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Lindsay Kellock has represented Canada on some of dressage’s biggest stages, from winning a Pan American Games Team Gold medal to competing at the Tokyo Olympics.
Her career has been shaped by dedication to the sport and the meaningful partnerships she has built with exceptional horses along the way. Now, Lindsay is developing her next Grand Prix partner with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind.
Behind her international goals is a horse-first approach to training, management, and nutrition. With support from Mad Barn, Lindsay uses individualized feeding programs to help her horses look, feel, recover, and perform at their best without relying on unnecessary grain or a one-size-fits-all approach.
Hooked on Dressage from the Start
Lindsay has been immersed in high-performance dressage her entire life and riding for as long as she can remember.
“My mom was a dressage rider herself and was very good friends with Jacqueline Brooks and Ashley Holzer,” Lindsay says. “Ashley is even my godmother, so I was introduced to the sport at a high level from a young age, which I’m very grateful for.”
Although dressage eventually became her focus, Lindsay first tried a little bit of everything, including jumping. But one ride on a dressage schoolmaster changed everything.
“I remember the day I got to ride my first set of one-time changes and that feeling so clearly. I was completely hooked on dressage after that. I thought, 'This is amazing. What an incredible feeling.' That was it for me.”
— Lindsay KellockMad Barn High Performance Athlete
Foundational Horses & Mentors
As Lindsay’s riding goals grew, her family moved from Toronto to Newmarket, Ontario, allowing her to train more consistently with Canadian Olympian Jacqueline Brooks.
“That was a big turning point in my riding, when I really started riding with Jacquie,” Lindsay says. “She developed me up until I was about 19.”
Special horses also shaped Lindsay’s junior riding career, including Camaray and Milestone, also known as Manny.
Camaray challenged Lindsay in dressage because she was not naturally inclined to go on the bit, but working through that difficulty helped Lindsay improve as a rider. In contrast, Manny was a standout partner who gave his best every time, helped Lindsay learn the ropes at the FEI level, and carried her to Young Riders.
Lindsay’s next major step in riding education came in New York, where she spent many years working under Ashley Holzer as a working student and barn manager.
At 22, Lindsay gained valuable upper-level mileage on two very different horses Ashley connected her with: Eminence, who gave her first Grand Prix experience, and Royal Prince, who she competed at the international Small Tour level.
“When I got to Ashley's, I didn't have a horse. I had to work hard, but I got to ride so many horses there, which was a great experience, and Ashley has been one of my biggest mentors to this day.”
— Lindsay KellockMad Barn High Performance Athlete
Stepping Into the CDI Grand Prix Ring
After seven years working for Ashley Holzer, Lindsay was ready to take the next step in her career. Around that time, Melissa Schiff contacted Ashley to look for a trainer for her horses at Enterprise Farm Equestrian in Rhinebeck, New York. Ashley encouraged Lindsay to pursue the opportunity.
“Ashley told me it was a great opportunity and that I should do it. I interviewed with Melissa, and I’ve been working with her ever since,” Lindsay says.
One of Melissa’s horses, Hustler, gave Lindsay her first CDI Grand Prix experience at the highest level of dressage competition. Lindsay saw the experience as an important learning opportunity and an invaluable step in gaining exposure, developing confidence, and establishing herself in the CDI Grand Prix ring.
What's your top priority with your horse's health?
What's your top priority with your horse's health?
Resilience & Patience for the Win
Soon after Lindsay’s experience in the CDI ring, she got a chance to ride on the global stage at the Pan American Games in 2019. Riding Floratina, who is owned by her client Chloe Gasiorowski, Kellock helped Canada bring home the Team Gold.
At the same time, Lindsay was developing another of Melissa’s horses, Sebastian, for the FEI Grand Prix level. From the beginning, he stood out. Lindsay recognized him as something special and took her time training him.
That partnership led to another milestone in her riding career at Dressage at Devon, where they won the freestyle under the lights.
“That was a really special win. I've been going to Dressage at Devon since I was a kid, so to win there was another bucket-list moment for me.”
— Lindsay KellockMad Barn High Performance Athlete
The Road to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Winning at Dressage at Devon helped confirm Sebastian’s potential and gave Lindsay confidence that their partnership could be competitive on the international stage. From there, Lindsay and Sebastian campaigned toward the Olympics through shows in Florida and appearances on Canada’s Nations Cup team.
