SERVICES
Instructor and Trainer, Ryann Lacagnina, strives to assist her clients in accomplishing goals for themselves and their horses, through science-based training and classical horsemanship, both in and out of the saddle.
Open to all breeds and temperaments. Riders of all ages and abilities with a love for the horse are welcome.
Serving the Seacoast, Southern, and Lakes Regions of NH
STARTING/RE-STARTING
In-Hand and Under Saddle
From the introduction to groundwork and saddling to to first few rides. Pricing available upon inquiry.
TRAINING/RIDING
All non-gaited breeds, dressage, eventing, hunters, jumpers, equitation, western dressage, hunter under saddle, gymkhana and more. Happy to help with hot, quirky horses of all ages, as well as rehab projects, fine-tuning schoolmasters, and more. Includes grooming/tacking for horse before and after riding. Dressage training pyramid is utilized as the basis of all rides. Lunging and groundwork also available at a lower rate.
LESSONS
From lead line to advanced intermediate riders.
First lesson will be approximately 1 hour. All other lessons last for of a duration of 45 minutes. Beginner lessons include tacking and grooming prior to riding.
Private or Semi-Private Lessons.
PHILOSOPHY & ASPIRATIONS
Passion and Education
Ryann believes in creating a program that works for each individual horse and rider to achieve their personal goals. The basis of all riding is trust, relaxation, and confidence, which is taught to all of her clients, no matter their level of riding. She believes in using a balance of equine psychology and biomechanics to develop a sound and happy athlete in each individual equine. She strongly believes in riding the horse in accordance with its individual well-being. Ryann is a kind instructor who will match your level of intensity and build your confidence. Each lesson and training program is unique to horse and rider by tailoring her training style to suit each individual and aid them in achieving their goals.
Ryann is working towards finding a facility to offer training, rehab and sales board within the next few years. She will continue teaching across Southern New Hampshire while boarding and training in house.
Over the next few years, Ryann plans to achieve scores towards her USDF Silver Medal and begin developing an upper-level eventing prospect by 2026.
However, horses are known to cause a change of plans!
ABOUT RYANN
Love the horse first
Ryann Lacagnina fell in love with horses at a young age. After her first lesson at 5 years old, she was instantly hooked. By the time Ryann was 10 years old, she was working off lessons at a local Hunter/Jumper facility. For 5 years she was a working student, putting in long days over the summer, school breaks, and weekends. She was eventually promoted to assistant barn manager of the 50+ horse lesson, boarding, and show facility, which included acting as manager on her days off and training up to 7 working students . She gained invaluable knowledge and experience through reading, auditing clinics and shadowing her instructors. Ryann spent her freshman year of college at Delaware Valley University before transferring to the University of New Hampshire in 2018.
She graduated with a B.S. in Equine Industry and Management, and Recreation Management and Policy: Program and Event Management, with a Business Administration emphasis.
Ryann started Ryann Alexandra Equestrian in August 2021, while working part time as a Marketing, PR, and Social Media Communications Manager for Shires Equestrian. In 2024 she became an Adjunct at the University of New Hampshire and the assistant trainer for Jessica Freiman Dressage, LLC. Ryann's passion and dedication to learning truly sets her apart from her peers. She is incredibly well-rounded and genuinely loves to share her passion and education with others.
EXPERIENCE
Path to Professional
Ryann grew up in the equitation ring, showing on her local circuit, Dutchess County Hunter Jumper Association, which soon became Hudson Valley Hunter Jumper Association, in New York State. By the time she was 13 years old, Ryann had her sights set on eventing. She began cross training in dressage and jumpers with her childhood instructors, Grand Prix Show Jumper LucyRachel Donahue and USDF Silver Medalist and "L" Graduate with Distinction Allison King. Not long after, she fell in love with the art of working with green and problematic horses. She began to develop tricky lesson horses, making them more suitable, rideable and safe for The Southlands Foundation lesson program. She began teaching beginner lessons, rehabilitating horses, and exercising horses in training, including but not limited to, FEI dressage horses, 1.25m jumpers, and 3’3 hunters.About a year later, Ryann restarted her first few OTTBs. She also became an exercise jockey for Albert Freid Jr. of Lazy F LLC. at Buttonwood Farm in Rhinebeck, New York. Ryann learned many valuable lessons both in the saddle and working with foals, broodmares and yearlings. The process of training and starting horses excited and intrigued her. Following her position as an exercise jockey, Ryann rode for a local event trainer where she restarted numerous Off-Track Thoroughbreds while gaining eventing experience and catch riding sale horses at the HITS on the Hudson Summer Circuit. That same year, Ryann participated at Dressage for Kids, finishing in the top 6 of over 20 at Training Level.
