About
Meet Nicola Smith, the creator of Dressage Rider Training.
A personal trainer, nutrition and lifestyle coach, and lifelong dressage enthusiast on a mission to help riders thrive — in body, mind, and in the saddle.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Physical Education — Sports Science & Exercise Prescription (University of Otago)
- C.H.E.K Holistic Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach, Level 2
- Certified in Program Design, Scientific Core & Back Training (C.H.E.K Institute)
- Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner
My Story
A passion for wellness, brought to the dressage athlete.
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.
Find Your Starting Point
Take the quiz to find out how DRT can help you in the saddle.
Answer a few quick questions and we'll point you toward the right program, exercises, and next steps for where you are in your riding journey right now.
Start with the problem that sounds most familiar.
Seat & Hips
Seat depth, hip mobility, sitting trot, and moving with the horse.
- “I can't sit deep.”
- “My hips feel tight.”
Posture & Alignment
Crookedness, collapsing through one side, upper body position, and staying tall without tension.
- “I lean back.”
- “I collapse through one side.”
Balance & Core
Steady hands, quiet legs, balance in transitions, and core stability that holds up in motion.
- “My hands won't stay steady.”
- “My legs won't stay still.”
Not sure what is affecting your riding most?
Take the DRT quiz or start with the free guide to find the training focus that best matches your body and riding goals.