North American Western Dressage Judge Michelle Binder-Zolezzi

“I cherish the opportunity Western Dressage gives me to ride western and be recognized for the quality of dressage training we put on the horses.”

— Michelle Binder-Zolezzi

Michelle started her riding career at 18 months old in Griffith Park, California. It was 1967. She was put into formal riding lessons at an academy at age 4, and riding with a pelham and 4 reins by age 6. At 8, Michelle worked in her neighbor’s yard until she could pay $1.00 for her 23 year American Saddlebred parade horse. She started in 4-H with that horse when she was 9 and has been riding, competing, training and teaching ever since. Read more at relationalridingacademy.com.

Dressage literally translated means “training”. Dressage, as a philosophy of horsemanship, develops a working relationship between horse and rider that is based on trust and understanding through “training”. Dressage is just that, a method of training of both the rider and the horse. The goal of Relational Riding™ is to apply the philosophies of Dressage, good horsemanship and related therapeutic modalities that have been developed over the centuries. These philosophies and other elements of Relational Riding™, when applied, allow the horse to become more supple, obedient, balanced and ultimately develop, to their fullest and most beautiful, the natural gaits of the horse.

Relational Riding™ correctly done, truly begins with the rider. Gentleness, compassion, respect and love of the magnificent creature that is the horse pervade the training. The rider learns to understand how their body affects the horses’ movements and attitudes. They learn to apply the basic aids necessary for communicating with the horse and to encourage him to perform through the development of the “Ring of Muscles”. Relational Riding™ fully develops the athletic potential of the horse, and helps keep the horse sound in mind, body, and spirit. The rider, by embracing the concepts presented in the program and learning to maintain a balanced seat, develops a harmonious relationship with the horse.

Michelle believes that all horses and riders, regardless of their fields of interest or performance, benefit from basic Relational Riding™ techniques. She believes the basic principle begins with the “balanced seat”. This is easily recognized in all disciplines by the “ear, shoulder, hip and heel line”.

In developing Relational Riding™, Michelle has incorporated techniques and philosophies from instructors, trainers and riders from all over the world. She has worked personally with Sue Sherry, Mary Wanless, Sally Swift, Gerhard Politz, Andjez Salacki and Claus Bergener, and has participated in clinics with over 20 instructors as a teacher, rider and auditor.

As an ARICP certified instructor, Michelle has worked with riders through 2nd level in dressage, up to 3’6” in hunters, through Training Level eventing, and through regional and national level open and breed class competition and has qualified a client’s horse for Appaloosa World Championships and coached buckle winners in Cowboy Dressage.

Michelle Binder-Zolezzi offers lessons, boarding, training, Drill Team, Horse Show Team, and houses our local High School Equestrian Team.

Relational Riding Academy offers free auditing to NAWD members and a 10% discount on lessons

Michelle has not kept track of her scores over the years but riders have shown and won with scores up to 74+% at Intro and Training (WD Basic) level, and have routinely won year end awards up to Second Level in Dressage. 2015 CD World Finals had several rides over 65% and a class win in WJL Test 5

Michelle rides a pinto/american warmblood and has shown in traditional dressage as well as Western. She has started over 50 horses under saddle.

Professional training videos  available from Michelle

“Understand Riding Parts 1 and 2”

“Any Horse Any Rider” 

Go to www.RelationalRidingAcademy.com