Summerwind Marchadors

My First Trip to Brazil - written by Jane Switzer, from The Horse Show

2011-07-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

I don't know where to begin so much has been going on - so I'll start with the horse part - so far I have ridden 6 different horses. Three stallions and three mares all Mangalarga Marchadors. (Thank you Cheryl for preparing me to step up to the plate and ride - I couldn't have ridden even one of these horses if it wasn't for the hours you so willing put in to me and my success.)

Haras El Far

The first night at El Far they were doing a demonstration with one of the stallions - when it was over I said NEXT - and Magdi said SURE - I said I was just kidding but Magdi wouldn't let me weasel out. So I went over and stepped on - what a ride - you know you can only ever have a first kiss - you remember it forever - well that is how my ride was - there will only ever be one first ride on the MM.

The MM seems to be very willing, saavy and smooth to ride. I am currently at Haras El Far. Magdi the owner of the farm is also the president of ABCCMM. Magdi has about 1500 horses here. Here at Haras El Far Magdi has allowed us to ride his finest horses - I am told this is typical of all the Brazilian breeders of the MM. The line is quite pure. The way that he chooses who breeds who is by looking at the mares side - for several generations. He believes that the mares side is the important side. A side note is that the El Far part of Haras El Far was his mothers name before she married his father.

I still can not believe I am really here. I an not even put into words how generous and friendly the people have been.

Sophia's Story - The Way of St James on Mangalarga Marchadors

2011-07-09T15:59:00.000-07:00

A life-long dream to ride the Way of St.James!

Written by Sophia Baptista de Oliveira, Haras Maripa, Brasil

For many years, my husband Marcelo has cherished the dream of riding the Saint James' Way in Spain, on his own Mangalarga Marchador horses. When he accepted the invitation from ABCCMM to join the "Projeto Vitrine do Marchador" in Europe, he promptly realized that the time had come. He would finally have the opportunity of making his old dream come true. At the time Marcelo had just turned 60 and Haras Maripá had "turned" 30 years old! Two good reasons to celebrate "comme il faut". In our case: in the saddle!

Two stallions, Patek and Urano de Maripa arrived in Germany in November 2010. Despite the cold in Europe they easily adapted. Thanks, also, to Astrid, Dieter and their team, all wonderful people to whom they were trusted. We visited them during Equitana, last March, and were very happy to see how well and healthy they were. We returned to Brazil certain that our adventure would have a great chance of being successful.

Taking a cool break

Marcelo has always been fanatic about horses. He's been raising Mangalarga Marchador for 31 years now and is a great enthusiast and developer of the breed. Haras Maripá has been developing its own bloodline mixing horses themselves, individuals.

The stallions are the sons of Oma de Maripá. (Laio de Maripá x Martinica HO, both in Brasil’s ELITE book.)

Patek is the result of an extraordinary genetics that comes from Laio and Moderna de Maripá. Laio has been a national champion and his mother, Festa AJ, an unforgettable breeding mare, also a national champion and gait champion, was a stunning chestnut mare!

Moderna de Maripá comes from Emoção de Maripá and Laio. Emoção is a daughter of Furacão Bela Cruz and Cafundó 3 Pontas, descending of two of the most ancient and traditional Mangalarga Marchador's farms: Abaíba and Herdade. The latter represented by Herdade Jupiá, 4-time national champion. Cafundó 3 Pontas was one of the most important of Cafundo's mares, an animal with unique comfort and temperament, and this Marcelo has been able to prove on the occasions he has had the opportunity of riding her.

Urano, is the offspring of a crossing of our genetics with the lineage 53. His mother, Bejota de Maripá, is a daughter of Major Pitanga's, one of the best horses Marcelo has ever ridden in terms of comfort. Urano is a grandson of Bagdá de Maripá's, full sister of Laio's, and great-grandson of Festa AJ's.

Sergio Lima Beck with Marcelo Baptista de Oliveira
on Patek de Maripa

Paulo Junqueira and Aurelio Tagua del Pozo also trusted our horses promptly and took the challenge to organize our trip with all the infrastructure and logistics necessary. Sergio Beck believed in the project since its beginning and supported us all the time, and even rode with Marcelo during the first days, before my arrival to ride the Galician part of the "Camino". We also had the company of Juan Bajo de Isasi, our guide, and his mount Miguelito, a chestnut vaulting horse very adapted to the "Camino". All of them totally indispensable!!!

