"We first met John and Char back in 2003 when Olivia was ten years old and riding her pony club pony, Jack. With John’s help, Olivia moved on to her first true dressage pony, May Frizzante, in 2004. John’s eye for detail and accuracy ensured that Olivia soon learnt how to ride a dressage test and John helped Olivia to get the best from her pony to enable the pair to go from Elementary through to FEI level.

Char took over with Olivia’s training in 2005 when the pair were competing in Ireland and Holland and Olivia needed a little help with her position. Char’s lunge lessons soon encouraged Olivia to work on getting a deeper seat even if she couldn’t walk when she got off!

With Char’s help, Olivia made the move into horses last year, when she was 13 years old. We found Rio, a young, green horse with great potential in 2006 and since then with weekly lessons with Char, the progression has been wonderful with competition success in Scotland and at the Regionals with the aim of high level competition in the future.

The backup, support and camaraderie that we have received from all at Molecomb Stud is just wonderful and we look forward to a long, happy and successful relationship"

“John’s training has brought out the best in my horses, who are not typical dressage horses at all, one being a 15.1hh part-bred Connemara (we think!) and the other, a 15.2hh 3/4 Welsh Section D.

The first – Technic – has been to the regionals at all levels and at 22 is still competing successfully at PSG with the occasional Intermediare 1 if we’re feeling brave!

After a late start, 12-year-old Merlin is beginning advanced medium after qualifying first time out for both novice and regionals.

We won’t hit the dizzy heights, but we have great fun! The great thing about John is that he sees beyond the breeding and rider limitations and always makes you believe you can do it."