Simone Pearce: “One Bad Day Doesn’t Define You”

From an Australian farm girl to the world’s biggest stage, Simone Pearce reflects on the horses, the setbacks and the partnerships that have shaped her remarkable career.

There is something fitting about Simone Pearce returning to Aachen.

Fresh from being nominated to represent Australia at this summer’s FEI World Championships, Pearce heads back to one of dressage’s most iconic venues carrying years of experience, countless lessons and the quiet confidence that only comes from building partnerships over time.

For those who have followed her journey, the championship is another chapter in a career built through patience rather than shortcuts. Behind every international appearance is a story of horses that have shaped her, challenges that tested her resolve and a belief that success is measured by far more than the final score.

The Horse That Became Her Heart Horse

Every rider has one horse who changes everything. For Pearce, that horse was Destano, although their partnership didn’t begin with instant chemistry.

“Destano is definitely one of the most significant horses in my life. We had a very special relationship spanning over many years! When I first started riding him it actually was not love at first sight. My top Grand Prix horse at the time Scolari had just been sold and Destano was given to me to replace him as my hope for the Tokyo Olympics.

In the beginning I found him very big and challenging to ride and I wasn’t sure if we would really be able to come together as a good combination but slowly but surely we started to find each other and eventually things totally clicked and he became my absolute heart horse.”

Their partnership would go on to define an important period of her career, proving that the strongest bonds are sometimes the ones that take time to build.

A Comeback to Remember

One of the most memorable moments of Pearce’s career came when she finished second in the 5* Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen. It was a performance made even more meaningful by everything that had happened only weeks before.

“It was my first competition back after Tokyo Olympics where I had a really bad show. Destano had an allergic reaction to the tick spray which they use before flying the horses and I wasn’t able to ride him in the week leading up to the Grand Prix at the Olympics because his skin was irritated. And by the time the test came he was a bit out of shape and I was very overwhelmed by the stress of the situation so we kind of tanked.

Going into Aachen I was very nervous if we could get our form back and be able to deliver a nice confident test again. And then on that day to have everything fall into place and for Destano to once again give me his absolute everything in the ring was just the most satisfying and wonderful feeling.

It really taught me that one bad day doesn’t define you and you have to keep believing in getting back up and giving it your all after you have been knocked down.”

It is a lesson that has become one of the defining themes of her career.

Meet “Boss”

To spectators, Destano was a commanding presence in the arena. At home, however, he was something entirely different.

“Destano is honestly just the most kind, brave and wonderful horse in the world. He’s so impressive with his big stature when you see him in the arena but at home he’s the most cuddle kind boy you could imagine! We all called him Boss at home, because he was in every sense the big boss of the stable!”

Learning From Every Horse

Although Destano holds a special place in her heart, Pearce says another horse played an enormous role in her development as a rider.

“Yes I’ve been very lucky to have so many wonderful horses to ride in my career. The one that stands out the most to me as a horse which really shaped me is Millennium.

When I started riding him he had quite a reputation for having a big character and it was really one of the joys of my riding career getting to work with him and find a way to understand him and have him understand me in a way that I think really allowed him to feel confident and give his all with me!

He is a truly wonderful horse and I feel very happy and proud to have gotten to be a part of his life and to also have gotten to work with so many of his great offspring.”

For Pearce, every horse presents a different puzzle, and finding the right approach is what continues to inspire her.

A Leap of Faith

Moving from Australia to Europe wasn’t part of a carefully mapped-out plan. It simply became the path that felt right.

“When I first moved from Australia to Europe I didn’t really have any specific goals or plans. I started as a working student/groom on a short term basis with the plan to go back to university in Australia but as time went on I totally fell in love with the industry over here and the move just sort of became permanent organically.

And the more I was here the more my goals and dreams sort of developed and grew as I did.”

That decision would change the course of her life.

It’s the Little Things

Dressage is often described as a sport of precision, and Pearce believes success comes from paying attention to the smallest details while always adapting to the individual horse.

“That’s very true. Small details really do matter in dressage. For me personally I try to approach every horse with a very open mind. I’m very willing to mould and adapt to fit each horse as I feel they need it.

I would say the thing that I try to work on with every horse though is having the same sort of balance and connection which allows me to ride with energy of the horses pushing up and out as much as possible. I like it very much when the horses feel they have the opportunity to push the nose up and forward to the connection and the freedom under my seat to lift on their own and have a positive forward energy. But that’s more of an overall principle I believe in more than a small detail.

As for specific details I really like to focus on corners. Balance, control, having the horses energy flow from the inside out and riding the lines with intention and precision.”

Success Beyond the Arena

Although Pearce has competed in some of the world’s greatest venues, her proudest achievements don’t necessarily come with trophies.

“There have been some great moments in the big arenas for sure. But what brings me the most pride is developing the horses to the top sport.

I love to find different ways with different horses and I feel really proud to have been able to bring a lot of different styles of horses with different strengths and weaknesses to the highest level.

For me personally that’s what I’m striving for the most. To be the kind of rider who can mould and adapt and educate all different horses and try to support them to let them be their best.”

That same philosophy shapes the goals she continues to chase.

“I guess that kind of leads on from the last question. For sure I’m very ambitious and my dreams and goals are still far from reached for me in my career with my horses. However the thing that makes me the most happy and proud is feeling my horses really develop and feel positive in their training.

I love when they are all allowed to be individuals and follow different paths, which also means totally different time lines. And I think when you appreciate the journey just as much as you enjoy the destination it allows for the best kind of partnerships.”

Never Giving Up

Pearce speaks openly about the difficult years before success arrived.

“I have had many many setbacks. In the beginning of my career I had not grown up in a system like they have in Europe. I’m an Aussie farm girl, far from the international dressage scene.

So starting to ride professionally took me many many years of not being successful and feeling like success was kind of impossible. I always had a natural feel and talent for connecting with the horses but absolutely no polish and certainly no idea of how to put together a test at a competition.

I really felt like a big loser in that time, riding only on small shows mostly on low levels, but steadily I started to learn and develop in my competition riding and with that my confidence grew and slowly but surely the results also improved.

I still remember my first ever win in a competition. It was an M level test five years after I first moved to Europe!

I was very lucky to have a few people along the way who saw past my greenness and really believed in me. Definitely the most significant person in my career has been Sabine Rueben. She believed in me from the very beginning and still today supports me and is a huge part of my life.”

The Dream Continues

As another World Championship approaches, Pearce’s ambitions remain as strong as ever. Yet, after everything she has experienced, it is the horses and the journey they share that continue to matter most.

“I love my horses and the stable is my absolute happy place. I feel incredibly lucky to be where I am. I’m so grateful to be in a place in my career where I have the opportunity to create long term partnerships with horses. That’s really my biggest goal to keep producing horses to Grand Prix and enjoying the journey with them. And for sure if along the way some of them can have big success at a championship well that would just be a dream come true.”

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