
What challenges have you faced on your journey?
Flying changes. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about giving up all together over these! I can’t even tell you the number of tears I have cried, tantrums I’ve had and God knows what else. To be perfectly honest I wouldn’t say I have totally overcome them yet, but I am getting there. I think I have had to just keep going back to the drawing board, and then something works for a bit, and then you have to step back and look again and press forward. You have to surround yourself with good people who keep you going when you face challenges.
And the highlights?
Qualifying for the Winter Champs, and the Nationals were of course highlights. But my oldest horse Donny, when he was a young horse, he had a few really unfortunate situations happen to him which resulted in some injuries and ultimately some behavioural issues. And in 2021 he qualified for the Winter Champs at Hartpury, which was a huge challenge for him and his behaviour, and for the first time ever he totally trusted me and was foot perfect. I cried when I finished the test.
Top tip
Love your horses and the training, not just competing!
What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given?
If you work on your horse, your horse will improve. If you work on yourself, all of your horses will improve.
Want More?
If you enjoyed meeting Holly you might like to view more dressage rider “chatting with” interviews here. You can keep up with Holly’s progress and visit her instagram page here
