Finnish Olympian Joanna Robinson Sidelined Following Back Surgery

Dressage

Finland

Finnish Olympian Joanna Robinson will be sidelined for a while as back pain has led her to undergo two operations that are keeping her out of the saddle, for now.

Joanna Robinson

The 36-year old Robinson is based in Spain and The Netherlands. She began riding in Finland as a 12-year old and spent her teenage years in Germany. As a young adult she started a family in the U.K. before returning to horse sport in 2017.

Robinson first represented Finland at the 2018 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Ermelo. She trained with Ulla Salzgeber and Morten Thomsen. Her first international Grand Prix horse was Riccardo L (by Rheingau x Larome), followed by San Coco di Amore (by San Amour x Chinook).

In 2022 she began working out of The Netherlands and got coached by Remy Bastings. Grand Prix horses Diego (by Valeron x May Sherif), Glamouraline (by Johnson x Samba Hit), and Belmore (by Belissimo x Fidertanz) followed. It was Glamouraline who took Joanna's career to the next level. They were nominated for Team Finland for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where they placed 29th in the Grand Prix Special with 66.413%.

Robinson and Bastings ended the collaboration and Joanna continued on her own. At the 2025 European Championships in Crozet, she was 54th in the Grand Prix (64.131%). This year she competed the darkbay at CDI's in Jerez, Vejer, Murcia, Golega, Lier and Brno, but did not make the team for the World Championships.

Back Problems

Robinson has been sidelined from riding due to back pain and required surgery at HUS & Mehiläinen clinic in Finland.

"My back hasn’t been too happy lately and things escalated to two spinal surgeries last week," Robinson explained. " So I’ll need some time to recover, and riding is currently on pause. Nothing horse-related, but apparently my own conformation just isn’t great. X-rays look super, MRI less so. Repairs done, now onto rehab. Hopefully back in the saddle before too long."