We rode about 30 km per day, at 9km per hour, on average, depending on the ground. The ground, my major concern from the beginning, was really difficult. A lot of stones, gravels, some parts with very old stone paving. We used "Videas" on the horseshoes to have more adherence. And our brave horses, they stood strong! Without complaints! All they wanted was to ride, get back to the road!

We got in the saddle at about 10 in the morning. We always stopped for lunch at amazing places previously chosen by Paulo and Aurelio. While we had lunch the horses were fed and groomed. When back to our saddles, our horses were ready and crazy to go back to the trail. We usually arrived at our destination around 5 in the afternoon. The horses would then go to their stables, and we to our hotels, get ready for dinner.

Meeting other pilgrams on the trail - Camino de Santiago

On a trip like this, you end up spending a lot of time with yourself. Marcelo used to say that what he had in mind most of these moments, when we stopped by the churches along the "Camino" for our prayers, was that he would like people to treat animals better, that he wished their behavior towards them would be more focused in quality, less in violence.

The "Camino" is marvelous! It's really a very ancient trail. Celtic. Mystical. Full of pilgrims who would always look at us with curiosity at first and then astonishment when learning that our horses had come all the way from Brazil! Unprecedented!

For the first time Brazilian horses were doing that sacred trail!

Success! Sophia and Marcelo arrive in Santiago de Compostela.
9 days and 300 km.

Enya do Summerwind - dies tonight

2011-06-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

Enya was a beautiful foal. Her mother passed away
unexpectedly in March 2011.

Little Enya passed away tonight - actually we put her down at the end.

We thought she was getting better up here in Pagosa Springs after the loss of her mother --she was gaining weight and playing more. And all was fine when we went in for our afternoon break at 2:00 p.m. However, at 5:00 p.m., we came out to water the gardens. I said to John - look Enya is laying down in the pasture, that is good to see. Because she never lays down; she is always eating.

So, when I saw her get up, I started running because I knew something was terribly wrong - she looked very sick. She walked following the mares, but laid down again as soon as she could. I ran down the aisle and grabbed a halter. She came toward me when she saw me coming. Around her eyes were scrape marks - the signs of thrashing. I tried to get her up the aisle and into the barn, pulling her and making her walk, but about 3/4 up the aisle she collapsed and would not get up. Lucky for me, John was outside and I had him bring Banamine and run to the house to call Dwight, our vet and very good friend here. I could hear them talking about what to do, so I yelled "TELL HIM TO COME!"

She was laying on my legs, but I could keep her from rolling and after about 30 minutes, you could tell that the drug had kicked in. John and I got her up and into the barn. She looked like maybe she would make it. She called strongly to the herd that was still out in the field and was happy to see them come in. But I knew she had rolled and there was no poop still while we waited for Dwight.

He gave her more drugs when he got there and stitched in a catheter for fluids. We started hitching up the trailer for the hospital. It was obvious that was the only choice. She was a trooper on the trailer. Even looked alert again (even with all the meds). I rode with her in the back and John and I had our walkie talkies so we could talk. But, in the trailer, I talked only to Enya. I told her how much I loved her and I told her stories of what her life would be like as a beautiful mare when she grew up. I started telling her that I would give her years from my life, strength from me if she would hold on until we got to surgery. She did so well in the trailer, balancing herself and the adult horse blanket draped over her making a cute picture.

I felt the drool on my hair as I sat there on the bucket near her. I started changing my bets. Isn't this when you make the deals with the devil? I offered her my life for hers - would 10 years be enough? I would trade them for you Enya. HANG ON!

But in the center of Pagosa Springs, she wanted to lay down and I could see in her eyes that she was dying. At that moment the trailer stopped and the door opened and it was Dwight giving me a flashlight - why he stopped or even thought about that I would need a light to give her more pain meds, I will never know. But here we all were, stopped on the side of the road. and he said that she wasn't going to make it. Her gums were pale and cold, her breathing labored. Her eyes looked dead. I told him to go get the injection.

Enya and Audrey Everson - 2 princesses

John is torn up, but I am finding it hard to let go. He wanted to leave her at Dwight's clinic and we drove there, but I couldn't do it. I had to bring her home to say goodbyes and have her in a place that she knew. So we will have to or someone will have to come get her tomorrow. But it's better that she is back home tonight to be with her herd. Perhaps I will sleep better.

