Nestled in the San Fernando Valley in tranquil Shadow Hills, Rockin’ W Ranch has everything one would look for in a full-service equestrian facility. True to its motto, “Where horse care is our priority,” this scenic ranch offers experienced caring staff, access to miles of trails, a lighted jumping arena and dressage court with mirrors, as well as a round pen, hot walker and turnout. Rockin’ W also has something one might not expect at a small facility - not just one, but two, veteran dressage trainers: Dane Lawrence and Claudia Roberts.
“Claudia and I know each other from working for Heather Bender years ago,” explains Dane. “So when Johnny Higginson, the owner of Rockin’ W Ranch, told me that Claudia approached him about coming here, I said that she would fit right in with the friendly atmosphere at the ranch.”

Claudia Roberts and Pacific Dressage
“After I had my children, I decided I needed to find a career where I could set my own hours and still be involved with horses,” explains Claudia, who was a psychotherapist before she made the big jump from amateur rider to professional trainer 14 years ago. “I worked with Heather Bender for many years before becoming a professional, so I knew it was hard work, but also very rewarding.”
In the years that followed her “big jump” and the formation of her own training barn, Pacific Dressage, Claudia has been awarded the USDF bronze medal and qualification for a silver medal on Linda Macon’s horse, Augustlohe. Claudia is now showing Augustlohe at PSG, but at one time the pair were ranked fourth nationally at Second Level in the USDF’s national Trakehner breed standings. Recently Claudia also received her “L” graduate certification and is now licensed to judge schooling shows. She tries to take her Pacific Dressage team to at least one show a month, hitting four larger shows a year.
But accomplishments in the show ring aren’t everything and Claudia enjoys teaching everyone and every level of student, whether they have competitive ambitions or are pursuing dressage just for fun. She uses her training as a therapist to challenge her students and help them overcome any fear or anxiety they may have in the saddle. She has found working on the lunge line and without stirrups to be an invaluable teaching tool and has made it part of her core curriculum. “Working on the lunge line helps students to develop a stronger seat, strengthen their leg position and can teach them to use their body parts both independently and in coordination.”
Claudia has also found trail riding and quadrille work to be a wonderful confidence builder for both horse and rider. “The funny thing about anxiety is when you’re focused on something else, it goes away. Riding quadrille forces the riders to focus on spacing and synchronicity, and that takes their mind off themselves and all the little things that can prevent them from achieving their goals. I try and teach all my students that dressage is a partnership and that trust is part of that.”
The Pacific Dressage quadrille team has done a few performances in the past set to music, with full costumes. Claudia plans to hold drill team practices two times a week this fall at Rockin’ W Ranch and looks forward to putting on another performance.

Dane Lawrence and Willowcrest Dressage
Dane, a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist, shares Claudia’s belief that success isn’t measured by ribbons and medals alone. “My greatest priority is for my students to be ‘thinking riders’ who are well-grounded in the fundamentals of riding,” says Dane. “It’s not just about getting on a trained schoolmaster and hacking around. It’s about communicating effectively with your horse using classical principles, so you can ride with real understanding, lightness and harmony.”
To Dane, an important component of achieving this harmony depends on the rider’s ability to develop a balanced, supple and secure seat. “It’s very tempting to ‘blame’ the horse for its way of going,” says Dane. “Many times, horses are stiff or crooked because we as riders are tense or imbalanced. Once we begin to correct those problems, our horses start to go better, because they clearly understand our aids.”
Another aspect of achieving this harmony is giving his horses a well-rounded regimen outside the dressage court. Dane’s training approach includes cavaletti, jumping, free jumping, in-hand work, trail riding and turnout.
Over the years, Dane has found that proper school exercises, based on a solid classical approach, can enhance the balance and self-carriage of any horse, regardless of shape, size or bloodlines. His busy training barn, Willowcrest Dressage, has been home to a wide range of breeds, including Warmbloods, Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Arabians, Andalusians and Lipizzaners.
In fact, Dane credits a Lipizzaner mare he rode years ago for teaching him that patience is a virtue, and that cooperation and correct riding yield better results than force and quick fixes. Last year, Dane rode Siglavy Actress III to the USDF 2006 All Breeds Award Reserve Champion title, Training Level - Open. Another Lipizzaner, Pluto Savona, has been brought up through the levels by Dane and is now competing at FEI level. Although the two have just begun showing PSG this season, Dane is pleased with how the 15-year-old gelding is coming along.
“I understand that people want to be competitive in the show ring,” says Dane. “But being competitive and being classically correct don’t have to be mutually exclusive. To give a horse sufficient strength, suppleness and self-carriage to perform the higher movements correctly, you need to help them build the right foundation and that takes time. The older I get, the less I believe in rushing anything, especially when it comes to horses.”

For more information about Dane Lawrence or to set up a lesson, call 818-399-5643. For more information about Claudia Roberts, call 818-897-9323 or visit her on the web at www.pacificdressage.com.