Albena “Alby” Konstantinova spends most of the year in Europe training Warmblood dressage horses or giving dressage clinics in her native country of Bulgaria, when not in the U.S. During the winter season she resides in Florida where she is busy preparing, showing and selling her investment horses.

“My horses are always well prepared before they enter the show ring or are offered for sale. When I am in Europe I am always in the market for top-quality dressage horses suitable for professional or amateur riders. I purchase not only on behalf of my clients, but for investment purposes through my company, Equivest Dressage, LLC as well.”
Last June, Alby and her horses moved to Legacy Farm in San Marcos, which is located about 30 miles north of San Diego.
“I wanted to experience a new dressage community,” she says. “Southern California has some of the top American riders, such as Steffen Peters, Guenter Seidel, Christine Traurig, Sue Blinks, Leslie Morse to name a few.
“This community allows me the opportunity to personally improve with input from other professionals,” Alby continues. “You can never learn enough about training and developing these animals. Getting new ideas leads to innovative ways to exercise and train the horses. Keeping an open mind is an important ingredient for success!
“I think that horses are like humans,” Alby says of her training philosophy. “I never try to change their innate personalities. Instead I adapt myself to them. I listen to them and respect them for their own uniqueness. My training regimen consists of two main principles: Respect and love.
“I train my horses with the same approach you would employ to develop a professional athlete. Every day, utilizing a predetermined plan, I build up a different muscle group in their body. A horse trainer is really a physical therapist.”
At her new location (Legacy Farm) Alby will expand with not only selling and training horses, but she will be available for private lessons and giving clinics at the farm and in the area.
Equivest Dressage LLC focuses on matching riders or investors with the right horse to meet their specific goals.
“That could be either finding a horse at the competition level or one for pure investment purposes. Proper training should increase a horse’s market value so that it can later be sold at a profit.
“We import young or made FEI level Warmblood dressage horses with a price range that can vary from $30,000 to $800,000.”
One of the many horses she currently has for sale is a 9 year old, 16.2 hand Dutch Warmblood gelding. “He’s schooling Prix St. Georges with some Grand Prix movements and would be very appropriate for a competitive amateur or young rider,” she says.
Alby will be heading to Europe soon to import more horses. Her travels should take her to Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.
“We go wherever we can find the best horses,” she says. She validates the horses have a good show record and a complete medical history before they are imported.”
Alby’s background prepared her well for her equestrian career. She began riding as a 7-year-old in her native city of Sofia, Bulgaria. At that time, equestrian sports were sponsored by the Bulgarian Government and were dominated by men.
“My uncle helped me navigate the system,” she says. “As a young girl, I was able to overcome all the road blocks that were placed in front of me. I rode lunge line for three years and learned cross-country, vaulting, jumping and dressage.” 
Eventually, Alby was chosen to represent her city’s government-sponsored club in both national and international dressage competition. She was a member of the Bulgarian national dressage team and received five years of professional training from German riding instructor Werner Klinbael.
She competed in Bulgaria, Germany, Poland and Romania. She earned a gold medal at the Balkan Games in 1989 with her Hanoverian stallion Dylon.
She earned her degree in Masters of the Sport, which she says represents the highest achievement by a trainer that can be earned in Bulgaria and Europe.
In 1992, she was named to the Bulgarian Olympic team, but unfortunately the political situation in Bulgaria deteriorated and the government-sponsored sport system collapsed.
“Since the government was no longer able to sponsor the team, I chose to leave Bulgaria and continue my pursuit of excellence in the sport,” she notes.
In spite of the language barrier and the challenges, Alby decided to immigrate to America.
“My dream was always to live in America,” she says. “I think that the United States is the best country in the world.”  
In February 1992, she secured a coveted visa and arrived in the States at the age of 22.  Her initial start began with meeting a young British woman who agreed to teach Alby English in exchange for her assistance with training her horse. Her progress led to a new job at Montclair Riding Academy in northern New Jersey where she worked for seven years teaching young riders and adult amateurs as well as training and showing her and client’s horses.
A former client offered this testimony: “Every time one of your horses came into the arena -- we all knew it was an ‘Alby horse.’ You have such a great eye for horses in knowing the wonderful way they will develop after training!”
The Academy’s owner, Robert Maino, sponsored Alby on an FEI-level horse, Sonat. He was a Swedish Warmblood which she trained through Grand Prix level. She had many successful rides and championships.
In recent years, she has had many opportunities to compete at FEI level with horses imported through her company Equivest Dressage, LLC.
“I have trained many horses from young to FEI level. The desire to grow the business and take care of my family back in Bulgaria motivated me to continue selling horses. This focus has resulted in less showing in the arena as much as I would have liked, but looks toward that in the future.”
References are available from a wide range of satisfied clients. The roster includes students she taught to ride, owners of horses she has trained, as well as investors that have benefited financially.
Alby is looking forward to making contact with Southern California dressage lovers. “During my time in Southern California, I hope to learn and grow personally and professionally,” she says. “I want to help others do the same by either finding them the right horse or by helping them with those they already own.”
Contact Albena”Alby” Konstantinova at 760-644-1732 or by e-mail: Equivestdressage@aol.com.