“The Olympics weren’t necessarily the goal when I first started developing Sebastian,” Lindsay says. “I just kept training him and giving him the time he needed, and as our partnership developed, we realized the Olympics could become a real possibility. When the Games were postponed to 2021, that extra year gave us more time to prepare.”
But their Olympic path was not straightforward. Sebastian faced some physical setbacks and could be nervous in the competition environment, which made building trust and a true partnership especially important.
“Sebastian taught me so much about partnership and trust,” Lindsay says. “He could be sensitive and a little nervous going into the ring, so it was important that he really trusted me. But once he went down the centerline, he knew his job. He loved to perform and always seemed to rise to the occasion. He was an incredibly special horse for me.”
Competing at the Tokyo Olympics was a career-defining accomplishment for Lindsay and the culmination of years of work with Sebastian. The Games came during an unprecedented time, with the challenges surrounding COVID adding another layer to the experience.
“Representing Canada at the Olympics with Sebastian was incredibly special,” Lindsay says. “It wasn’t the test we had hoped for, but I was so proud of him and everything we had accomplished together to get there.”
The Olympic experience also came during a deeply difficult personal year for Lindsay, who had lost her brother in January 2021. “There were a lot of emotions surrounding that year, both personally and professionally,” Lindsay says. “To still make it to Tokyo and represent Canada was something I was incredibly proud of and will always be grateful for.”
“I was disappointed at the time, but then I thought, 'I made it there. I'm an Olympian.' That was a huge feat in and of itself.”
— Lindsay KellockMad Barn High Performance Athlete
Balancing a New Family, Horses & the Next Olympic Cycle
After the Tokyo Olympics, Lindsay’s life shifted quickly. She got married in 2022, had her first child in 2023, and continued to balance having a new family with her goals in the international dressage ring.
“Along with getting married and having a baby, I also had horses I was developing in between, including Tu Le Merite,” Lindsay explains. Lindsay campaigned Tu Le Merite with the Paris Olympics in mind, but ultimately the timing and circumstances did not come together for them to pursue that goal as a partnership.
“I had just had my first baby that June, and there were a lot of moving pieces at that point in my life and career,” she reflects. “Sometimes the right decision is to listen to the horse, the circumstances, and the partnership rather than force a particular timeline.”
After having another baby in 2025, Lindsay stepped back from international competition while continuing to develop the next chapter of her dressage program.
Looking Up & Ahead
Lindsay is now focused on developing Kensington, a horse Melissa purchased for her two years ago, with the long-term goal of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind. “I’ve really taken my time developing a partnership with him,” Lindsay says. “We did our first Grand Prix in Ocala in May, and he won.”
Together, they also earned reserve champion at the Lövsta Future Challenge in Wellington, Florida, a young horse Grand Prix class held in the international ring.
“That was a really big milestone for us because it was in the international ring in Wellington,” Lindsay says. “That’s a big atmosphere, and Kensington went in there and did his job. I was thrilled with that.”
Kensington’s talent is matched by a kind, sensitive personality, and Lindsay has taken her time developing his confidence and experience in the competition ring.
“I call him my big golden retriever,” Lindsay says. “He’s a big chestnut with a heart of gold. He has such a kind personality, and the more experience he gets in the competition ring, the more confident he becomes.”
“Los Angeles is the main goal, but I'm always listening to Kensington and what he's ready for. If Pan Ams next year is something we can do together, we'll try to do it. Otherwise, I'd love to keep getting exposure in the Grand Prix ring.”
— Lindsay KellockMad Barn High Performance Athlete
Optimizing Nutrition for Upper-Level Dressage Horses
For Lindsay, nutrition is one of the most important parts of supporting elite dressage performance horses.
“I feel like nutrition is one of the most overlooked parts of performance,” Lindsay says. “These horses are elite athletes, and if we’re asking them to perform at this level, their nutrition needs to support their health, recovery, and overall well being.”
That support goes beyond grain alone. Lindsay looks at nutrition as part of the bigger picture of keeping her horses comfortable, recovering, and ready to work.
“Nutrition is about supporting their joints, digestive system, muscle recovery, and helping them feel their best every day so they can do this sport at a high level,” Lindsay says.
Dressage places unique demands on a horse’s body and mind, especially at the upper levels where even small details can affect performance. For Lindsay, nutrition plays an important role in helping horses meet those demands.