I wish so much that she had lived.

But in the end, it was not to be. She was never the same after Chanel died. I thought at the time it was good that she was older when she was orphaned, but I think now that it was harder on her and that perhaps younger foals adapt better. To have known love and security, milk and contentment and then to be alone and fending for yourself. She was a gentle soul. Someone like DaVinci of Fidalgo would have fought harder. I wish I could have fought for her.

I don't know yet what this means to me. I am trying not to make decisions tonight, but I think perhaps Chanel and now Enya, set off a chain of events where at least you sit down and reconsider what it is you are doing and what you want to be doing with your life and why life is worth living.

I was never blessed with children, but I have been a mother. The pain is unbearable.

Check out CowGirl Magazine!

2011-05-24T23:21:00.000-07:00

Cowgirl Magazine has featured the Mangalarga Marchador as its first exotic horse breed. A small write-up, great photos and a few ads are in this Western art and fashion magazine that also loves horses!

The Marcha gait - more from the Clinic

2011-05-02T22:56:00.000-07:00

My notes from the clinic:

Ø Perfect the 4 beat extended walk. (How many times are we told to practice a good walk in other disciplines?) It is ESSENTIAL for a good marcha as it is the take-off point and retreat point always.

Ø Practice in straight lines before teaching in circles, lateral work or ANY other discipline. Teach the horse to elongate his back, his stride, relax and stretch without speeding up.

Ø Always start on the good side for the stretches, but do both sides. Stretching from the good side will help the bad side to stretch easier.

Ø To move into gait: From the walk, apply more leg pressure and ask the horse to speed up without losing the smooth rhythm that was there in his walk. Collect the reins (have contact) with the horse’s mouth to ask him to collect his body in a good frame.

Ø Do NOT let your horse continue to gait if it is gaiting badly. Go back to the walk and start again. Ask for MORE SPEED from his legs while maintaining the collection. You are trying to build MUSCLE MEMORY. (This works really well! I tried it on my horses after the clinic)

Ø A marcha picada horse that paces is often still very smooth (I was surprised by this). You can tell because your hips will go side to side instead of forward and back. Try to put your leg on for more leg speed, but if that doesn’t work, return to the walk and start over.

Ø In marcha picada, you can help the horse learn the right rhythm by adding weight to the front feet (could be shoes) or the opposite in marcha batida.

Ø As you can see from the diagram on May 1's post, some horses will need help because of poorer conformation or breeding, but some horses need correction because someone interfered with their natural gait during training. The Marchador is a willing partner. If you ask it to change its natural footfall, it will learn to do what you want.

Ø You can use dressage to supple the horse and build muscle, but not too soon (remember straight lines). Once you can do the circles, you can move to a higher-level figure. The Marchador can do lateral work and the higher moves IN GAIT! (Another surprise for me!)

Good breeding ensures a great gait naturally. This
is Fidalgo do Summerwind, marcha de centro.

Dressage will help to supple the horse, stretch and build the
muscles so it also helps get a smoother and better gait.

About the MARCHA gait - more from the clinic

2011-05-01T22:45:00.000-07:00

Elba Cruzalta (Bella) gaiting at liberty

The Mangalarga Marchador is named for its comfortable and showy way of moving, the MARCHA. In all the marchas, there are moments of triple hoof support, which is why it feels so smooth to the rider.

During the Brazilian inspection at age 3, gait is one of the most important dimensions of the test. Horse will be disqualified from permanent breeding registration if they are too lateral (show a pace) or too diagonal (show a trot). Gait counts for 100 points of the 200-point test.

In simple terms, when the greater proportion of time spent with the diagonal legs providing support, the marcha is BATIDA (ba chee da) When the greater proportion of time spent with the lateral legs providing support, the marcha is PICADA (pi ca dah). A few animals have equivalent time spent between diagonal and lateral supports. They are considered to be in the center, sometimes called marcha de CENTRO.

To visualize the spectrum, here is a diagram:

Pace--------picada-----centro-----batida --------Trot

(true lateral) (true diagonal)

Within the gaits, there is a grading system for how comfortable the gait is. L1 to L4 for picada; D1 to D4 for batida. On the diagram, it would look like this:

Pace --–L4-L3-L2-L1-—C—D1-D2-D3-D4----Trot

(true lateral) (true diagonal)

The clinic’s objective was to teach us all how to set the gait correctly (for an untrained horse) and also how to improve the gait. With training, the horse can move 2 steps like from D4 to D2 or L3 to L1.

