Lucia Rapalyea Dressage

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Lucia Rapalyea has been fascinated with dressage since her early days as a Pony Clubber. She grew up in Salisbury, New Hampshire and graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a bachelor’s degree in Equine Business Management.

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She spent a year as a working student in Holland for Dutch Olympic rider Bert Rutten and upon arrival, selected a 3-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding named Pascal. He was her first international prospect, which she trained herself from lower levels to Grand Prix.

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Since then, Lucia has brought several young horses up through the levels, and has also successfully coached many of her students to CDS championships.

Lucia is a USDF medalist and Freestyle Bar holder.  She is currently the head trainer CreekSide Equestrian in Yucaipa, California offering dressage training and horse riding lessons to all levels of riders there.  Lucia believes that, to be true competitors, she and her equine partners must work daily to build a trusting and positive relationship. That belief is the basis of Lucia Rapalyea Dressage, and is the fundamental philosophy behind her teaching. 

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