Nanna Merrald after Blue Hors: "Trying to Take it One Step at a Time"

Dressage

Denmark

Nanna Skodborg Merrald shocked the dressage world when it was announced that she has to leave her long-time employer Blue Hors.

Her departure followed shortly after her assistant Sophia Ludvigsen left Blue Hors in May.

Blue Hors Success

Nanna began working as a professional rider at Blue Hors at the start of 2018 and had her break through on Blue Hors Zack by riding him on the Danish team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. They also won team gold at the 2022 World Championships. She piloted Atterupgaards Orthilia to team bronze at the 2021 European Championships; and Blue hors Touch of Olympic to silver at the 2021 World Young horse Championships.

In 2023 she took over Blue Hors Zepter and won team bronze and GP special silver at the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck and placed second at the 2023 World Cup Finals. In 2024 she was second again at the World Cup Finals on Don Olymbrio, while at the 2024 Olympics she and Zepter got team silver and finished 9th in the Kur.

What's Next?

Merrald recently spoke out about the sudden change in her life, coming right after she gave birth to her first child.

Nanna schooling Zepter at the 2024 Olympics

"I'm okay, trying to take it one step at a time," Nanna said about the new course in life. "Leaving this amazing place means that I have to figure out how my future career is going to look like. Hopefully I'll be able to find some amazing horses in the future as well."

When asked was she learnt out of the situation she replied, "you never know what comes next and when a new chapter of your life begins. This is definitely going to be a new one for me. I'm excited to see where this will bring me and my family."

Nanna will continue as a rider. "My dream is to keep being a full time rider self-employed. I would like to stay in Denmark, so right now we are working on where we can find a place."

Keep on Riding

Nanna has two horses of her own which he bought as foals. They are two 6-year old mares, Sevilla Pilekaer (by Vitalis x Apache) and Sahara Pilekaer (by Secret x Sir Donnerhall). Nanna bought Sevilla in the 2020 Danish Warmblood Online Foal auction for 20,000 euro. Sahara competed under Lea Dyre Jespersen at the 2025 Danish Young Horse Championships, where she finished 7th in the 5-year old consolation finals.

On Monte Carlo at the 2024 CDIO Compiegne

"I'm so happy that I've not sold them yet, so I still have something to ride," she said.

Merrald did not let the set-back dampen her spirit "I still have a lot of motivation about the horses and I'm dreaming about being part of the Danish national team again."

New Rider at Blue Hors

Nanna's departure is one of many changes at Blue Hors the past two years. They stopped their major stallion station in Randbol and merged their dressage division with the jumping barn, Stuteri ASK, in Martofte, where now jumping and dressage are housed under one roof.

The dressage horses at Blue Hors stud in Martofte are being ridden by Lea Dyre Jespersen for the time being until a new rider has been found. Danish paralympian Tobias Torning Jorgensen has also been riding some of the horses while Nanna was there.

Viva Vegas, Purple Rain, Santiano, Bonsai, Lyngbjergs St. Paris, and Baron are amongst the top dressage horses in Blue Hors' ownership.