Grand prix dressage rider Lara Butler is returning to the UK after spending over a year at Van Olst Horses in the Netherlands, where she gained valuable experience adapting to a new training system and managing a larger volume and variety of horses. During her time abroad, she benefited from training alongside top riders like Lottie Fry and being close to international competitions, which she feels has expanded her skills and knowledge. Family considerations also influenced her decision to return, as she and her family missed being closer to friends and relatives.

Back in the UK, Lara will base herself at Laura Tomlinson’s Cranmore Farm in Tetbury, renting seven stables to establish her own independent operation. She plans to build a new string of horses and offer training and competition liveries, embracing the challenge of running her own yard. Lara expressed readiness to take this next step in her career, combining the best elements of her experiences with the Bechtolsheimers and Van Olsts to develop her own training system.