Meet Nicola Smith, the creator of Dressage Rider Training.

I'm Nicola Smith — a personal trainer, nutrition and lifestyle coach who has been involved in the wellness industry since 2002. I studied at the University of Otago, gaining my Bachelor of Physical Education, majoring in Sports Science and Exercise Prescription. Throughout my studies, I worked one-on-one personal training out of Les Mills with clients while I continued to learn.

After finishing my degree, I discovered I needed to know more, so I continued to train clients while taking my study further. I went on to be certified through the Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiology (C.H.E.K) Institute as a Holistic Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach level 2, and then gained more qualifications with the C.H.E.K Institute in relation to program design, scientific core and back training.

I am now also a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, which has helped take my knowledge to a new level and truly help my clients holistically.

My passion for dressage led me to create Dressage Rider Training and apply what I know about human health and well-being to the dressage athlete. There is something so powerful about training a horse, and when riders treat their own health and well-being alongside their horses, they are truly able to shine as a powerful combination.

I remember someone saying to me once that training a dressage horse is like training a gymnast without being able to talk to them. It takes great skill, patience and the right training and mindset.

They are incredibly powerful and willing animals — it's incredible what we're able to achieve when the training is right and we build a solid foundation to do it from. All of this wouldn't be possible without having a healthy body and mind to do it.

Dressage Rider Training is designed to bring clarity to your rider fitness and well-being and make it easy for you — giving you the tools to understand what you need to do to achieve health and well-being. Use it to thrive as a dressage athlete and start to take care of your own health alongside your horse's.

You are, after all, a team effort.