About Us

    Hello! My name is Pierre Cousyn, proprietor of Dressage Sport Horse Consulting.  I am  now living in Los Altos, California.                                         . Being a rider and instructor by training, I specialize in helping riders locate and select their horse of a lifetime. Over time I have developed the knowledge necessary to help riders determine whether horses are a good match for them, and I have devoted much time and energy to developing a network of sources of the highest quality horses available.

     I provide a comprehensive service for riders interested in shopping for sport horses in Europe. My services begin at home with a meeting and riding evaluation to understand the client's needs and to make sure that we all agree on realistic goals for the type and price range of horse. Once we have listed the criteria for the desired horse, I begin communicating with my European contacts to determine the availability and location of likely prospects, ensuring a more efficient trip, and reducing the frustration and unnecessary travel expenses which can occur without such preparation. During the trip I handle all travel arrangements and logistics in keeping with the client's tastes and budget. During each farm visit I help my clients evaluate the horses we are shown by the sellers, discussing compatibility and talent, any potential problems noticed, and the overall suitability to help the client achieve the stated goals, acting as a reality check where appropriate. Once a suitable horse is located and transaction recorded, I assist in arranging for a veterinary examination, and arrange for transporting the horse to the client's home stable.

     I am a graduate of the National Equitation School in Saumur, France, earning the Moniteur (Instructor) diploma in 1981, and the Instructeur (Instructor to prepare professionals) diploma in 1987. I trained and competed professionally in France and Switzerland before moving to California in 1995. In addition to my time at Saumur, I worked for two years with Bruno Lostria, trainer of the French Young Riders Team, and for two years with Dominique Flament, current trainer of the French National Dressage Team. In addition I have taken clinics with some of the best trainers in Europe, including Margitt Otto-Crepin, Daniel Ramseier, Christine Stuckelberger, and Philippe Karl. I have shown through Prix St. Georges, but specialized in young horses, winning the Championship for four-year-old horses in the Romandie region of Switzerland and placing 6th in the Swiss National Championship.

     My philosophy is to match riders with horses that will help them meet their identified goals in a way that is both safe and satisfying. I believe in absolute integrity during the entire process, and want my clients to feel that I represent their best interests, even if sometimes that means telling them that the most beautiful horse in the world is not necessarily the best horse for them. I am totally open about my charges and about the seller's prices for the horses we see, and do my best to get the best possible prices for my clients. I do not deal with multiple commissions. My satisfaction comes from clients (and horses) who are happy long after the purchase transaction. Because I specialize in helping people to find the right horse, and do not subsequently ride or train any of the horses I find, my clients can feel comfortable that I am looking for the right horse for them. Their trainers' can rest assured that I am not interested in taking away their training business, but only helping to find a horse that will be a pleasure for trainer as well as student.

     I have built my contacts over a number of years and deal only with sellers who I know to be honest and fair. They know me to be a serious horse buyer only interested in quality horses, and consistently show me horses meeting the most exacting standards. I work throughout the year to locate and maintain good sources of quality horses, and rule out any sellers who do not meet my standards. I work only with trainers who train horses over the long term and avoid those who buy horses to re-sell quickly. In my experience I have found that this leads to horses that are more correctly and patiently trained. Trainers who know their horses over a period of time can also more accurately assess whether they have horses which meet the criteria of a given client, saving us all time and frustration.
 

"Having worked together with Pierre Cousyn at the National Equitation School during the time he trained there, I can guarantee the great quality of our compatriot in all circumstances. His riding and teaching skills are well above the average. This perfectly educated man also appears to be worth the greatest trust."

Colonel Carde

Ecuyer en Chef (Chief Rider)
National Equitation School
Saumur, France

"Pierre Cousyn has qualities that make him an excellent instructor: considerable technical knowledge, a gift for teaching, together with broad equestrian knowledge and a fine education. [He] could be a fine ambassador for traditional French equestrian culture."

Philippe Carl
Cadre Noir
Saumur, France

"I undersigned, Bruno Lostria, national D.N.E.P. dressage trainer of the French Equestrian Federation, certify that I have regularly worked with Mr. Pierre Cousyn, State-agreed instructor, in view of competition and improvement of teaching skills. He has all the required qualities as a trainer to make his students progress in competition, he teaches with a lot of rigor and seriousness."

Bruno Lostria