Melissa Hughes, or Missy as she is known by friends and family, is a therapeutic riding instructor and horse trainer with a strong desire to learn classical dressage for the preservation, development, and longevity of the horse, the rider, and the art itself. She strives to teach and advance a method of training that is biomechanically correct, marked with integrity, and respectful to equine and h
uman alike. She currently lives in Illinois with her family, is a college student, and now most recently, an instructor-in-training in Philippe Karl’s Ecole de Legerete. Missy began her riding instruction at nine years of age. It consisted of hunter/jumper training for 3 years, dressage training for 5 years, and natural horsemanship training for 3 years, but it was the art of dressage that Missy truly fell in love with. Auditing a clinic by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann in 2009 helped shape her present philosophies on dressage and set her on a path to finding further classical instruction. In 2009, opportunities opened up for Missy in the field of equine assisted activities and therapies. In 2011, she received her registered level therapeutic riding instructor certification from PATH Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International). Missy has used her skills as a trainer to help manage an equine conditioning program at BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding Center facilitating and maintaining the mental, physical, and behavioral health of the program horses. She currently teaches therapeutic riding at HorsePower, a therapeutic riding center in Maple Park, IL and manages her own program, Dare to Dream Dressage. Missy currently strives to be the best instructor possible. She believes that by utilizing classical instruction that is kind and effective and harnessing her passion for pouring into the lives of others, the best can be brought out of every horse and human.
