MADDY VALLENDER INSPIRED BY GERMAN LEARNING CURVE 

What makes Maddy’s story especially interesting is the decision she made at a time when many would have chosen the opposite path. As a successful young rider competing in Junior and Young Rider CDI classes with impressive results, she chose to step away from her cosy NSW home base and move to Germany for several months. There, the focus was not on collecting more ribbons or chasing scores, but on training, feel, basics and long-term development. 

It is always fascinating to hear a young rider’s reflections on time spent abroad in places like Germany compared with Australia – the training, the conditions, the culture and the differences in day-to-day life with horses. There is no question that Maddy Vallender has her sights firmly set on strong foundations and a great future in the sport. While she was based in Germany and before her return to Australia, we took the time to catch up with her and talk about the journey so far, what she has learned, and where she hopes this path will lead.

EQL: When did your focus turn toward dressage?

MADDY: It shifted the day we found Ronan. The first time I sat on him, everything changed. Feeling piaffe, passage, and the level of connection and refinement that a Grand Prix horse offers opened up a whole new world for me. It was like discovering an entirely different language, one filled with communication and precision. I immediately wanted to learn to it. From the moment he came home, my focus naturally drifted toward dressage. My training goals shifted, my mindset shifted and my passion for the discipline deepened. Ronan was truly the horse who redirected my entire riding journey.

EQL: You were achieving strong results in Australia with both horses. What led you to go to Germany to train?

MADDY: Buying Ivy (Isla Bonita 10) was the turning point. I’d always dreamed about training in Europe but once I found a horse with her potential, that dream suddenly felt achievable rather than distant. I want to learn as much as possible while I’m young, motivated and in a position to absorb everything.

Germany’s dressage culture runs deep. The knowledge base, the trainers, the system and even the atmosphere at local shows are at a level you simply can’t replicate anywhere else. I wanted to immerse myself in that environment, push myself outside my comfort zone and learn from people who have brought countless horses up the levels. It felt like the right moment to take the leap.

Read more: NEW MARE, NEW VENTURE FOR MADDY VALLENDER, Equestrian Life, June 2025

EQL: Tell us about the mare you bought in Germany, her background and experience up to the point you purchased her.

MADDY: Ivy is an eight-year-old mare with a beautiful foundation. She competed one S-Level test as a seven-year-old, just a few months before we purchased her, and she’d been trained by experienced riders throughout her early career. Her basics are incredibly correct, and she has the best temperament; willing, kind and genuinely happy to work. She’s the type of horse you look forward to riding every single day.

EQL: What specific skills or weaknesses were you hoping to target by training in Germany?

MADDY: My goal was to deepen my understanding of how top riders develop young horses from scratch. I wanted to learn how they start them, introduce each movement, how they build strength gradually and correctly and how they keep horses confident and relaxed even as the work becomes more difficult. Germany’s system is so methodical, logical and consistent. I wanted to see that process up close to understand not just what they do but why they do it.

EQL: Who are you training with there, and what about their system appeals to you?

MADDY: I’m based at Australian Olympian William Matthew’s barn. Buying Ivy through Will gave me a great first impression of the environment and even before I moved, Ivy stayed at his barn while I was finishing my competition season in Australia. His location is very central to so many dressage competitions and it felt like the right place and environment for Ivy and I. Once my season in Australia wrapped up, I packed up and moved to Germany to really focus on developing both my riding and my partnership with her.

Read more: WILLIAM MATTHEW – FINDING HIS STRIDE, Equestrian Life, October 2025

EQL: What does a typical training day look like for you and your horses in Germany?

MADDY: My mornings start at home with breakfast and a session with my sponsor, Equestrian App. Depending on the schedule, I leave between 7–8am and drive about 45 minutes to the barn.

The first part of my day is spent helping Will with his horses. It’s an incredible learning opportunity because I occasionally get to ride and observe a wide range of horses at different stages of training. I always finish the day working with Ivy, which gives me dedicated time to give her all the care and time I need. 

“The culture around dressage
is very strong; you feel it at
every barn, every show…

EQL: What surprises you most about the feedback from German coaches or judges?

MADDY: German coaches also give incredibly precise, subtle instructions. They notice the smallest details and their corrections are usually simple but make an enormous difference. That level of refinement really opened my eyes to how much room there is to keep improving the fundamentals.

EQL: What are your short-term goals with your horses over the next 6–12 months?

MADDY: My six-month goal is to compete Ivy in CDI Young Rider and Small Tour classes to give her some positive competition experience, while over the next year the main focus is continuing to build her strength and confidence toward the full Grand Prix. We’re already working on all the movements, but the priority is quality, not pressure. I want to take my time and make sure each piece feels easy for her. 

For myself, I want to keep developing my feel, understanding and experience for all the horses.

EQL: What will “success” look like for you this season?

MADDY: Success for me this season is developing Ivy thoughtfully toward Grand Prix. She’s progressing so quickly, and the work is really starting to come together. My focus isn’t on chasing results, it’s on harmony, confidence, and quality in the daily training. If we can finish the year feeling stronger, more connected and more knowledgeable, that will be a huge success.

“My focus isn’t on chasing
results, it’s on harmony, confidence,
and quality in the daily training.”

EQL: What are your plans now for the future?

MADDY: I plan to bring Ivy home with me when I return to Australia; I’m really excited for her to experience the Australian lifestyle. She loves grass and her time out in the paddock, so I think she’s going to settle in quickly and really enjoy it.

Bringing the Germany I’ve gotten to know back home is really about keeping the structure, discipline and mindset that shaped my training over there. My plan is to keep my day-to-day routine close to what it was in Germany. The organisation and consistency in training I feel has made such a difference in my riding.

I’ll also continue training with William Matthew via online lessons so we can keep the same progression and stay on the right track. Having that continuity in coaching with Will is something I’m very excited about. 

I’m very lucky to have my own horses so they naturally keep me focused. Their daily needs, their development, and their wellbeing give me structure and purpose every single day. Between them, my routines and ongoing coaching, I feel confident that I’ll be able to hold onto everything I gained in Germany and keep building on it back home. EQ