Genesis Lusitano Farm USA

09/01/2026

Here is an update on Qash's work and progress with the masters classical work, work in hand and the help he received from Shauna Cantwell DVM he is really returning to his old self. I couldn't be happier to have him here and moving forward carefully with his schooling. He is amazing has tons of talent now if my capabilities can match and melt with his that's the real work. Here is where I liked the explanation of the Avatar riders matching to their dragons where they have to accept you and you have to link in with each other and practice to get it just right....
https://youtu.be/qNYI8lxODH0
see what you think, do let me know

After many months of recovery rehab work we are at last working on ...

08/28/2026

Training a horse as I've been trained is to use the technique needed when it's needed for the horses help and only as long as it's needed.

So how do you know what's needed? How do you know how long it's needed?

For me I work on the ground in someway first, the jaw flexions tell me a lot before I even move out of the barn on what is at issue with the horse. This takes time, practice to feel and see what is going awry and where, but here's a small example.

Yesterday, I started Quela's flexions in the barn as I need a stool to be tall enough to raise her head to properly open her throat latch area to release the poll, hyoids etc. As she had been tense and spooky in the field as reported by my mother I knew something was awry. Her stance was very square a normal for Quela. Her neck had only a few small areas at the base of the jaw I didn't like the shape of. As I lifted her head gently straight over head, trying to keep the jaw, neck, shoulder centered and aligned she wiggled to twist her way out of straight. Remember this is a gently lift straight up there isn't any force on my part, but if there seems to be resistance that means there is tension in the poll. As we know that also means tension in the lumbar and hips of the horse. I continue gently asking the horse to release once the horse relaxes in my hand I then release the stretch. After a small break I then take the head upwards again straight and very gently ask the horse from the straight relaxed poll opening to slight turn left or right and look for reluctance, drawing back or refusal to do so. I release once the horse relaxes in my hands doing this and observe again the outline of his neck for any changes in muscling of poll and C1 area. If I like of feel I need too I proceed to lateral flexions on each side, these can help unblock the neck vertebra and tell me more about blockages in the horse. I always use a small circle and walk with a flexion that keeps the point of the nose aligned with the point of the shoulder both vertically and horizontally. I observe if the limbs are moving evenly, many times the outside limb isn't moving as forward as it should.

In the case of Quela she was tense in the poll as I worked her in hand I focused on opening her hips in the circle and getting her to open and come through her shoulders and stretch her outside front leg better. If she fails to take a forward opening stride with the hips I will have to find exercises that help her do that. Haunches out, haunches in, shoulder in, shoulder out, half pass, full pass, these are all tools to help sort out the tension and release the spine of the horse all done at the walk first encouraging the horse to have better posture.

As I worked and found and loosened the block in Quela's hips yesterday, she loosened better her poll and then her tension went from stressed to relaxed. Her whole demeanor changed and what made me proud of our work together is how well she now focuses on us even when distractions arise she returns quickly to me and what we are doing. I do allow her to look towards sharp sounds of concern to her but I don't allow her to stay and freeze there holding her breath thinking what next. I kindly let her see then ask her to continue our work as though nothing were going on. It's not forceful it's a gentle reminder that I'm here with you, stay with me.

The test is I remove all tack I open the gate to the ring allow her to go out, I walk back to the barn gate and as I walk through with nothing holding her or making her I hold the gate open and see if she would like to follow me in. She did on her own, as I put the tack away she was happy I trusted her about the barn yard and eager to receive her carrot. I hosed her as she stood freely provided her reward allowed her to graze by the barn and then later asked her to go back out.

This is huge as a few months ago she was so nervous to leave the herd even if she sees them that immediately after her work she would gallop away at high speeds, we continue building more slowly then I like but as fast as she is ready to comply. I mount her most days and we work the walk mainly focused on keeping the balance, posture, relaxation we establish in hand. This is how a super athletic, super intense mare in this case responds best. I'm truly grateful to have her eager to do so much more as she is ready to piaffe, she shows her piaffe to me many times waiting to be fed, or looked after or sometimes in the long lines. I as of yet do not encourage it as until she is solid on the other basics it would encourage her to lock down in piaffe if she is stressed. I've learned a great deal from Quela she is magnificent!