Artemis do Summerwind showing triple leg support
and the C shape of the front leg

Many Marchadors can gait as fast as other horses canter. The front legs have a natural lift, forming a C during the step. The Marchador, being naturally balanced, is very sure-footed, using all 4 legs for propulsion.

When the horses are bred close to the center, they may have the ability to perform both gaits – picada and batida. The naturalness of the gait is such that newborn foals will gait rather than walk or run.

SW Newsletter

2011-04-29T23:11:00.000-07:00

Check out our Newsletter for even more pictures and news that don't make it to the blog!

April SW News

Artemis do Summerwind and dad, Seamus da Boa Fe

We're back in Colorado!

2011-04-25T05:59:00.000-07:00

We came back a little early - it turned cold and actually snowed! Beautiful, but not what we or the horses are used to! Coming from AZ, they were already slick.

The horses stayed in that day

View from our porch - mountains, what mountains?

It's not like I don't know snow. I grew up in New England, and yes, I had horses back there as well. So, I know what it's like to care for animals with bad weather. The temperatures are one thing, but the second thing that happens after the snow, is the MUD.

So, it's all about keeping the horses happy. We have 2 dry lots and 2 small paddocks that we gave up to be trashed and we'll reseed in May.

There are the Rockies in the distance!

And to think, we thought perhaps we would be seeing hummingbirds soon!

Koyote Libertas enjoying the snow the day after

Where are we? We live in beautiful Pagosa Springs, Colorado. You may know the name of the town because it's where Pat Parelli's Natural Horsemanship have their summer college and campus. It's near Durango, Colorado (1 hour west) and Santa Fe NM (3 hours south). The weather here is usually close to perfect with warm days and cool nights. The temperatures don't need to be that high because the sun is so strong in this altitude. We just love it.

If you would like to come and meet a Mangalarga Marchador, we enjoy visitors!

Success! First Importation of MM Frozen Semen Arrives!

2011-04-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

Summerwind SW FUTURE FOAL PRESS RELEASE

Oma de Maripa, one of the frozen semen donors

The first shipment of Mangalarga Marchador frozen semen from Brazil arrived in the US April 12, 2011! The achievement is the result of a 4 year effort by Lynn and John Kelley, Summerwind Marchadors. It also took the dedication and drive of Mr. Marcelo Baptista de Oliveira of Haras Maripa in Brazil, to navigate the red tape, paperwork and offer 3 of his stallions to be the first to ship to make history.

John and Lynn Kelley meeting the FEDEX truck at
Scottsdale Equine Reproductive Center.

While shipping frozen semen is commonplace these days, in Brazil, the Ministry of Agriculture regulates exportation by horse breed. Up until recently, they did not allow collection and freezing of semen from Marchador stallions. The ABCCMM worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and changed their registry rules as well.

Ximoio de Maripa, a semen donor. Pure Abaiba bloodline.

Summerwind believes that importing frozen semen and embryos provides access to the better horses and proven producers in Brazil. The Managalarga Marchador is the National Horse of Brazil. It numbers over 350,000 there.

Haras Maripa breeds Mangalarga Marchador horses as performance and sport horses and have for over 30 years. Their breeding program combines Abaiba blood mainly, with Bela Cruz and Herdade. Haras Maripa genetically produces horses which are comfortable to ride, have a rhythmic, smooth movement - a sporting horse, which is sound, robust, has a good conformation, is extremely beautiful, with a good temperament and sweet. One of their breeding products is in the US, Azenha de Maripa, imported by Summerwind in 2004. Go see more of their horses! http://harasmaripa.com.br/

Tiziu de Maripa (3rd semen donor) with owner and breeder,
Mr. Marcelo Baptista at Agro Maripa, SP, Brasil.

In 2003, Zane Davis, MT, wrote about Haras Maripa in his article for Western Horsemen magazine. In 2004, Maripa horses were used to ride the historic GOLD TRAIL in Brazil, a journey of about 9,000 miles from Sao Paulo to Golas City. Now today’s Anhanguera Highway, 300 years ago, it was the main road where all of the wealth of the time traveled (gold, diamonds, slaves, livestock, salt, iron, etc.)

