The Dressage Foundation is pleased to announce the creation of a new initiative designed to strengthen the future of dressage in the United States: TDF’s Riding School Fund, established to support current dressage lesson programs and riding schools that are facing increasing financial pressures.
Based on feedback from the dressage community in a 2025 survey conducted by The Dressage Foundation, the need to support riding schools and lesson programs has become critical in recent years. Due to rising costs, many riding schools across the country are closing their doors, leading to a loss of access to the sport.
To help address this challenge, and thanks to seed funding from TDF Director Emeritus Ralph Dreitzler, the new Riding School Fund will initially provide $3,000 grants to help lesson programs continue operating, care for their school horses, and introduce new riders to dressage. Applications for the inaugural grants will be accepted in Fall 2026.
“Riding schools and lesson programs are the gateway to our sport,” said Lendon Gray, Board Chair of The Dressage Foundation. “If we want dressage to thrive, we must ensure that riders have a place to begin. With backing from the dressage community, TDF hopes its Riding School Fund can grow and do more to support these important programs.”
Learn more about grants from TDF's new Riding School Fund here.
In conjunction with the launch of the Fund and to raise money for additional grants, TDF has also introduced “Treasured Horses, Treasured Teachers,” a special fundraiser that celebrates the horses who carried dressage riders throughout their journeys.
With a gift to TDF’s “Treasured Horses, Treasured Teachers” fundraiser, donors can honor a favorite horse and have it featured on TDF’s website and/or social media. All proceeds directly benefit the Riding School Fund. Options for named grants within the Fund are also available for larger gifts.
“Every dressage rider remembers the horse or horses that taught them,” said Jenny Johnson, TDF’s Executive Director. “TDF’s Treasured Horses, Treasured Teachers fundraiser allows our community to honor those remarkable horses while supporting future dressage riders.”
Learn more about TDF’s Treasured Horses, Treasured Teachers Fundraiser here.
To discuss major gift support for the Riding School Fund, please reach out to Jenny Johnson at 402-434-8585 or jenny@dressagefoundation.org. Support for this Fund is needed and greatly appreciated.
The Dressage Foundation
The Dressage Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, tax-exempt, donor-driven organization that is dedicated to educating, supporting, and advancing the sport of dressage. The organization solicits contributions, appropriately allocates the donations, and awards grants and scholarships to dressage riders, judges, instructors, breeders, high performance teams, nonprofit equestrian organizations, and more. For more information, please visit www.dressagefoundation.org.
