Elise Pearl Rich is the face behind Pearl Classical Dressage. A native of Boyne City, MI, she fell in love with dressage in her early teens and has always enjoyed a well-rounded riding life. Growing up a participant in 4H and Pony Club, Elise has ridden a variety of disciplines and began riding dressage under Alicia Byberg-Landman in 2003. Alicia also introduced her to the world of natural horsemanship in the style of Buck Brannaman, a huge building block in Elise's foundation. Elise enjoyed showing throughout high school with her soulmate Atlas, a 1997 Latvian Warmblood gelding who she has owned since 2004. She has shown in dressage, hunter/equitation, jumpers, eventing, and enjoyed trail riding often. Their focus has always been on education and they still jump on every opportunity to ride in clinics. |
The most influential clinicians in Elise's riding career have been Spanish Riding School bereiters Herbert Seiberl and Marius Schreiner. She began participating in their Michigan clinics in 2007, auditing H. Seiberl's very first U.S. clinic. To date, Elise and Atlas have ridden in nine U.S. clinics with the bereiters.
In 2012 Elise had the opportunity of a lifetime: to study dressage and German language for three months. She leased a third level Holsteiner gelding to take lessons with Herbert Seiberl and met a personal goal, among many other skill-based goals, of taking her lessons entirely in German! She hopes to return to Vienna for more intensive training in the near future.
Continuing education is very important: Elise trains on a regular basis with Sue Hughes, "r" Judge and Centered Riding certified instructor, to continue her education in biomechanics. In July of 2014, she rode in a clinic with Brent Graef, natural horsemanship instructor, and she is very excited to study more with him.
Elise is currently teaching and training in the Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo areas, including part-time teaching at Mystic Meadows Farm with gaited horses.
In 2012 Elise had the opportunity of a lifetime: to study dressage and German language for three months. She leased a third level Holsteiner gelding to take lessons with Herbert Seiberl and met a personal goal, among many other skill-based goals, of taking her lessons entirely in German! She hopes to return to Vienna for more intensive training in the near future.
Continuing education is very important: Elise trains on a regular basis with Sue Hughes, "r" Judge and Centered Riding certified instructor, to continue her education in biomechanics. In July of 2014, she rode in a clinic with Brent Graef, natural horsemanship instructor, and she is very excited to study more with him.
Elise is currently teaching and training in the Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo areas, including part-time teaching at Mystic Meadows Farm with gaited horses.
Clinic Experiences
Fall 2005 with K.A. von Ziegner
Fall 2006 with K.A. von Ziegner July 2007 with Herbert Seiberl January 2008 with Herbert Seiberl July 2008 with Herbert Seiberl December 2008 with Bettina Drummond Summer 2009 with Greg Best July 2010 with Herbert Seiberl |
January 2011 with Herbert Seiberl
July 2011 with Herbert Seiberl March 2012-June 2012 in Vienna, Austria July 2012 with Marius Schreiner March 2013 with Marius Schreiner March 2014 with Marius Schreiner July 2014 with Brent Graef |
Awards and Nominations
2014 USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program Participant
2010 named as alternate to USPC Quadrille Team for the World Equestrian Games
2009 Fancy Memorial Trophy Winner, Great Lakes Region Pony Club D Event Rally
2008 Charlevoix County 4H College Scholarship Winner
2006-2008 Equestrian Team Captain for Boyne City High School
2007 MI State 4-H Horse Show - Top 10, Senior Dressage
2006 MI State 4-H Horse Show - Grand Champion, Junior Dressage
2005 MI State 4-H Horse Show - Top 10, Junior Dressage
2010 named as alternate to USPC Quadrille Team for the World Equestrian Games
2009 Fancy Memorial Trophy Winner, Great Lakes Region Pony Club D Event Rally
2008 Charlevoix County 4H College Scholarship Winner
2006-2008 Equestrian Team Captain for Boyne City High School
2007 MI State 4-H Horse Show - Top 10, Senior Dressage
2006 MI State 4-H Horse Show - Grand Champion, Junior Dressage
2005 MI State 4-H Horse Show - Top 10, Junior Dressage