Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, US Grand Prix dressage rider Cassie Schmidt is now based in Wellington, Florida where she is currently training her two horses: Drum Master, who is competing in the Grand Prix, and Invictus, who is at the Small Tour level. Cassie splits her time between working with the horses daily and working at a needlepoint store based in Palm Beach. Cassie says “Besides riding, I enjoy working out, reading, golf, and needlepointing in my downtime.”
What does a typical week look like for you?
Cassie and Drum Master, competing in the Grand Prix class at Global in 2026.
I ride the horses five days per week typically with four days being workdays and one day walking for each horse. With Drum, I am working on refining the Grand Prix movements and building strength in the passage in particular. Drum has gotten to know the GP test quite well and we are building confidence in the finer points of the test to pick up more points. With Invictus we are working on finalizing the GP movements. It is fun because both horses are almost complete opposites as far as their strengths go so I really get the chance to learn new techniques as a rider. A typical day for me starts with riding the horses in the morning with one of the rides being a lesson. Work at Lycette is from 12-5pm Monday to Friday. After work, I work out by going to the gym or going for a run. I work out 5 days per week to make sure I am fit enough for my horses.
When were you first introduced to horses and how did that develop?
My parents introduced horses to me. My mom rode dressage and showed into the FEI Levels and my dad is an avid lover of horse racing. I began taking lessons at a local eventing barn at the age of four but soon switched over to exclusively dressage after a few years. My mom helped me a great deal throughout my junior years and while I was at college as well. She has a great eye for the sport and the training. I enjoyed the thrill of jumping, however, the discipline and attention to detail in the dressage training is fascinating to me.
Who do you train with?
Cassie and Invictus warming up for a test at Global
I currently train with Michael Klimke. I have worked with him since January of 2025 and had the amazing opportunity to train with him at his farm in Munster, Germany. In Wellington, we train two to three times per week, and he helps me at shows.
What do you love about dressage?
I love the connection you need to have with the horse for a great partnership in the ring. It is so rewarding to work through struggles you have with a horse and come out stronger on the other side. There is always something to work on as well. I feel like since I have been able to show Drum at the Grand Prix, I have almost had to start over learning how to ride because now that I can do the movements, I have to learn how to do them better and use them to help my horses become stronger and comfortable in their bodies.
Most memorable achievements?
A few of my most memorable achievements include winning the FEI Junior National Championship and receiving the Silver medal for FEI Junior Freestyle at NAJYRC. Most recently, I received a 69% in the GDF 11 National Grand Prix and that was such a highlight to cap this season.
What has been one of your hardest lessons?
Sometimes it is just not your day, and that is ok. What is most important is that you stick to your system and keep showing up. We strive for perfection in this sport and it can be really hard when things go wrong. It is important to remember that every day is a new day and a new chance to improve.
What do you think horses have taught you?
Horses have taught me patience and perseverance above everything. You cannot rush the training on the horses and when it feels difficult, you have to keep showing up every day. The training takes years to allow the horses the time to build the strength to perform it correctly but if you keep showing up, the reward is unparalleled and nothing can beat the feeling of training your horse up through the levels.
Your future goals?
I want to go as far as my horses will take me. I have gotten to do some amazing things through my life with horses, and I am so thankful for every opportunity they have given me so I am just excited to see where I will go with them in the future.
Your Top Tip
Sometimes you need to just leave the exercise and try again the next day. It is important to always be fair to the horses and sometimes they just are having a hard day themselves. If something is necessarily hard one day, I try to take it down to as simple of an exercise as I can and then another day bring back the intensity. I never want to drill anything or push the horse past their comfort level.
What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given?
Advice directly related to training would be to have a system in your day-to-day training. I learned this from Michael. Every day we come to the barn, and we feel different, our horses feel different, but we have to have a routine to build our training around. If we always have exercises to come back to when things go wrong, we can stay organised and be fair to our horses. I have the same exact warmup, more or less, that I complete with my horses everyday as well as a set of exercises I use almost every day to assess how we can proceed with the training. It keeps things simple and clear in my mind when the work gets more challenging.
It takes a team to do dressage, who is in your support team?
I have incredible parents who support my dreams. They have always been in my corner since I first began riding and have always supported my goals. I am so thankful for them. Next is my wonder-groom Jose. Without him, I am not sure how we would make it to the ring. Michael of course for training me to this level, as well as support from John Amber who helps me with my young horse and gives me valuable insight with both of my big horses too. My boyfriend is a huge supporter of mine and is the best cheerleader for me at my shows. I have the best farrier in the whole world who has helped me with my horses since I was thirteen years old, Jake Engler. I cannot ever thank him enough for keeping my horses’ feet in the best shape. And my vets from Foxwood Equine, they help keep my boys feeling their best and staying healthy. I truly am so thankful for every member of my team as they are invaluable for my success.