​
At Delaware Valley University, Ryann was a point rider for the IHSA team, a team rider for the IDA team, and a member of the upper-level group on the Vaulting Team. Here she rode under Stephanie Barerra, BHS Fellow Angelo Telatin and Graduate of The Cadre noir of Saumur, Robin Millet. At the University of New Hampshire, Ryann began to focus more on dressage riding and became a team rider for the IDA team. In 2019, Ryann won highpoint rider at IDA Nationals hosted by Lake Erie College, on a combined score of over 71%.
In 2019, she spent the summer as a working student for Meagan Davis at Longview Farm North. Ryann attended her first rated dressage shows on Meagan’s 23-year-old FEI school horse, Cachet, obtaining her first scores towards her USDF Bronze Medal. That winter, Ryann spent 6 weeks in Florida with Meagan Davis Dressage at Longview Farm South. She groomed for Meagan at Centerline Events and at the Global Dressage Festival CDI's. Ryann made many valuable connections throughout her time in White Fences, Loxahatchee and Wellington. In 2020, Ryann continued to work under Meagan at SkyFall Stables in Saugerties, New York. Ryann took on a higher level of responsibility. She had a groom working under her supervision and rode more quirky horses and schoolmasters, including but not limited to Hanoverians, Oldenburgs, PRE’s and Friesians. She also began to began to assist Meagan in hosting clinics with Lars Peterson, in which she rode client horses as well. Ryann was reluctant to go back to school at the end of summer 2020 for in-person classes.
Although COVID-19 prohibited Ryann from traveling to Florida in 2021, Ryann expanded her knowledge elsewhere. She started a few APHA horses for western pleasure, trail, and hunter under saddle clients. She began working with an American Warmblood gelding under the direction of Stephen Hayes in the spring and developed him through 3rd level. Later in 2021, Ryann competed at second level to earn more scores towards her USDF Bronze medal. Obtaining over a 71%, she not only beat her personal high score, but her horse’s high scores as well.
In August 2021, Ryann started Ryann Alexandra Equestrian as a freelance instruction and training business. She currently works with numerous different breeds, disciplines, and riders, all across the Seacoast and Southern New Hampshire. Ryann has schooled through PSG, however, she is hoping to finish her USDF Bronze and Silver Medal by the end of 2025. She has experience schooling the 1.30m and competing through the 1.15m jumpers. Ryann has developed an impeccable work ethic and as a result, she has developed her skills as a rider and created her own opportunities. She is an up-and-coming athlete looking forward to improving her show record, while enjoying the little moments with her horses. Currently, Ryann is not only expanding her training around New Hampshire, but she is also an adjunct instructor at the University of New Hampshire and the assistant trainer at Jessica Freiman Dressage, LLC., in Dover, New Hampshire.
​​Ryann has ridden and cliniced with many trainers, including but not limited to:
​
USDF Silver Medalist and USDF "L" Graduate Allison King
USDF Silver Medalist Jill Dumont
USDF Gold Medalist Pam Goodrich
USDF Gold Medalist Meagan Davis
USDF Gold Medalist Jessica Freiman
2* Event Rider Sharon Santandra
British FEI Dressage Rider and Trainer Stephen Hayes
American Olympic Jumper and First Female Jockey Kathryn Kusner
Danish Olympic Dressage Rider Lars Peterson
Irish Olympic Event Rider Eric Horgan
American Olympic Dressage Rider Bent Jensen
​​
Personal Achievements:
2019 Intercollegiate Dressage Association Lower Training National Champion
2019 IDA National High Point Rider
2019 Training Level Young Rider East Coast Riders Cup Champion
2019 Centerline Events 3rd Place First Level Open Division
2021 Beland Farm Fall Rated Dressage Show High Point Rider at Second Level
USDF Learning Certificate 2022​​
“People rarely succeed unless they are having fun in what they are doing.”
-Dale Carnegie
©2022 by Ryann Alexandra Equestrian.