Return you can see with a stool and without how it helps the horse. But you can also see how jumpy she was and wide eyed before I stood on the stool that better helped her dire spot unlock

08/22/2026

Working in hand has many rewards for me I love the connection and better understanding of balance between the horse and I, but I also value the less complicated explanation to the horse of collection. In order to be able to canter the horse in hand it must be able to start it's canter collection. Otherwise the handler would have to run, which would become impractical and tiring. I get a lot of miles in walking in the in hand work and during the hot summer that is it's own cross to bear, but at my age it's a good thing.
Lately, I have imbedded in my mind Bettina telling me to keep the horse nose and point of his shoulder in alignment on the shoulder in work. Standing in front of the horse walking backwards you get a very unique view, it takes more practice to walk backwards and certainly the horse has to get use to you being in that position. This position offers me the ability to hold the reins differently and with my physical issues in my arms can assist in reducing unwanted pressure from the horse as my body well positioned also helps to keep the horse from barging. My arms cannot sustain any barging of any kind and with my spinal issues pressure on my arms is very painful, though it is very good for me to make myself do it and keep them useful. Rodrigo was instrumental in my personal rehab in telling me I could do it after I was sure I couldn't the key is in the horses proper training from his youth in respecting the handler and learning in the halter the same exact movements he will do later in hand.

My horses started in hand training as yearlings they learn respect, body language and good posture for themselves as they grow. It gives us a way to interact and build communication, to wait till they are a saddle horse to teach these basics is the undoing of training. As if you allow the horse to just lead dragging, pulling, doing what he likes without learning posture, position, respect he comes to school behind the others as a late learner to proper human interaction, you waste precious moments that in 5 min increments can help later his understanding of saddle work and you fail to build a solid foundation. If he injures himself you create a difficult to manage horse and he gets harsh discipline often times instead of quiet understanding and cooperation. Over the years I have made the mistake of waiting too long and Bettina was quick to tell me my horse didn't have the tools he needed and it created hard work. Since then no youngster comes in my path without learning the basics to establish a strong future. I have built a system from the young c**t up based on the classical horseman that lays a strong foundation and makes starting young horses so much easier. It takes consistency not hours but small amounts frequently every opportunity to lead is training time.
Quela who seems to have finally turned the corner to happier days is becoming more settled in her world as I've worked out her bad farrier work, he chemistry is settling in with the new diet changes here due to richer grasses and her environment. It was a lot on her emotionally more so the for the others and I had to slow it down a lot for her and back up her schooling. She was difficult to catch, unwilling to focus and quickly ran off like a mad woman at any startling sound, even through a gate that caused her injury.
Instead of battling her I waited for her patiently I worked with her favorite moments bathing, visits in the pasture not catching her but waiting for her to come to me. Now I work with her and instead of taking off after the I release her from the work out I can untack her in the ring walk out and into the barn and she chooses to follow me through both gates and stays with me instead of leaving to see her mates. This is a huge change in emotional structure and has been challenging for me to be so patient. Knowing her great abilities and not wanting to loose the opportunity I keep at it quietly waiting, working through each day consistently presenting a comforting environment with structure and respect. Yesterday, she achieved her first canter in hand, I was so very pleased as this is a big change since she entered the ring a bit tense and wanting to drift off in her focus at first but then choosing to connect and understand something new was more important then taking off. Here for me is the great reward!!! The video is poor I'll try to get a better one today but here is the snip

08/18/2026

So it's frequently stated if a horse does it in nature that should be the gold standard. I see folks say my horse moves like this in the pasture so it must be right to ride him this way. In some ways that may be true but in others maybe not so great. Just like we move in healthy ways for our spine and many times don't, we go to lift a heavy object forget to use good posture and our lower back goes out. GUESS what? It's not different for the horse he can move in good ways that are good for his spine and bad ways, he can loose his balance and fall, he can travel in ways that can lead to injury with out anyone on him. Nothing earth shattering here just logic, so it's not a measure of good to say he moves that way in the field, period. It just means he did it and survived, then you add weight the saddle, the rider, add torque and small spaces and figures to work in or add jumps, uneven ground with a rider and boom the equation goes from easy to survive to not so easy.

