Alycia Burton Free Rider

2025/26 event dates out now!





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Alycia Burton


Hi, I’m Alycia Burton – a professional horse trainer, performer, public speaker, and youth counselor. Many people know me for my Free Riding journey with my palomino pinto, Goldrush, where together we’ve jumped extreme heights without saddle or bridle and shared our story with millions around the world. What started as a dream in New Zealand grew into many years of touring across Australia and the USA, performing, teaching, and running youth retreats that touched countless lives. Today, my focus has grown beyond performance. My greatest passion is helping young people heal from their past, discover their dreams, and live a life with purpose. Horses have an incredible way of teaching us resilience, trust, and connection, and I use that same bond to mentor youth and young adults as they navigate life’s challenges. I am proud to be offering live-in retreats and programs for both youth and adults in Queensland. Alongside this, I provide horse lessons and personal mentoring designed to build confidence — whether that’s in the saddle or in life. Through every retreat, program, and session, my mission is simple: to inspire courage, create connection, and show people of all ages that no matter where you come from or what you’ve been through, it is always possible to write a new story and live with purpose.
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Classic Goldrush


Goldrush is now 22 years old and has had a very successful career performing at hundreds of events throughout NZ, AUS and the USA. He now lives a retired life in SE QLD with Alycia & love trail riding, hanging out with the kids on retreats & our other horses. Goldrush was bred in the rodeo at the top of New Zealand and grew up on very steep hill country. Goldrush was quite difficult to handle and was gelded young because of this. He was briefly broken in as a 4 year old and then left untouched until he was 6.5 when I got asked to sell him on behalf of. After working with him for two weeks I told the owner (a family friend) that I had found a buyer…and it was me. I couldn’t believe that I had just bought this horse but I knew in my heart he had something and I couldn’t let him go to anyone else! Never would I have imagined that after only six months he grew from 15hh to 15.2hh. He developed into a stunning beautifully muscled horse, his manners became manageable and WOW could he jump. We became inseparable. I started jumping him bareback which turned to some serious Free Riding…. And the rest is history. He finds his trust in me and I find my trust in him. He is my best friend. He gives me strength. He gives me courage. There is no fear. I have his heart and he has mine. He is truly a blessing in my life and I will never find the end of the bond we carry together.

Youth Retreats


    Alycia Burtons Free Riding Saddles Line




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    Testimonials



    • Best website ever!!! I recently bought a 12 month subscription to full access for all videos, it did take 2-3 days for her to email but in the end I got it and it is the best thing you’ll ever buy. I also did very recently a jumping clinic with her, it was so inspirational, and I learned so much from it. She really focused on the little things that most coaches forget about, like ours and our horses emotions and anxiety, if we let this take over us it can ruin our jumping and most importantly ours and our horses bond so much. Alycia was so quick at spotting things which was very helpful so that we could tell our horses straight away when they were doing something good or bad so we can either reward/fix it, not only was she amazing at spotting things she was also not afraid to tell the truth as all she wanted was for us and our horses to be happy. Even though it was about horse riding I still did have a great time making new friends and socialising. I really recommend coming to one of her camps/retreats and if that’s not possible buying her videos, I have never seen someone learn so much in 1 lesson in my life!

      Phoebe Kay

    • Just spent the last 2 nights at the light up your life nights at Echunga. What an inspirational lady with a gorgeous soul. I took my 12yr old daughter who loved it. Alycia is very down to earth and very relatable to a wide range of ages and backgrounds. Love the' Be the best you can be with what you have right now '.Highly recommend it!! So pleased i got to see Alycia and her gorgeous Goldrush. All the best for your ongoing journey xx

    • I Had an absolutely amazing night and enjoyed every minute of your show! Well worth the experience and Alycia has done an amazing job with her horse Goldrush and also did amazing at explaining the processes that she has gone through with her life and with her horse. Alycia is a very inspirational woman and has inspired me to do the things she did. Thank you so much, it was an awesome show!

    • We just spent two nights with Alycia and Goldrush in Werribee. It was an extremely worthwhile experience for myself and my tween age children and their cousin . We got some really solid horsemanship tips and listened to Alicia's wise words on self development. The biggest thing for me was hearing one of the girls say on the way home that listening to Alycia made her feel good about herself. If you only make an impact on one pre teenage girl in the crowd Alycia (and Im sure there is way more than one)you are doing something right!

    • Thank you Alycia, for two nights of inspiration, not only for the young ones that we brought along, but for us parents too. I got a firm reminder of what we're all really capable of. And my daughters clearly heard that being the best version of themselves is the best path to take if you want to live a happy, fulfilled life. Best wishes for you heading to the USA next year. You're a wonderful banana!

    • Wow, where to start?. You are a true inspiration to so many. I admit i had never really heard of you before attending your 2 day light up your life. You instantly pulled at my heart strings with what you had gone through and also what i had been going through, i have finally put myself first after being a mother and wife for 13 years and now its my turn to dream, becoming a myotherapist to help others with chronic migraine as i suffer also. So many things you talk about i wish i had of heard weeks ago before i decided to sell my girl so i could rebuild my confidence after a diagnosis of Ms and a fall. Your truly a wonderful person and i hope in the years to come my daughter can come visit with you and learn some of your wisdom. Walked away feeling proud to be who i am. Amazing....

