By Laila Edwards
Portraits by Melissa Fuller
Dressage rider Janet Richardson-Pearson has built her riding life around patience, education and a deep responsibility for the well-being of horses.
“I seem to collect a lot of horses,” Janet said. “Someone once told me, ‘Maybe your fate was to take care of horses and give them a good home,’ and I thought, Well, I guess that’s one way to look at it.”
Over the years, that philosophy has shaped her approach to barn ownership, riding, training and horsemanship. It has also guided her impact on the sport itself. Known for founding the Chesapeake Dressage Institute (CDI), a nonprofit educational center in Maryland, Janet has helped create a hub for learning, community and care for both horses and humans.
Janet and her husband, William Pearson, were also key founding sponsors of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida, helping to launch the event in 2012 and establishing it as a cornerstone of classical dressage education and excellence in North America. Now in her 80s, Janet, who completed her Century Club ride for The Dressage Foundation several years ago, continues to be actively involved in horses—and in the dressage community.
Finding Horses as an Adult
Janet found riding through her daughter, who was involved in Pony Club. What began as parental support evolved into a serious personal pursuit. “I never sat on a horse until I was 35,” Janet said. “I just started taking lessons with my daughter for fun.”
With her first career in interior design, Janet always had the eye for detail, innovation and beauty. After graduating with her degree, she practiced mostly commercial and adaptive reuse of historic buildings for 20 years. Carrying that passion forward, she was also involved with the American Society of Interior Design, even serving as Maryland Chapter President.
That experience poised her for a ‘career’ in horses with a futuristic vision in the equestrian industry: a journey from a beginner mom to an influential dressage figure.
Janet rode with several respected instructors during those early years, including Linda Zang and Judy Farnsworth, and she quickly realized that she wanted to commit fully to learning to ride. “When I started riding, I didn’t want it to be just something casual,” Janet said. “I wanted to learn about the whole horse, not just riding, but nutrition, care and how everything fits together.”
Putting her mission into action, she attended educational lectures at Hilltop Farm and other local venues to deepen her understanding of the mechanics behind dressage. Hilltop also connected her to Jill and Scott Hassler, whom she was able to confide in for advice within the industry. Those experiences and connections planted the seeds for the work that would later define her career.
Building Chesapeake Dressage Institute
As Janet’s riding life expanded, so did her vision for what a training environment could be. After starting with a small six-stall barn, she eventually moved to a larger property and began planning something more intentional and innovative. “I wanted to build something that had the things I had looked for but couldn’t find in our area,” Janet said.
That vision became the Chesapeake Dressage Institute (CDI), built more than 22 years ago as a nonprofit organization dedicated to education and correct training. From the beginning, CDI was designed to be more than the average boarding facility. “I wanted to build an environment that fostered my love for the whole horse,” Janet said. “For people to learn in and out of the saddle.”
CDI developed a reputation as a regional center for education, hosting clinics with internationally respected professionals like George Williams, Charles de Kunffy, Janet Foy, Steffen Peters, Jan Brons, Nicholas Fyffe and many more. “We’ve had most of the greats,” Janet said. “Hosting clinics was about bringing education to the riders.”
Alongside mounted instruction, CDI placed strong emphasis on unmounted learning. Seminars on equine health, saddle fitting, bodywork, sports psychology and rider fitness became part of the institute’s regular programming. “When riders understand more,” Janet said, “they make better decisions.”
Today, CDI continues to evolve with trainers Noel Williams—daughter of George Williams—and Bernardo Diaz Yarza. Janet is proud of the CDI community of trainers, boarders and incredible staff. She adds a special sentiment of gratitude for her barn manager, Angie Burnett, who makes owning a barn easier.
“Angie basically runs everything,” Janet said. “She’s a good one and has been with me for almost 30 years.”
The Horses Who Shaped the Journey
Janet’s riding journey and her CDI career are inseparable, each shaping and informing the other. Over the years, she has partnered with many horses, each contributing a unique chapter to her story. Among the most influential was Dax, a compact Grand Prix schoolmaster who left an unforgettable mark.
