First as a pony clubber mentored by classical masters Bettina Drummond, Rodrigo Matos, riding and video taping ride patterns for the Ritters for 4 years studying with the horse always. Horse crazy at birth, I had to ride, I had to be with horses and I was fast to learn I had an intuitive connection with animals but especially horses. Impassioned by reading "White Stallions" at an early age I already knew I wanted to find that kind of horsemanship described decades ago in that book. The book told of the young bread man who trained his cart delivery horse to piaffe so he could be accepted to the Lipizzaner school in Austria. He described the kind gentle delicate aids especially the hands, the hard work from the ground first to build the proper rider and proper horse. I met my first live horse at 8 in my step fathers back yard, the palomino appaloosa Jay-J double registered was a rescue from his work as a police officer off Statin Island. He had rope burn scars on both front pasterns, I was warned to stay away that he was dangerous and broke my dad's finger. This of course just meant I had to meet him when no one watched so I could become his friend. He was afraid of many things, hoses, rivers, ponds, clippers, spray bottles...basically he was uneducated. I found a quiet way to become his trusted friend and by the time he past he would come on a whistle I could hop on bareback, ride him into a piaffe on the halter alone. I could put any child or green rider on him, he was the best trail horse, he had learned to fox hunt, event and do some dressage. There was nothing I couldn't ask him to do. As I continued my riding journey I showed many times for others their horses, trained, started many horses and breeds always with the ideal of the "White Stallion" I sought out an instructor to teach me more. I first met Walter Zettle in Canada while I worked there, he was wonderful and taught right along those lines in a very gentle kind way. Then many poor instructors later back in the US I was told of Jus E Nuf acres where Nuno Olivera had clinic and wintered, where now his student Sharon Campbell and Bettina Drummond worked. I enlisted there teaching summer riding camps riding many horses, assisting to train to learn their method. This relationship went on 20 years before I moved my horses to my farm and continued on my own after my car accident and neck surgery. There after I wanted to find a new instructor and found through my research Rodrigo Matos of the Portuguese riding school and Bettina approved of him as well. Since 2008 We have worked together in clinics every year with few exceptions. His quiet polite teaching encouraging me to push my skills through my disability and become whole again as a rider. I found that with his support I could go even further as a rider then I had previously as he was kind, supportive knowledgeable and ready to share. I studied all the masters books I could acquire in French and English diligently and worked as many horses daily as I could. 6-10 horses a day through out most of my career of various breeds. I never waived from the ideology of the "White Stallion", wanting a kind gentle relationship with the horse that helped him grow and achieve greater balance and strength. I taught many years riding lessons, training horses but backed down after my second cervical surgery left me with only one human cervical disc. I kept riding my trained horses and for 4 years I rode as many patterns as possible on 4 horses that were video taped and provided as teaching examples for the Ritter online courses. There I learned more on the patterns that can help horse and rider achieve more with less effort. I always from the very beginning knew to start young horses from the ground lunging long lines etc. I really worked a lot more of it then intended as I had to work with my mothers horse Movin Majesticlly and retrain her bad start as well as rehabilitate her from her struggle with tying up. From then on it seemed there was always a horse somewhere that needed to be rehabilitated and for me that always started from the ground. Over time I've worked and continue to work diligently on perfecting the ground skills that help the horse learn more easily what is expected of him, help him achieve self carriage, balance and power. Even jumping for me was always started on the lines, I never took a horse over obstacles till it knew how to jump and time the jump from the lines. The best way to teach horse and rider feel is from the ground, it builds trust, feel, timing, sensitivity and a great eye. So after a lot of great trainers have said, I should, I am, creating a program where you can come learn at my farm with horses that have the knowledge in proper equipment to teach all the ground work, from free lunging, to lunging single line, double lunge, long reins and work in hand. I know it's best to teach it in teams so I invite you to partner up reduce your cost and learn with a friend so both can go back and work together on each others horses. From the basic start of proper leading encouraging self carriage to higher level dressage movements, or over fences I can teach you the skill set to start you journey in a positive time tested method that respects the horse and stays away from short cuts that cause damage to the horse. If you want to build a stronger back, stronger haunches, better lift in the shoulder or rehab your horse this is where you can some and learn. I have 4 horses to teach with of various stages and temperament primarily all Lusitano. So come add to your horse knowledge and build a better horse relationship, join me and my horses at Genesis Lusitano Farm USA in Anthony, Florida. Most importantly bring a friend to learn with. Professionals welcome also, this is not to take away from your normal teachers but to help you add pieces that are easier taught from the ground and answer the questions you can't while in a normal lesson. It's also great to follow the Ritters and take some of their on line courses and I highly recommend looking up Rupert Isaacson on Youtube and joining his online course as well. These can help you add some back ground knowledge on the masters and their work you may not have read or understood. Looking forward to meeting new students and beginning anew on my new farm nestled in Marion county, FL 20 min from the World Equestrian center. If you choose to travel from afar there are many fun local things to do and see.
