Brittany Yard is an FEI dressage and eventing trainer and rider and has over 25 years of experience working with horses. Her passion was ignited by the Girl Scouts when she was working towards her horse lovers badge in the second grade, and little did her parents know how monumental that little piece of fabric with a stitched on horse was going to be in shaping the rest of there daughter’s life. From that day forward everything was about horses.

Brittany Yard moved to Ocala, Florida during the spring of 2020.  She was a high school english teacher and she just couldn’t get behind the new pandemic class format.  Deciding change was in order, she packed her bags and her horses and headed to the green pastures of Ocala. Shortly after her move,  Brittany started her business training dressage and eventing horses, teaching lessons, and selling sport horses.  Incorporating her passion for riding and her training as a yoga instructor she also teaches yoga for equestrians.  We caught up with Brittany on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Duberry Hill Farm.

Horse Connection Ocala: How did you get into Yoga?

Brittany Yard:  I’ve been doing yoga for about six years.  When I was living in New Jersey it was a great way to keep my fitness up in the winter.  Daylight is limited, and it’s freezing cold so I needed something else to do when I couldn’t ride.  I found that it helped me with flexibility and cardio and my fitness level… It made such a big difference in my riding, the awareness and control of my body, breath control and I found it really went hand in hand with riding.  Then I got into the teacher training and worked with several professional athletes.  I started teaching riders and tailoring yoga poses to their specific needs and it made such a profound difference in their physical and mental ability.  They became stronger and more flexible, and they were able to concentrate and process instruction easier.

HCO:  What do you love most about teaching yoga to riders?

Brittany Yard:  I love helping people get past their limiting mindsets.  So many people think “Oh I can’t do yoga..I’m not flexible or I can’t do that pose”  and after working with them for a while they see they can do it…and then they want to keep going and as they keep going they continue to improve.  And it really changes their riding…not just physically but the mindset, the focus, the awareness they learn in yoga really translates to their riding.

HCO: What are your personal riding goals?

Brittany Yard:  I have a mare, Divine Comedy (barn name Dani), that I bred and trained.  I rescued her mother from an auction when I was thirteen.  Dani has shown Prix St. Georges and is schooling all of the Grand Prix.  I hope to get her in the show ring and get my gold medal this coming year.  I would be really excited to do some CDI’s with her at the Grand Prix level.

HCO: You’re an accomplished eventing rider, do you plan on competing in eventing as well or is your focus now on dressage?

Brittany Yard:  I’m mostly focused on dressage but I still jump and use it as a cross training exercise for all of my horses.  I believe in making a complete athlete.  I think all horses should be able to pop over little jumps and that they enjoy it mentally, it’s important to keep things fresh.

To find out more about Brittany’s Yoga for Riders program visit her profile on Horse Connection Ocala.  ➡️https://ocalaequestrian.com/listing/ocala-fl-usa-square-one-equestrian/