“He was such a schoolmaster and always took care of me,” Janet said. “He was actually once selected by an Olympian to ride in a victory lap and did a perfect job. I remember doing my first line of ‘ones’ on him. I did seven and it was so easy.”
Another milestone came with her first flying change. “That was a big deal,” Janet said. “It was sort of a semi-accident, but it was a real thrill.”
Among the many accomplishments she holds close to her heart, one golden memory that stands out is completing her Dressage Foundation Century Club ride with her horse, Qandel. Joining the Century Club requires a rare balance of timing and serendipity, with the horse and rider’s combined age equaling 100 in competition, so when it happens, it’s magical.
For Janet, though, the recall of that special moment, while filled with love, also reflects the wry honesty that defines her. “I loved doing it,” Janet said, “but once you get to a certain age, people are impressed by anything. If you can walk and talk, people are impressed.”
That legendary horse is now happily retired with her other retired horses. “He’s happy,” Janet said. “Just eating and getting fat.”
Currently, Janet manages several horses, including Whiskey, with whom she winters in Wellington, Florida. “He’s absolutely beautiful—a Gypsy Vanner with a flowing mane and tail, and white ‘feathers’ like a Clydesdale,” Janet said. “These past two years with him have been wonderful.”
Having a string of horses that are all happy with their jobs in retired life fuels Janet to continue to provide the best possible care she can for them.
Healing Beyond the Saddle
Janet’s belief in the healing power of horses long predates the programs now offered at CDI. Early in her journey, she was a founding sponsor of Maryland Therapeutic Riding, an experience that first revealed to her how horses can support and transform people far beyond the boundaries of sport.
That belief later found a broader expression through The Wellness House of Annapolis, a nonprofit support center for individuals and families affected by cancer. Founded in the mid-2000s, The Wellness House opened its doors in 2009, offering free counseling, support groups, wellness classes and healing-arts programming in a home-like setting.
The organization operates out of a farmhouse on the CDI’s property, only a short walk away, allowing the program to grow in a setting designed to feel calm, welcoming and removed from clinical environments.
Over time, The Wellness House continued to expand its offerings, eventually incorporating equine-assisted experiences as part of its holistic approach to healing. That evolution led naturally back to Janet’s barn. “It started with my barn manager Angie taking people back to the retirees to feed carrots,” Janet said. “People really liked it.”
What began informally grew into a structured program with the involvement of Emma Rogers, a licensed psychologist with experience in equine-assisted therapy. “She had done a similar program before,” Janet said. “So, she and Angie worked together to build our current program.”
The program is unmounted by design, emphasizing presence, interaction and emotional connection with the horses. “Because it’s unmounted, it’s different than many other programs,” Janet said. “But knowing how magical horses are, of course I was all in.”
Retired horses from CDI play a central role in the sessions, as well as her current horse, Whiskey, offering participants quiet companionship and routine. The sessions have become a meaningful extension of the horses’ lives after competition. “It’s very powerful,” Janet said.
The program holds particular importance in Maryland, where cancer rates are notably high. “Unfortunately, Maryland is a hotspot for cancer,” Janet said. “It’s the second leading cause of death in the state.”
For Janet, the partnership between Wellness House and CDI represents a full-circle moment, bringing together her lifelong commitment to horses, her belief in education and care, and her desire to offer something meaningful beyond the arena.
A Quiet Influence
Over decades, Janet Richardson-Pearson has shaped dressage communities in both Maryland and Wellington, Florida, through education, mentorship and example. Her influence is not rooted in visibility, but in steady, thoughtful consistency.
“I have stories of things that didn’t work out, like any business,” Janet said. “But those experiences help to create good moments.”
Looking ahead, her focus remains unchanged: care, learning and the simple joy of the horses in front of her. “I feel very lucky to have a passion,” Janet said. “Those of us who do are very fortunate.”
Through her riding, her barn and her enduring influence, Janet’s legacy will continue to shape the sport, inspiring future generations to lead with patience, purpose, and care.
Janet thanks LauraAshleyDressage.com for graciously lending a horse for the photoshoot while hers were still in Maryland.
Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com
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