Classical horsemanship is looking at the total equation and sorting out the best way we can ride and help the horse. Even help him rehab from his own self created injury, or that from poor farrier work etc. Posture is key, creating balance, building strength, making it comfortable with a proper fitted saddle, teaching the horse to carry himself alone and with rider the best way to carry the load without injury. The fact that some of it turns into beautiful offerings from the horse like piaffe, passage, levade is just the horses expression and ability through those pieces if done without force. You must carry in relaxation and force compromises that, the horse has to find the right posture through work on the ground first to build strength and balance.

In my years working with horses one thing seems to always be, they find a way to get hurt, playing, stalled, what ever if it can be hurt they will get hurt especially as youths. This has meant that my skills in helping them learn better posture and heal has always lead me back to the work on the ground. This work many times tedious and slow has always proven to be kinder, safer, clearer for the horse to heal. I've spent no less then 40 years perfecting that and I still work on finding clearer ways for the horse to understand and bring it to the saddle work once they are ready. But it's not just the physical issues it is also the emotional issues they bear.

Interestingly the first horse who I had to learn a ton of in hand and ground work with Movin Majestically (Magic) had been rough handled by her start western with sharp bits, heavy spurs she would tie up seeing a saddle on her door. I took two years and lots of teasing rehabbing her from the ground at the walk mainly in hand. The vets said she'd never be able to stretch those hindlegs under her properly. By the time she healed emotionally she held some of the finest piaffe I ever enjoyed and at 16 could throw three wonderful caprioles on the spot to show me her exuberance.

Quela is a very emotional horse and when I purchased her Bettina cautioned me as she is very strong Novillero MV bred. This makes her more sensitive not only physically but mentally, all the changes since she was started under saddle, moving here, losing her best friend and having to become the herd leader have greatly affected her. I am and have been spending a great deal of time on the ground with her, I started here with her after her work out running off like a mad crazy lady to return to her field mates. She was difficult to catch and tense about everything so much so that riding made no sense. I've given her lots of time attention and space, work in hand and now I'm remounting her. Suddenly I noticed that she is not running off after he work instead she is staying with me following me around and with out a halter or lead going where I go. There is still moments she gets distracted and nervous but I see the distance growing and her confidence building. She will be a wonderful amazing riding horse again once she is fully committed to being a team. This will take lots more time and many days I wish Bettina was here to ask, as she knew more then anyone the best approach with this sort....

Undoubtedly, ground work, long lines, in hand work build and help the horse and rider. This is why I want to share what I learned and help others find that relationship, create the better riding team.

08/04/2026

Silvia is a new student for me we started with the work in hand to change the communication horse to rider and better explain to each the lightness in the aids. After first we were only walking today with her own horse she is able to maintain the work in hand into the trot. She has also learned how to bring it to her saddle work and improve their communication together ground and saddle work compliment each other and build a foundation for better softer riding.
You can see the third clip the same exercises from in hand work now under saddle. No one gets every stride perfect but here we see the horse and rider have form a better skill set together to communicate. What use to cause tense unhappy riding is slowly transforming into relaxed easier riding with less effort but greater self discipline. I’m eternally grateful to Silvia for allowing me to share her work with you so you can see the connection from work in hand to the saddle. She herself can’t tell you how it’s changing her relationship with her horse. I’m so pleased for them both.
For me all the parts create the whole good farrier, good saddle fit, good communication with the horse and rider build success. For me I’m always learning improving how to teach it’s the hardest part to communicate effectively with the rider/handler. Each trainer I have worked with and studied have helped bring my teaching ability up.

