ASHLEY SHAW DRESSAGE | DRESSAGE | DRIPPING SPRINGS,TX

Ashley Shaw is a Dressage trainer located in Dripping Springs,TX. She offers lessons and full training at Galloping Springs Ranch with her mother and fellow trainer Jennifer Urban Jarvis. They also offer full board at their facility that is located off of McGregor Lane in Dripping Springs,TX.

How did you get started riding? Tell me a little bit about your background and your story up to now!

“I was born with a passion for horses. As soon as I was big enough my mom (Jennifer Jarvis) put me on horses at the stable she trained at in Massachusetts. When we moved to Texas, we started riding around Austin and each got horses. At first I wanted to do western pleasure and was obsessed with quarter horses- my first horse was one named Te Totally Terrific. But, once my mom opened Galloping Springs Ranch, I became interested in dressage, too. I was lucky enough to ride many different horses as a teenager and learned about different breeds and how to truly view each horse as an individual. I was not able to afford going to young riders and never thought I would be able to afford a Warmblood. Part of it was that the area wasn’t growing as fast and I wasn’t sure how I would get clients. Another part was that at one point my mom got injured and all of her clients basically left. Combined with the debt from her injury, we struggled for a bit and had a hard time maintaining everything and coming back.

When I was in college a local breeder needed to sell some of her youngsters quickly and I ended up with a Hanoverian gelding, Stardust RHR. I spent a month at Proud Meadows with Bernt von Hassler and he said something that really resonated with me, about him having 50,000 rides under his belt and that’s why it came so easily. I thought “oh, I’ll just do that, then”. So I did. I leased a German Riding Pony with the help of Claire Darnell, got my bronze and silver USDF medals, and left for Belgium to train with Johan Rockx and his wife, Penny Zavitz- Rockx. They really changed the way I thought about riding horses. At first it was difficult, but I learned so much so quickly. I would spend a lifetime there if I could afford to be away from home for that long! After spending a few months in Europe, Claire asked me if I wanted to take her job working for Jan Ebeling in California, and I moved there in May of 2015. It was another great experience, but my step dad was diagnosed with dementia so I came home earlier than I originally intended to help my mom on our farm.

Before leaving for California I was able to get to ride on Esteban, a very talented KWPN bred by Ellen Day. He spent the first part of his career as a breeding stallion and has since been gelded to focus on riding. I’ve got several other very promising horses in the barn and teach lessons. Right now my business is more lesson and sale based so I have more freedom to travel to places like Wellington for training in the future. For now, I’m working with my mom to expand our facility to better meet our needs and serve more clients. I like to host clinics so that’s something we are also taking into consideration. Off and on, I’ve been a longtime volunteer with the Central Texas Dressage Society and did 4-H as a kid, so my roots run pretty deep here. In the next few years I hope to participate in some CDI competitions outside of Texas and go through some judging courses. When Esteban decides to be a Grand Prix horse I’ll shoot for my gold medal. The future is bright for sure!”

Ashley has ridden in clinics and trained with many people including Jennifer Jarvis, Johan Rockx, Jan Ebeling, Berndt Von Hassler, Joan and Claire Darnell, Lars Petersen, Robert Dover, Bert Rutten, and Anne Gribbons.

Was there a time in your life when you decided you wanted to be a trainer?

“When I realized there weren’t enough hours in the day to ride enough to be excellent and work to pay for my own horses.”

What is your philosophy about training horses/riders?

“Confidence is paramount for horse and rider. The dressage basics help to achieve this, and I enjoy helping my students reach their goals.”

What is most rewarding about being a trainer?

“Knowing that my clients and the horses are happy is enough! I get just as moved when my beginner students have a great ride as I do watching top combinations.”

Do you have any training tips or tricks you would like to share? 

“Expensive horses ride the same as cheap ones if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you want to learn to ride well, make sure you really understand the aids. I like to ask the horse to do something and then be completely quiet and still. If your horse doesn’t maintain the correct tempo or stay on the line of travel you imagined, you need to go back to the basics! Riding doesn’t take as much physical effort as it does balance and concentration.”

What is your advice for someone who is just getting started with riding, or better yet a parent whose child is just starting to ride or wants to start riding?

“Even if you don’t want to spend the money on something you don’t see as having value; lessons, a clinic, equipment, a supplement, whatever. Your trainer has spent years developing a system and if you want them to be committed to you, you owe it to them to commit to taking their advice in earnest, and sticking with it to make sure it works.”

Tell me about the horses you are currently showing or training, or the horses that you own.

Esteban Sally Luna Frankie

Ashley is sponsored by: Hulsebos Saddlery