MC Dressage

Clair Jeffreys

"I met Matt a few years ago and have watched him successfully progress his own horses in dressage and have always admired his stylish riding and sympathetic approach to his horses. Last year I asked Matt to help me with my event horse, Great Idea, who was then Intermediate and doing well. However in order for us to be competitive at this level I felt I needed to raise my game and seek advise from a more "dressage" trained rider.

Matts help has really made a difference. His initial approach was to carefully assess the ability of us both, identify strengths and weaknesses and then work towards and beyond what is actually required at a competition. Matt is full of constructive critism and as well as praise where due which together I feel is essential if you really want to improve. We meet regularly and I believe the mixture of Consistency with his enthusiasm and genuine interest is a key part of the reason why we have had another good year, and upgraded to advanced!"

Lisa Cooney

"I have known Matt for 5 years. He has helped me on my old horse but once he retired, Matt has been helping me on the livery horses I have had to school. I have never really had an interest in dressage and have always been more a jump rider. Matt has helped me to understand it more and made it more fun. I now feel more than capable to be able to school a horse on my own using Matt's methods. I have had the pleasure of being able to ride some of Matt's horses, and to feel all the advanced movements, my favorite being canter pirouettes. I believe a lot of people's dislike of schooling is not understanding. Matt has turned that around for me and made it something I understand. I have followed Matts career and watched him school and compete his and client's horses, and it is always a pleasure to watch. Matt sits so well in my opinon and I hope to one day be able to achieve this with his help."

Elaine Brown

"I've known Matt less than a year, but in that time he has totally transformed us. Watching him ride my own horse completely dissolved my self-imposed belief of always being a prelim combination. I still cannot believe that we're tackling medium movements and beyond! Matt has filled us with hope, and helps us with the skills to realise that hope. Matt rides with enviable patience, grace and elegance, and teaches with (equal patience!) cheer and enthusiasm. I count myself lucky to be both coached, and inspired, by him."

Charlotte Davy

"I have been training with Matt for just under 2 years. He has taken me from a prelim rider to competing successfully at Elementary and working Medium at home. Matt has helped turn my cob - with not the best confirmation - into a well trained horse. He will never have a big flashy movement, but with the correct training he holds his own at shows. I have never dreamt of being able to half pass and canter pirouette on my little cob. He has made me feel like anything is possible. I also ride a number of horses, including county level show horses and Matt methods work on these. Matt has helped me achieve more than I imagined would be possible."

Jeremy Shere

"I have known Matt for 3 years now and he has been my dressage trainer for 2 of those years. He helped me a great deal when my horse and I moved up to Novice Level Eventing. We were averaging mid 40’s and after my horse went on training livery for a month pre-season, we started to average mid 30’s that following season. Matt’s teaching style is one of the easiest to understand, whether he is teaching a beginner or an advanced dressage rider. Matt is very determined to help whoever he teaches achieve any goals that they may have. Whether it is preparation for a grand prix Test of a pony club dressage test, Matt treats every horse and rider he trains individually. I am very pleased and privileged to have Matt continuing as my trainer. I find his training and teaching is second to none and I have no doubt that he will help my horse and I move up the eventing ladder."

Charlie Swanston

"I have been having lessons with Matt since the beginning of the summer 2008. Matt has really helped both myself and Luna within our flatwork and has given me a greater confidence in my riding ability. Luna can be difficult at times as she finds dressage difficult in comparison to her love of jumping. Matt is very patient with us both and his teaching style is very positive and easy to understand. I always look forward to my lessons with Matt and enjoy watching him get the best out of Luna when he rides her. His quiet and sympathetic riding style seems to suit Luna and she seems to very much enjoy working well for him. Matt is very encouraging and has a lovely manner about him, accompanied by a great sense of humour (especially when Luna is being a little cheeky). Since taking lessons with Matt I feel that my riding has greatly improved and so has Luna's understanding and ability at dressage. As she has improved on the flat her jumping has also benefited greatly. Luna was recently placed in her first dressage competition and has recently moved up a level within BSJA competition. Matt is a great asset to the world of dressage and I would recommend him to anyone looking for the best training for both themselves and their horses."

Sarah Wright

"I started competing at Elementary in January 2009, my marks became progressively worse through the year, as a result my confidence was in tatters. In September 2009 all that was about to change!!!

I had my first training session with Matt, he took me and my horse Jez right back to basics, focusing on softness over the back and through the neck and jaw, it has been a slow process but Matt has show nothing but patience the whole way, his enthusiasm and training methods have really made a difference, particularly learning to ‘feel’ what looks good, I now train with Matt at least once a week if not more, he always makes me feel like the most important person in the world for my hour.

Matt has also helped me warm up at competitions, this has proved invaluable when under pressure and often where I make the most mistakes. In the last couple of months everything has started to come together, I have competed Jez and we have had some good scores, we were also selected to represent the Eastern Region in the Inter Regional Senior Team dressage at Elementary level.

We are now competing at Medium level, 6 months ago I could not sit to the trot and a half pass was something I could only dream of. I have also had positive feedback from both my saddler and physio that Jez has developed muscle and reduced stiffness through his back, proof that Matt’s training methods really work. Matt has been an inspiration to me and someone that I consider to be not just a trainer but a good friend too."

Maaike van Wijk

Matt started teaching me in the summer of 2010, until then, dressage had always been my weakest phase. I fully endorsed the term stressage! It never felt like something I was fully of control of, or that I really understood that elusive 'feel'.

From day one Matt has always broken it down for me, so I completely understand what I am trying to achieve, without ever overcomplicating it. He is always very positive, never ever talks down to me for my inability to understand / ride the movements and therefore for the first time ever I look forward and enjoy my dressage lessons.

Matt always gives me loads of exercises to do at home, which I find very motivating, as trotting round in endless circles will ensure me finding an excuse to go for a hack instead! Consequently I am using dressage movements as suppling exercises I never dreamed of doing.

Through all of this Matt's philosophy shines through, to produce a horse that exhibits cadence and energy, in self carriage, with a light elastic contact.

However, what is obviously equally important is this also leads to competition success, I now feel in control during the test and able to cope with whatever happens, this is borne out by my last 2 outings, 69 and 70%, Winning both classes, the last one was the highest score of the day!

Now with his help, I look forward to my next events, confident for the first time that my dressage phase has every chance of being as strong as the following 2 phases, which as most eventers would agree, is nowadays absolutely essential to achieve competition success.

Thank you Matt you have transformed us.

Maaike van Wijk and Topaz