08/03/2026

Seat vis a vis heal toe position and leg muscle tension. Different styles of riding require a different position to achieve their style or preferential posture. To jump in more recent years requires a short stirrup to help the rider sit higher out of the saddle. It makes it easier to unload the horse’s back and only very talented seats can stay upright properly over a fence without disturbing the horse’s back. This short stirrup forces a shorter leg and presses the heel downward. We see it racing jumping and going cross country in modern days. It’s easier on the rider too. It however reduces surface contact to the leg, thighs, buttocks and therefore reduces communication to the horse via subtle leg aids. It often results in strong calf aid and pressed in knees. It’s ok for that style of riding but if you wish to have great relaxation in the horse your seat and leg have to be more relaxed. The leg has to lay flat around the horse and in classical riding many masters are seen with a much straighter leg with the heel higher then the toe to allow more liberty of the leg and muscles. This is usually also on the more skilled horse who is trained in high school or near that level. We generally start younger horses with a slightly shorter stirrup to help build their strength then later lower the stirrup so we increase our level of finesse and contact in the seat and leg. Here you will find the small muscles on your buttocks and inner thigh interact differently more subtly and allow for more invisibility of the aids this is where we create refined aids. As in all training this is not appropriate in all points of riding but is appropriate at moments where the horses sensitivity and riders aids have reached a certain sophistication that it embellishes the work and helps both rider and horse relax together melting into each other. Reaching this point is exquisite in feel and also can be frustrating on days we are less coordinated or less in tune with our horse.

07/20/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CBKkmLhU5/?mibextid=wwXIfr

07/05/2026

Many feel riding in a snaffle is kinder then a full bridle or even bitless etc. I have ridden as a younger person freely without gear it was fun but I did it just because my horses were out in huge pastures and I’d whistle them up and jump on to get back to the barn. I wasn’t trying to reach an outcome. I find however with years of rehabilitation of many horses under my belt that we short change the horse by not learning to properly use the bridle especially the full bridle.
Recently I have requestioned its use as my injured horses hadn’t yet been brought to the full bridle. I kept feeling that I could help unlock the stuck body parts better with it but I was unsure if I could train them properly forward into it as they were injured and avoided some parts.
I decided I had to try. If you see Qash work before the full bridle you see I cannot help him position his body as correctly to achieve the right lead canter. You note that with it I suddenly can get a right lead canter. It assisted in keeping him straighter and more balanced so he could. Then he did and I saw its importance again. Now I can again use just the snaffle between convincing him he could and the work DVM Cantell performed on him he can work much better.
As horses with lots of flexibility get good at avoiding after injury I find myself again in hand in the full bridle. I see how the flexions in snaffle only are limited in how well they unlock the neck and back. With the curb and snaffle careful thought the horse unlocks much more thoroughly his poll, neck and back

It doesn’t take force but it does take quiet patience as if the horse is strongly blocked you must hold the position till he willing cedes and chews or licks the bits. Adding more pressure doesn’t solve it but holding the parameters in the correct place patiently does.
Quela returned home with a follicle that won’t drop making her sore on the right hind in her first days I tried to help her with no bridle just caveson, then snaffle to no avail. I placed her in her full bridle which she hadn’t worn but twice before and found that it unlocked her poll and jaw where she had TMJ swelling from the stress of being gone. It has helped reduce the swelling and her gimpy leg is now working well from the hip through to the fetlock. Instead of dragging it along she’s flexing her hind joints properly. Clearly more comfortable and happier too more trusting and less reactive.
It’s in trying we find solution but it’s in having an open mind we find the right tools. The masters started horses sooner in full bridle but knew well how to managed the bits. They were not held back by today’s fear of inaction. They tested out each other’s theory and it was time tested. It may not be right for you doesn’t mean it’s not helpful or good.

06/29/2026

The real work of balance and accuracy is taught at the walk. This allows time to think, adjust, perfect the aids and communication to the horse becomes clear and light if done correctly. It is however much more challenging as the pace also allows for sluggish thoughts on the rider and horse both. The school walk is so extremely beneficial to the horse as he builds his strength but also in rehab it’s the most helpful way to ensure he uses his limbs properly. Then the Canter and trot are easily performed because of the work in the walk

06/20/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended the chat today I was blessed to work with and get to know DVM Cantwell and have her talk today. She has really help Qash heal in a much better more efficient way. I was very thankful to meet the new folks today they had lots of great information and knowledge to share. I eagerly look forward to our future chats and special guest speakers. Thanks again for coming