“Dressage asks for strength, power, balance, collection, and precision from our horses,” Lindsay says. “They also have to concentrate, have the right energy level, and recover between training sessions.”
“Targeted nutritional strategies have become a huge part of how I manage my horses at this level. If they need more energy, you can support that nutritionally. If they need to be more focused, you can support that nutritionally too. It's about finding the right balance for each horse.”
— Lindsay KellockMad Barn High Performance Athlete
Turning to Experts for High-Performance Results
A major part of Lindsay’s business is developing horse-and-rider combinations for the higher levels, and several Mad Barn supplements have become foundational to supporting her own and her clients’ horses.
“AminoTrace+ is the foundation of our nutrition program. We feed it to every horse in the barn,” Lindsay explains. “I love that it gives them a total balance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants without needing a million different supplements or feeding additional grain.”
Beyond AminoTrace+, she also uses Magnesium Oxide regularly, especially for horses in heavier work or during travel and competition weeks. “I like to increase magnesium for horses that are working hard or competing often,” Lindsay says. “It helps support muscle function, and for some horses, it also helps with relaxation.”
Other Mad Barn products are added based on each horse’s individual needs, including w-3 Oil , Visceral+, Optimum Probiotic, and Spirulina.
“W-3 Oil has been amazing for coat quality, healthy weight gain, and omega-3 support,” Lindsay says. “Visceral+ is something I like to use to support digestive health, particularly during travel and competition.”
“I also rely on Optimum Probiotic during periods of stress or antibiotic use, and Spirulina is one of my favorites for coat quality and appearance,” Lindsay adds. “It just makes them look stunning.”
Working with Mad Barn gave Lindsay a more individualized approach to each horse’s nutrition. That process included hay testing and specific recommendations for each horse in the program.
“I’ve always had nutritionists come in who were involved with a feed company,” Lindsay says. “But working with Mad Barn was different because they came in unbiased and looked at every horse and the total diet they were being fed.”
“Mad Barn was so thorough, and each horse was given their own nutrition program. It was a super positive experience, and it has changed all of my horses for the better.”
— Lindsay KellockMad Barn High Performance Athlete
Incredible, Aloha & Pinky: Vibrant, Healthier Hair Coats with Spirulina
One of the most noticeable changes Lindsay saw came after adding Spirulina to the diets of several horses in her program, especially her dark-coated horses competing and living in Florida.
“Living and competing in Florida, you’ll often see horses get dull coats,” Lindsay says. “They can lose pigmentation and start to look a little less vibrant, especially the dark-coated horses that get sun-bleached.”
After adding Spirulina, Lindsay noticed a clear difference in three of her horses in particular: Incredible, Aloha, and Pinky.
“We added Spirulina to their nutrition programs and saw a significant improvement in their coat health and shine. Their coats appeared richer, healthier, and more vibrant. I honestly couldn't believe the difference.”
— Lindsay KellockMad Barn High Performance Athlete
Kensington: Supporting Muscle Function & Recovery
Kensington has also benefited from targeted nutritional support, including Magnesium Oxide, which Lindsay uses uses as part of his overall nutrition program to support normal muscle function and recovery.
“Magnesium has been a really nice addition to Kensington’s program,” Lindsay says. “With horses working at this level, I’m always looking for ways to support their muscles, recovery, and overall well being so they can feel their best in their work.”
For Lindsay, individualized nutrition is an important part of supporting Kensington through the demands of Grand Prix training and competition.
“Every horse is different, and I like being able to tailor their nutrition to what they need,” Lindsay says. “With Kensington, the goal is simply to support him in feeling his best so he can perform at his best.”
A Better Way to Support Performance Horses
For Lindsay, supporting performance horses through nutrition is not about simply feeding more grain. It is about choosing targeted support that helps each horse look well, feel comfortable, recover properly, and perform at their best.
That approach has become especially important in a program built around developing horses for the highest levels of dressage. Whether a horse needs more body condition, better coat quality, gut support, muscle recovery, or a calmer, more focused feel, Lindsay sees nutrition as part of the bigger picture.
“It’s about supporting each horse as an individual,” Lindsay says. “If they feel good in their bodies, they can show up better in the work. That’s what matters most when you’re asking them to perform at high levels.”