    • Wow. Inspiration doesn't even begin to cover it. Hope beautiful GoldRush enjoys his rest. Thanks so much for an amazing experience.there needs to be a rating of like 150% i laughed i cried i was blown away. Your attitude. .. blessed to have met..I wanted to say so much more but i was all star struck & fan girling out you're living the dream.. i want to work with youth & horses... you're amazing.. i hope i get to meet you again one day
    • Alycia was an inspiration to me and had a wonderful positive influence on my daughter. She has been motivated to start a business making and selling bees wax food wraps so she can save the money to spend time with Alycia. Not bad for a grumpy 10 year old.
    • My stepdaughter, mother-in-law and I attended Alycia’s 2 part sessions in Tominbuk. I don’t know much about horses but I can see that Alycia is a very gifted horse trainer! But what inspired me most was her inner strength and that she just made sense! My stepdaughter thoroughly enjoyed and soaked in her words of wisdom as did I. Alycia, I wish all the best in America. I know you will touch the heart of millions as you did with us.
    • I was pleasantly surprised with how authentic, generous, down to earth and bluntly honest Alycia was during her shows on the 14 & 15 Feb. She makes no apology for treating her horse with respect and is paving a far better way of horse trainership. She is generous with advice and sincerely wants to spread the message of TRUST and RESPECT being the foundational pillars of training a horse. I like Alycia's dry humour to illustrate how these foundations can be applied to human relationships, and how her camps for kids are designed on these essential principles. She offers far more than technical advice. she is driven by her values and these are evident in how she approaches her work and relationships. Thankyou Alycia for your insightful approach may it go viral and be the vaccine humanity needs for self indulgent and destructive treatments of others.
    • alycia is absolutely amazing and besides the awesome horsemanship and partnership she demonstrates, her philosophies are empowering, enlightening and inspirational! This is much more than just a horsemanship show and I would encourage anyone ( even if you aren't into horses to go check her out ) we were all very inspired upon leaving the last show! Thank you Alycia your openness and down to earth nature was impressive it was worth ten times what we paid
    • Alycia Burton's life story and her unconventional work with horses is inspiring stuff. Could anyone do more to prove that successful horsemanship can be achieved with no form of physical restraint? However, her inspirational message could resonate with many more young people by acknowledging all the desperately horse obsessed kids with no access to horses. They can still learn so much about themselves and how to live the bravest life possible. If these kids can be reached, then Alycia's success story of her own and that of her friend Classic Goldrush, will have the power to light up many, many more young lives. Anyone who can afford to sponsor a place for a young person to attend her intensive program should do so! Our early experiences with horses were very similar. With no money and a burning passion to be with them, from a young age I cleaned stables and worked for nothing at a riding school, later I got other girls' horses ready for gymkhana - whatever it took to be near these beautiful creatures. The only riding option was begged, borrowed and occasionally barely broken horses to work with - they make powerful teachers! In both our cases, this was only possible by being FORTUNATE enough to live where horses were nearby. I believe this is where Alycia's message could be more inclusive if this sheer good luck, was more clearly acknowledged. All the best Alycia and thank you for your generous spirit.
    • I had bought 2 tickets to Alycias show at Sutton Forest 5th Feb unfortunately my husband couldn't make it, I ummed and ahhed whether I should go and leave my baby for the few hours to see it. What a fantastic presentation! I am SO glad I went, and wished my husband could have come too! I immediately realised how fear was slowing me down in following an opportunity that has presented itself to me, thankyou Alycia for giving me the inspiration and courage to get going!!! I wish I had heard your story when I was young, congratulations on putting together an inspiring show, and all the best in connecting with the youth of today, god knows they need every ounce of positivity they can get. I saw a young girl break down in tears, standing in front of you, such a profound effect and connection you must have made with that young girl, brought tears to my eyes. And Gold Rush! just WOW!!!! So glad I went. Thankyou!
    • Thankyou for being such an amazing inspiration for not just your riding but for life its self, there is so many people in the world that have had everything handed to them that don't realize that the struggle is real, i grew up not having alot but had what i needed and im one of those mothers that have given my kids everything and they haven't worked for it, well my youngest works her butt off for her horses, gets up feeds, rugs and works her's and her brothers ponies but its. it she would know how to clean up for her self etc, but coming to your show an listening to your story has made me realize that im doing things wrong and its not my kids being lazy, disrespectful brats they just don't know any better and don't realize their being like that, its time for me to change to help them learn, so thank you and don't stop helping people, i know me and my kids learnt a lot from you x
    • A couple of friends and I attended the nights Alycia was at Orford Indoor Riding Arena in Victoria , Australia and it was nearly 40 degrees in that shed that first night. Like a true trooper, Alycia continued on to delight the expectant crowd taking care not to over work her horse in the trying conditions.I was instantly taking with this very natural, powerful young woman with so many messages taken from her comparatively short life. She not only impressed me with her beautifully balanced riding style and her obvious ability to train a horse to a very high level but she made me think about myself and that that day dreams could be realised no matter how small... She is someone who is so happy doing what she does well and she wants to share that with anyone who will listen. I believe she is a wonderful role model to young riders and girls going through issues they may find hard in their lives. It was great to see that she had learned to shoe horses and that Banjo truly loved her. The audience, both young and old were spellbound by her every word. What more can I say but personally, I will never forget Alycia...


    Alycia Burton