Leslie Neumann, a dressage trainer and rider, passionately loves the art of dressage. She grew up on Long Island, New York, where she started studying Hunter Equitation at the age of eight. Her natural ability with horses kicked her career off at the age of 12 when she began teaching the neighborhood kids how to ride her Shetland pony mare, Snickers.
Leslie has enjoyed a lengthy tenure of working in riding schools on both coasts, and she understands the timeline it takes to train horses and riders. She has ridden and attended numerous clinics as well as studied with trainers and authors, such as Harry Deleyer, Susan Harris, Sue Curry, Dale Forbes Bormann, Jennifer Bohlman Smith, Elizabeth and Wick Hotchkiss, Charles de Kunffy, Felicitas Von Neuman Cosel, Brooks Busby, Robyn Hood, Dr Deb Bennett, Debbie Fornia, Debbie McDonald, and Yossi and Noel Martenovich. She has also studied training a horse to harness as well as lunging the vaulting horse.
Her credentials include 8 years as an apprentice trainer under three different USDF gold, silver, and vintage medalists. Her background also includes coaching junior hunt-seat equitation riders at horse shows in New York. Leslie has worked with literally hundreds of horses and riders over the past 40 years on both the East and West Coast. Her knowledge of ground training includes methods advocated by Linda Tellington Jones, John Lyons, and practices adopted from the French, Spanish, and Germanic systems of training.
As a result of Leslie’s hard work and education, she has helped many riders and horses succeed at competitions. Leslie coached Meghan Vaughn to Short Stirrup Equitation Champion at The Hampton Classic Horse Show in 1990 in Bridgehampton, NY. In 1989, Leslie was Reserve Champion Training Level Gold Coast Dressage competition, Westbury, NY on Lefty Golightly, an off the track thoroughbred that she brought along herself as her first dressage horse. . In 1992, she took High Percentage First Level Open, at the Cavalier Heat Wave Open Dressage Show, in Spokane, Washington, on Saabs' Code III, an Anglo-Arab. In 1996, she took High Percentage in Third Level, at the Calvary Outreach Benefit Dressage, in Pasco, WA on Tristan, a warmblood cross. In 1997, she took High Percentage Third Level and Above at the Inland Northwest Dressage Association Show in Spokane, WA on Bilbo Baggins, an Arabian.
Ribbons and awards aside, Leslie says that the most rewarding experiences of her career have involved watching some of her students become professional trainers themselves or hearing about successes with former trainees as they matured into reliable mounts for children and adult amateurs. Please take a look at the Carousel scrapbook to view pictures and read her client’s stories.
She is an avid reader. Her library is extensive, with horse books both vintage and current, videos, magazines, and art all devoted to horses.
Leslie believes in what John Lyons calls having a partnership with the horse. Safety is rule number one for Leslie, her students, and their horses. Clients can expect to receive consultation on equitation, horsemanship, psychology, training techniques, nutrition, routine care, referrals, and equipment.
The students will learn the fundamentals of dressage through proper position and effective communication skills in the saddle. She expects her students to provide a viable commitment to the sport if they want positive results.

Leslie views horses as individuals and believes in tailoring the training program to suit their physical and mental needs. She is knowledgeable on health management and care of the horse, and works with farriers, massage therapists and chiropractors to insure the balance of the horse.
Leslie’s favorite breed is the horse when asked by others what her favorite breed is. Every breed has a gift or talent to offer. Her training program is open to all breeds.
Leslie also enjoys music, art, and fashion. She takes pleasure in matching music to horses for freestyles, and designing horse and rider costumes for shows, parades, and exhibitions.
Please contact Leslie if you are interested in studying or having your horse trained in dressage, or to have her train your horse with behavior problems, colt starting or general training. You can do this either by calling her or sending her an email. Leslie thanks you for visiting her site and letting her share her story with you.