Ryan Todd is an elite British Dressage Rider formerly on the British Equestrian Federation World Class programme. He is based at home in Ogden, West Yorkshire and is a freelance trainer, UKCC Level 2 qualified. Ryan is a big advocate for developing horses through patience and correct communication and is a firm believer in that there is no ‘quick fix’ when producing horses. He thoroughly enjoys the process of seeing them learn and develop.

His training techniques are very horse and rider friendly. He encourages all riders to ask the right questions, and if there is a miscommunication, then he will try something different and find a new way so both rider and horse reach their desired goals. If at any point Ryan feels the horse is feeling to much pressure, he will allow the horse to relax and start over. The same techniques apply when he is riding to when he is teaching. He concentrates on improving the rider as well the horse to make sure there is a happy balance of understanding and progression.

Early Years

In the beginning of his competitive career, he was very lucky to ride some lovely horses. First came a pony stallion called Highnoon (Arnie to his friends) and he was owned by Claire Marie Senior who was a former GB Young Rider. Claire now owns Manor Grange Stud Competition Centre with her family. Together they contested the FEI pony tests for a season when he was 15 years old, which then gave him a taste of competing at the higher levels, making him more determined that Dressage was what he wanted to do with his future.

At the same time he was starting to back and bring on his young horses at home, which then led him to going to Gamblethorpe Hanoverians, where they bought some newly imported foals with the hope that he may find a future horse for Ryan to train.

He was then asked to train and compete on their four year old graded stallion, Rembrandt II in the Young Horse classes. They had a successful five year old season, coming 3rd in the Potential International Dressage Championships at Hickstead in 2012 and 3rd in the Shearwater Young Horse Final at Hartpury 2012. This was then followed by successes in the six year old classes leading to them gaining a place on the World Class Equine Pathway for potential medal winning horses! Whilst on the programme Remi was sold onto another rider, but fortunately Ryan had Charlie at this point and they were on their way with their training, aiming for a Young Rider International debut for GB, followed by selection onto the World Class Programme in 2012.

Everything started to fall into place, achieving a place on the 2014 European Young Rider team in Italy, followed by making their International debut at U25s Grand Prix at Addington CDI.

In 2016 - Ryan was selected to represent Great Britain at the u25 Dressage Championships with Charlex Eskebjerg.