Horse Care

Janine Little and her team of professional grooms manage and personally oversee the daily and nightly care of Little Dressage horses, providing top equine management alongside thorough knowledge of each horse to ensure their optimal health and happiness.

While in Florida, Little Dressage horses make their home at the world-class premier equestrian facility, Lady Jean Ranch.

During summer, when not training and competing in Florida, both horses and humans love the Ontario base of Little Dressage, just outside Canada’s capital city of Ottawa.  From this facility, located near Brockville, Little Dressage is conveniently located for competitions in Ontario, Quebec, and the northeastern United States.

Please feel welcome to click below for a brief video tour of Little Dressage’s Ontario base:

Whether at Lady Jean Ranch in Jupiter, Florida, or in Canada, Little Dressage horses enjoy:

• Spacious, bright, well-ventilated and deeply-bedded oversized stalls, cleaned multiple times daily;

 

• Individualized feeding programs, providing top-quality feed and supplements;

• Carefully monitored turnout and/or exercise programs according each horse’s needs;

• A variety of places to enjoy training and conditioning, including trails and a track;
• World-class fiber footing;
• Thoughtfully-managed stable facilities supported by skilled, caring staff – and sometimes their “helpers” 😉 ;

• The best in veterinary care, farrier services, equine health management practices and technologies, grooming, and grooming products; and

• Customized saddles and saddle fittings by DK Saddlery, led by world-renowned master saddle maker Danny Kroetch.  Created by a family-operated, Canadian-based company, DK saddles are known around the world for their innovative designs, craftsmanship, and adjustability that can fit even the most challenging-to-fit horses. Danny Kroetch’s expertise was further recognized when Academy Bartels invited him to provide his saddle fitting knowledge in conjunction with a study at Utrecht Veterinary University.  DK Saddlery has been an integral part of maximizing Little Dressage horses’ comfort, freedom of movement, and performance for over a decade.

For all aspects of horse care, Little Dressage provides personalized, one-on-one attention so that the team can closely monitor the health, fitness, and well-being of each horse.

Little Dressage’s top-quality program and results could not be possible without the expertise, long hours, and dedication of professional grooms.

For example, groom Larisa Anderson’s dedication to the well-being of horses in her care was celebrated when Naima Morieria-Laliberté’s stallion Sancerre was awarded with the Omega Alpha Healthy Horse Award in March 2016, in recognition of exemplary horse condition and health.

 

Larisa began training with Janine as a young teenager and working student, immersing herself in the atmosphere of a high-performance program.  She benefited from watching the daily practices of a top trainer, while gaining hands-on experience with exemplary, international-quality stable management.

While a working student, Larisa earned numerous victories throughout western Canada, including the 2013 Alberta Provincial Junior Championship.  Larisa has since moved on to explore travel opportunities across the globe, yet the high quality of care Little Dressage horses receive continues.

All grooms at Little Dressage are carefully selected by Janine, and provide consistent and exacting care for the high-level equine athletes at home, on the road, and at shows across North America.

Opportunity: Professional Groom / Working Student Position

Little Dressage welcomes interest from professional grooms or working students interested in joining our team. Responsibilities include stall cleaning, feeding, grooming, tacking and untacking, clipping, hand walking, lunging, potentially some riding (depending on the candidate’s level of experience), and potential opportunities to travel and groom at high level shows on the east coast, 5.5 days a week. The candidate must have experience grooming and be capable with handling high-level show horses, including young horses. They must be hardworking, in good physical shape, self-motivated, and tidy, with attention to detail and the ability to work autonomously as well as contribute to a team environment.  Candidates must also have a driver’s licence. Accommodations are provided; for other terms and details please contact Janine.  This is a great opportunity for a dedicated person who wants to further their knowledge of FEI dressage horses and their care within a supportive team environment.  Please send a brief resume and contact info to jmlittle75@hotmail.com.

In addition to the many people who ensure quality horse care, all operations are overseen by Oswald, the Little Dressage mascot and supervisor extraordinaire.

“Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.”  – C.S. Lewis