Alexandra Morgan is an FEI Canadian Dressage rider based out of Kingston Ontario. Thirty-year-old Alexandra manages a private farm with Dutch Driving horses in addition to teaching. “I also teach twenty-five to thirty-two riding lessons weekly, as well as clipping horses,” explains Alexandra
Tell us about the horses in your life at the moment, and what does a typical week with them look like?
I have two mares. My first one is my 19-year-old mare DeeDee. She is an off the track thoroughbred. She is a spicy and very opinionated mare. I like to call her my dragon as she has a very fierce personality. I got her when she was two and a half years old just off the track, she was kicked off the track for kicking and biting other horses. I have competed with her to Prelim Eventing and to Inter-A in dressage. I am currently working on the Grand Prix level movements. My goal this year is to do a Grand Prix test with her at one show before retiring her from showing.
My typical week: Monday is a day off. Tuesday ride -snaffle bridle, long and low, forward and back, trot poles, finish with walk hack. Wednesday ride- snaffle bridle, walk poles, more collection, suppling exercises, finish with walk hack. Thursday ride snaffle bridle, more collected exercises still focusing on the suppleness in the body, finish with walk hack. Friday lunge in sliding side reins over raised Cavalettis, lots of transitions. Saturday ride double bridle usually a lesson or collected suppling exercises with lateral work. Sunday, snaffle bridle hack at beginning of ride, forward and back, raised walk poles, transitions, lateral movements
My second horse is my 3-year-old mare named Beetrix. DeeDee is her mother. She has just started to be backed by myself and my sister. Her personality is like a goofy gelding but in a mare body. She’s been so easy to back and train thus far. She is very much the in your pocket type. She currently is only ridden two times a week. She is long lined three to four days a week down the road as well as up the hills to build her topline and self-balance while she is growing.
Can you share your dressage journey
When I was eight years old, I told my mom I wanted to ride a horse, so she found the closest riding school and signed up for my sister and I. Our first lesson was on a pony named “Sir Lancelot” in the pouring rain, with no indoor arena. Our coach always said that if we came back after that first lesson then we would always be riding.
Through Pony Club, my sister and I gravitated towards Eventing. I successfully competed with my Mare DeeDee up to the Prelim level. This is when my coaches told me I needed to improve my Dressage to move up the Eventing levels. So, I found a barn near Brockville that was hiring a working student position. I started at a barn called “Porcupine Hill Dressage”. I was there for seven years where I was able to bring my mare DeeDee from 1st level dressage to successfully showing Prix St. George. While at Porcupine Hill Dressage, I had the opportunity to show a Grand Prix level Hannovarian gelding for two years. As well show a Lusitano Stallion in the Prix St. George. I am now schooling and about to show the Grand Prix on my mare DeeDee.
Who have you trained with?
I have had multiple mentors along the way. Liz Steacie, who owned and operated Porcupine Hill Dressage, really made me fall in love with dressage. I learnt a lot about the holes in my training and the sport of dressage from her. She made me appreciate how hard but rewarding dressage is, she would always say that “dressage is for every single horse”.
The past few years, I have had the great pleasure to learn from Laurie Smith. She taught me to really “feel” and about the softness and to believe in myself again I was also able to take a number of lessons from Billie Boylen and Janine Little where they reinforced that even at the Grand Prix level, it is still all about the basics, are you straight, are you supple, are you in front of the leg. I try to budget for three lessons a month
What do you love about dressage?
My favourite thing is trying to be better than I was the day before. The challenge is continuously learning.
Your dressage highlights?
2025 DeeDee- Inter -A- 66.7%, 2024 Greyce- 2nd level- 68.8%, 2024 Greyce 1st level- 73.1%, 2023 Greyce – Training level – 72.4%, 2021 Hamlet- Prix St. George – 64.2%, 2021 Harry -Grand Prix -67.8%, 2020 DeeDee- Prix. St. George- 65.7% and 2020 Harry- Under 25 Grand Prix -69.7%.
What challenges have you faced?
At 14 years old, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. I have had five surgeries related to it, including a colostomy bag for a few years. In 2021, my mare DeeDee broke her right shoulder. It took her eight months to learn to walk again properly.
What is your training philosophy?
Exercises are wonderful, and there is an exercise for everything but if you cannot do it supple, connected, forward, straight or aligned correctly, then there is no point.
What do you think horses have taught you?
I have learnt to be much more patient and to be kind to myself. To breathe, be present in the moment and to trust my gut.
Your Top Tip
If a horse is naughty or dangerous, there is 99% chance it’s coming from pain. Be an advocate for your horse, do your own research, ask questions and don’t be afraid to get a second opinion.
What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given?
If it were easy, we would all be doing it at the top level, just enjoy the journey.
It takes a team to do dressage, who is in your support team?
I have the most amazing family and close-knit friends that are there for me constantly. My side kick and shadow is my Boxer dog named “Remi”. She comes with me while riding or coaching. My girls have the most amazing team that includes; their farrier, two vets, the chiropractor, the massage therapist. They Are on a four-week schedule for most things to keep them feeling their best.