A book is really needed to cover Tanya's life, born on the circus and spending her early childhood there, really set the pattern of her life in three ways. The love of animals, she literally was riding before she could walk and a love of entertaining, she has been doing displays and lecture demonstrations for more years then she can remember. In doing this she was promoting dressage to music to the younger generation long before it came into the competition world. The family left the circus when Tanya was 7 years old and they went into the horse business. It was purely by chance when her showjumper was having time off she arrived on the International dressage scene ridng her mothers T.B. High School horse Rainbeau when she was 18 years old. Tanya made the National papers as the circus girl who was on the long list for the Olympics when she was only 21 years old. On the travelling front, her work as a trainer has taken her around the world , she says she will never lose the itchy feet and has the ability to sleep anywhere, anytime - not always the best thing when she is in a hurry!
With her parents Marion and Peter also professional horse trainers, the family have a wealth of knowledge, expertise and many great stories to tell!However this page is just to give you an insight into Tanya's career and what gives her the ability to give you 'The Magic of the Horse'®
As a rider and trainer she has been acknowledged by others in her profession as an outstanding horsewomen breaking down the barriers between the disciplines. As far back as thirty years ago at her lecture demonstrations of dressage and training horses, she brought in others to promote their disciplines such as vaulting and western long before they were known about as they are today. From dressage, western, show-jumping, driving, vaulting (in her youth!)eventing, side-saddle, driving, even starting race-horses for the track she has just about done it all.
It is in dressage that Tanya climbed the ladder internationally, representing GB in the first ever Young Rider European Dressage Championships some 34 years ago. From there she was in the World and European Championships and on two Olympic Teams. What is more interesting is that all her top horses have been ones that had 'problems', she has never had the finance to buy the best, but for her that was the challenge - not the issue.
As a trainer of riders Tanya is a British Dressage 3* international Trainer, a Para dressage trainer, B.H.S. reg Dressage Trainer, a BSJA level 2 Coach and is working her way through the UKCC coaching levels and is a B.D. Level three Coach Educator.
Above all she considers herself to be a Classical rider and trainer, alot of her training for the horse is on the ground with lunging, long reining and working free. Her work is always about promoting welfare of all equines and training horses in such a manner that they enjoy it and want to work with her, it is stress free, there are no gadgets and they work with co-operation not domination. Much of what is being called 'new or natural or at liberty' has been practised by the family all their lives it is just that they have never marketed themselves or their work they have simply got on with it.
The entertainer side of Tanya (Larrigan Equestrian Productions) is through her equestrian displays, which over the years have kept developing - from Classical High School, to liberty, comedy and her unique miniature horse team The Mini Marvels. Her work has gone far and wide and in her words 'isn't finished yet!' Her horses have worked in many different places and situations, featuring on children's TV and in adverts such as Emmerdale and magazine shoots. They have bookings for garden and birthday parties, villiage fair. Tanya has presented at The Olympia Xmas Show in London in the past and last July two of her displays performed in the Opening & Closing Ceremony of the World Para Dressage Championships
A great honour was when The Mini Marvels performed in front of her Majesty the Queen at the Jubilee Event. Other bookings for Tanyas displays come from word of mouth to folk on the 'A list' - people we all know, but Tanya never talks about.
Aldo and Warrior getting ready for a photo shoot to promote horse passports
As a producer of Events for others, her work includes The Gala Evening at the Equus Show in London and the Gala Evening for the European Dressage Championships at Hickstead. When presenting training demos at a major show in the USA, she was invited to put forward suggestions on how their evening entertainment performances could be improved.
Tanya is also an author, 'New Sensations for Horse and Rider' was a best seller, with the foreward by Sir Paul McCartney. She has even designed a range of children's plush toys based on The Mini Marvels. For this she went to work in China to get the toys right and then to India to source the packaging! There are more books in the pipeline and DVD's.
As a presenter she has worked on the BBC and SKY for equestrian sports and her horses has been featured.
For those who work with her they know she expects 100% from them when a production is on the go, she wants audience to leave the arena with a sense of 'wow' and wishing the show was longer!
By putting all of the above in the melting pot, Tanya feels that she has the right ingredients to make the best mix possible. Helped by family, friends, the horses, lights, sound & action and of course you, the audience joining us then 'The Magic of the Horse'® will fly.
The Magic of the Horse® & The Mini Marvels® are the registered trademarks of Tanya Larrigan. All text and photos are the copyright of Tanya Larrigan 2008 and may not be reproduced without permission
A book is really needed to cover Tanya's life, born on the circus and spending her early childhood there, really set the pattern of her life in three ways. The love of animals, she literally was riding before she could walk and a love of entertaining, she has been doing displays and lecture demonstrations for more years then she can remember. In doing this she was promoting dressage to music to the younger generation long before it came into the competition world. The family left the circus when Tanya was 7 years old and they went into the horse business. It was purely by chance when her showjumper was having time off she arrived on the International dressage scene ridng her mothers T.B. High School horse Rainbeau when she was 18 years old. Tanya made the National papers as the circus girl who was on the long list for the Olympics when she was only 21 years old. On the travelling front, her work as a trainer has taken her around the world , she says she will never lose the itchy feet and has the ability to sleep anywhere, anytime - not always the best thing when she is in a hurry! 
Aldo and Warrior getting ready for a photo shoot to promote horse passports 