Dressage
The Alia Alassaf Academy offers prestigious dressage lessons given by Bianca. She got her diploma in horse business management and equine sports in the Netherlands and has worked with several top trainers in the world including: Olympic riders Imke and Tineke Bartels, Coby and Marlies van Baalen and the dressage World Champion Edward Gal. She has herself competed internationally in dressage competitions and traded horses internationally, including to South Korea, Bahrain and Sweden.
Whether you're new to the sport or looking to refine your skills, we have the right program for you!
What is dressage?
Dressage is the foundation of most horse disciplines. It is the basis training of aids and all horses can benefit from a foundation of dressage training. In the discipline of dressage the horse and the rider work together to perform movements that seem effortless and that flow gracefully from one to the next. This form of riding takes a high level of athletism and it requires an incredible relationship between horse and rider. It takes years of trust to help build the gymnast strength and confidence up.
At its core, dressage is the art of training horses, but it also encompasses a competitive element. It involves a horse and rider performing a series of predetermined movements that are in accordance with the level they are competing in, known as a "test", within a rectangular arena. These movements are evaluated by a panel of judges who score each element on a scale of one to ten. The total score is then converted into a percentage; the highest percentage determines the competition winner. The degree of difficulty of each level increases from training level trough to FEI levels, which are the same tests performed in every nation worldwide.
Dressage demonstration
The passion for dressage in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is growing, capturing the hearts of equestrian enthusiasts nationwide. International dressage rider for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Karla Deir and International trainer George Martin are hosting on a regular basis, dressage demonstrations at the Alia Alassaf Academy. Karla and George aim to elevate the sport’s profile within Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and position it prominently on the international stage.
Karla is currently Jordan's sole international dressage rider. She was the first dressage rider in history to compete internationally under the Jordanian Flag. Karla is a Jordanian and British national and is immensely proud to ride for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. She hopes to motivate, inspire, and encourage more men and women in Jordan and the Middle East to get involved with dressage and to pave the way for aspiring Jordanian dressage riders to compete nationally and internationally.
George brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. His career began in the eventing world, where he competed internationally; George decided to shift his focus solely to dressage. He has successfully trained and competed numerous horses up to the highest levels of dressage throughout his journey. George is Karla’s trainer and finds great joy in the intricate training process, focusing on kind, consistent, and correct training.