Submitted by Melissa Jeffrey: I was determined to prove that dressage is for all by competing my young Drum gelding, Mahutonga Chester. He gave me so much confidence and I had so much fun taking him out and about. Needless to say we stood out in the crowd!
Every body is an equestrian body, which is why August is focusing on size inclusivity on YourDressage. As we share the stories, struggles, and triumphs of plus-size equestrians from across the country, our friends atHorse DazzleandKerrits Equestrian Apparelhave graciously partnered with us to sponsor a#DressageForEveryBody2026giveaway for three lucky readers!
We recently asked our social media followers to share a photo of themselves and their favorite equine partner, and share a little about themselves for a chance to be included in an upcoming gallery on YourDressage, and we received an overwhelming response from riders around the world!
This dreamboat is my 16 year-old Draft Cross (Arabian/Clydesdale) Happy Hour. She is perfectly named because every hour spent with her truly makes my heart happy ❤️ We are both strong, solid girls who don’t have the classic dressage “look.” Happy has had lots of doubters in the past. She has struggled to be understood. And we are starting from the ground up (training level) at 16 (her) and 45 (me). But we are best friends, and partners, and we are better because we are together. We love dressage because its core principles help us to use our bodies correctly and to work together to be the best we can be! We’re so excited for many, many more years of learning, dancing, and having FUN together! I am so grateful for this amazing horse! 🐴❤️ – Kimberly P.This is my new pony she’s a Clydesdale x warmblood. One way to make your butt look smaller is find a horse with a giant one of her own 😜 – Beth M.Me and Asha, she is now semi retired due to arthritis. She is the bestest pony. – Kelly B.Me and my lovely 18 y/o Sincerrey Senorita getting a 7 on our initial halt – Mary M.I purchased Stryke A Poze a/k/a Posie as a weanling and waited seven years for her to mature and let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. Now that I’m almost 70 years young, it’s a lot harder trying to make a comeback but it’s starting to fall into place. This photo was taken in June 2026 of our very successful debut show. 🏆 Photo by Chrissy Fohr Photography. – Jennifer C.This is Gracie, my Paint/Warmblood cross at our first dressage show. – Queenie N.My Grand Prix partner! ❤️Listek – Nicole T.My Dales Pony, Bobby and I – Jessica K.My beautiful PRE in one of our last training sessions before he got a septic tendon 🙁 – Bex H.This is me and my blind appaloosa, Oakley. I’m working at overcoming my insecurities about being in the horse world. – Caroline S.Me and my best girl Quincysfrenchcalibur!! Calibur is a 2007 AQHA mare who was a very successful barrel racing horse turned dressage horse 💜💜 – Adrienne G.I don’t have many photos because I am usually riding alone This is a beautiful OTTB that I work occasionally for a women near my home. He is the sweetest. I work with two others but have very few photos of me riding them because again it is just me. – Gwenhwyfar L.I am the creator of the Facebook group The English Plus Size Rider, but I haven’t been riding much if any in the last 8 years since my heart horse passed. I also had severe knee pain that almost left me crippled and wheelchair bound. After losing 50 pounds I finally got my knee replaced in Nov 2025. It has been life changing. I am now back in the saddle with no pain. I am starting back very slow as I have been out of the saddle and my OTTB has been a pasture puff for 3 years since I got him. My goal is to at least get to 1 show this year and show intro. I still am losing weight but even at my target by equestrian standards I will still be plus size. Being plus size needs to normalized in equestrian sports as not everyone is a size 2. The average American female is between a size 14-18. Thank you Kerrits Equestrian Apparel for being one of the first companies to be size inclusive and recognize the need for larger sizes. I have an eggplant show coat that I can’t wait to make my dressage show return on my dragon. Pic is of me first time on my boy after surgery. BTW I love my kerrits trailblazer paddock boots i have on. – Denise B.This is my new horse Goose and I. We are just getting to know each other and hope to be a great dressage pair for many years to come! – Breanna N.It’s easy to look at horse and rider teams who “fit the mold” and feel less than in comparison. In reality, this sport is great because of our differences. Different riders on different horses working to achieve the same perfection of movements. No pair’s journey is exactly the same as the next team to get there. This individuality is what makes each accomplishment so important for every team. Even though there’s things I wish I could change about myself, the truth is I have two choices: allow insecurities to discourage me, or be thankful the body I have allows me to ride and try to get better each day. Being a plus ride rider with a friesian, we may not be the “cookie cutter” type in this sport, but because of mindsets like #DressageForEverybody2026 , we get to embark on this journey together. – Emily D.Submitted by Jessica T. Read about Jessica’s para dressage journey in “Powered by Perseverance“For me it’s not so much weight — though I am not thin by any stretch (my Kerrits are XL) — but my proportions. My arms and legs are SO short that my point of elbow is a full 6” above my hip, and I have an upper leg that is similarly short. With a long, loooooong torso, my center of balance is super high with “t-Rex” limbs. I am just not built for the sport…. And once you add in a neurological thing that impacts my coordination and balance, my body is working against me at every turn. So for me #dressageforeverybody2026 is less about size so much as shape and invisible stuff. – Lark B.Me with my 3 year old UVM Fletcher. He’s a Morgan! – Penny R.Me and my I1 mare this June Diana Hadsall Photography – Jane M.My name is Dayna and my handsome horse is Roman a 2017 AQHQ gelding. Together we enjoy many adventures including trails, foxhunting, hunter paces, and working cattle on farm. We hope to venture into dressage in the near future. One thing is for certain, Roman will look like a million bucks doing anything ❤️ – Busyb FarmGlamour, 12 yr old British Riding Pony x – Maria D.Haven’t seen a gypsy vanner listed! My ex stallion turned riding horse Northern Lights El Rayo – Sarah S.Competing at our first ever WSDAC sanctioned Equestrian Canada show. – Jennifer D.Cruisin Camnation – Standardbred Pacing Mare. 10 months undersaddle. Western Dressage – Camille S.Submitted by Morgan W. Read about Morgan and her mare Dixie in “It’s Never Too Late to Ride“Love the inclusivity ❤️ Brooke Louise photo – Colleen W.I ride dressage with my Drum horse! This is Luka. – Deanne H.-H.Former eventer and officially on my journey with a focus on dressage. – Brenda J.Riding a school horse – Brenda S.This is Matrix, my retirement gift to myself. We are just getting started on our journey and enjoying every ride. – Ginny B.#dressageforeverybody2026 rain or shine – Re H.My OTTB “Drafted”! He was a global millionaire now enjoying his second career. Christine Quinn Photography – Katie T. Read about Katie’s journey with Drafted in “Drafted: Greatness Beyond The Track”
