Category Archives: Events

Marchador Clinic with Laura Patterson

August 1, 2014 summerwind

Day 2 and Day 3 of the SW Clinic focused on riding and learning to feel the different gaits and speeds of the Marchador. SW offered:

Artemis do Summerwind – marcha picada
Siglioso do Rav – marcha picada
Seamus da Boa Fe – marcha picada and marcha batida
Bossa Nova de Miami – marcha de centro
Gralha M.U.G. – marcha batida
Koyote Libertas – marcha batida
Caboclo da Piedade – marcha batida

Lynn and Karen and Izzy. Someone on her back is NEW!

How many people does it take to groom a horse?

Laura, Karen and Artemis, stretching exercise

Learnings from Laura: (see also clinic post from last year)

Use the land to improve the gait. We left the arena and used a hillside meadow to speed up the footfalls and get more reach when coming down the hill.
We also used the road to listen for the sound of the gait. Excellent feedback to the rider to hear and adjust the speed, collection or himself to get the perfect sound.
Focus on proper posture – no leaning! Tuck your seat under you slightly so your hips can move.
The star exercise used poles in a circle on the ground and a pattern to ask the horse for concentration, bending and stretching.
How to work on the gait when not under saddle – free movement or running with the horse.
Lots of obstacles and patterns on many different horses raised everyone’s confidence level.

Education, Events

Ned’s Lead Line Mgmt Clinic – July 2014

July 31, 2014 summerwind

Lead Line Management – it sounds so simple, doesn’t it? We learned from Ned – everyone needs this course! Basics are the building blocks of horsemanship and what we learned in class also translates into riding exercises as well. Find out more about Ned Leigh on his website: http://www.nedleighequinefocus.com

Our learnings from Ned during the clinic:

The backup: This is an important command! It primarily establishes our boundary between us and the horse. This boundary must be maintained and consistent if the horse is ever to truly understand. There should be at least 4 different commands or ways the horse understands as a request for a backup.
The horse should never be disciplined if they come into our space! It is the fault of the person if this happens. It is the responsibility of the person to control the horse’s approach to the boundary. We want a relationship with our horse and we’d like them to want to be close to us and not punish them for this.
The forward command is a 3 step process. Always use the least amount of pressure or request when asking the horse and then move to the second and third step if needed.
Allow the horse the time to think and make decisions.
ALWAYS BE A TEACHER! It is easy to find ourselves in the mindset to make the horse do what we want and the horse will always suffer for that! To be a teacher we must try to see the lesson from the horse’s point of view.
Timing is everything!

Photos from the class! All Marchador horses in the photos! Most photos credit to Brasilian instructor for Day 2 and Day 3

The soft kind hands (and eyes) of a horseman.

The partnership. Bill and Brasilia do Summerwind

Ned and Izzy. Izzy had the least experience so Ned used her as the demo horse.

The test! Backup and put the right hind foot on the cone.

Randy won the test – can you tell with his focus here?

Lynn and Brasilia. We all traded horses often.

Video from the Clinic! Courtesy of Adrienne C. Scheck

Education, Events, SW News

SW Clinic July 11,12, 13 Sign Up Today!

July 1, 2014 summerwind

Clinic 2014 Signup

Sign up today for 3 days of fun and learning in cool, beautiful Pagosa Springs, Colorado! Two great instructors will be a SW Ranch for a personal, hands-on experience.

Friday – Ground work training with Ned Leigh

Saturday and Sunday – Marchador Riding, Gaits and Testing with Laura Patterson. Yes, tests can be fun too!

Bring your Marchador or use one of ours. Active participants and Auditors welcome! More information included in the Signup pdf file above.

Instructors:

Ned Leigh, of Ned Leigh Equine Focus Horse Training in Paulden AZ. Ned has over 30 years experience in starting and training horses. He can teach you and your horse how to gain respect and confidence,starting on the ground. Ned trains all breeds of horses, including Marchador horses now for several clients, including Flying Oaks Ranch and Summerwind.

Laura Patterson, lives in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. She is a vet student, rider and trainer of various horse breeds starting out in show jumping herself. She taught and rode in 2013’s MM clinic here at Summerwind. Lots of rider hand’s on experience during the clinic for participants. Based on the rider, there may be arena work only, or a mix of arena and trail riding.

Video from last year’s clinic