“The importation of frozen semen and embryos from Brazil is critical to the improvement, diversity and numbers in the Mangalarga Marchador breed in North America. With only 200 individuals here, you quickly run the risk of in-breeding or breeding horses of lower quality. We owe Mr. Marcelo a lot. We don’t know how to repay him for his effort. This is a dream come true for us.”

Oma de Maripa, (also the top photo) is one of 2 stallions whose semen was frozen and exported. The son of 2 ELITE book champion horses, himself a champion and a great producer.

The Mangalarga Marchador is one of the most outstanding breeds in the world. Summerwind is dedicated to promoting and establishing the breed here.

Summerwind would like to build a frozen sperm bank of champion horses and diverse bloodlines for any Marchador breeder to use. "Perhaps in this first generation, it is not necessary, but in the next generation and beyond it will be. That's the advantage of frozen semen, it will be there forever." In 2011, John and Lynn will travel to Brazil again to see more stallions and import again. They will breed some of their mares to Maripa stallions this winter in Scottsdale AZ with their breeding vet, Dr. Jerry Longworth, of Scottsdale Equine Reproductive Center.

For more information about the Mangalarga Marchador breed, visit Summerwind Marchadors at http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com and http://www.futurefoal.com or the MM association website at http://usmarchador.com. www.namarchador.org

Laio de Maripa, a main herd stallion of Haras Maripa, now in his 20s. He is the sire of Oma de Maripa (and Azenha de Maripa here in the US).

Quinteto do Pau d'Alho, another great producer at Haras Maripa. Quinteto is the sire of the second stallion who was collected and frozen for exportation to the US, Tiziu de Maripa.

Marchador Clinic in TX

2011-04-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

Kate Bar on Andante de Miami

I went to the Mangalarga Marchador gait clinic hosted by Legacy Marchadors last weekend. It was a fabulous blend of information and riding taught by gifted instructor, Kate Barcelos (Kate Bar). Kate's credentials fill a page, but a few of them are:

She was the #2 dressage rider in all of South America
She is a vet.
She is the 1st woman inspector for the ABCCMM (Brasilian Marchador Association)
She runs an educational program for the ABCCMM
She trains and consults with many of the top Marchador farms in Brasil

So, we were in great hands. Kate was not comfortable speaking in English and none of us knew Portuguese, so USMMA member Aline Oliveira Greene translated the whole time for us and did an excellent job. Horse TV was there filming and taking photos. Hopefully, there will be a video to follow.

Brooke Litte, Majestic Marchadors on Flying Oaks Windsmoke
Windy is marcha picada and for sale from Flying Oaks Ranch.

I am going to write up notes from the class, but for now, you can enjoy some of the photos!

Karin Roberts on her Marchador, Aja Bajoni do Premier

Most of us didn't bring horses, so thanks to those who did!
Sue Parris Current on Andante and Connie Claire on Aja Bajoni

Kate riding Ritmo A.J. palomino Marchador stallion owned
by Haras Lucero, TN

Kate with Aline Greene. Kate's hat is the international
symbol of the Mangalarga Marchador - the horseshoe M brand.

Fidalgo do Summerwind Baby Book (video)

2011-04-02T05:57:00.000-07:00

A great marcha de centro - so fast!

Remember the beautiful baby books that kept the treasures and memories? Well, we tried to re-create that feeling in this video of Fidalgo for his off-site future owners, Lynn and Becca Boone. The video is on the long side, but if you like watching foals, then the time will go by quickly.

Fidalgo is a Mangalarga Marchador stud colt who may stay a stallion! That's great for the breed here, because he is all attitude, style and class! The perfect son of Brasilia do Summerwind and La Paz Jivago, we are perfectly pleased with the result!

Have fun! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQX8b65mvwY

Bella has her foal!

2011-03-29T01:41:00.000-07:00

Imported Mangalarga Marchador mare Elba Cruzalta (Bella) gave birth late tonight to a wonderfully marked dun colt, her first. Bella has impeccable bloodlines, somewhat unique in the US. The sire is La Paz Jivago, a proven producer in many countries.

It's early, but he looks to have a wonderful gait already! This one is truly something special!

The mare and foal are owned by Keith and Alice Mosing, Houston, TX. Congratulations on a beautiful boy!

Look at the striping on his legs!

Chanel de Miami - we will miss you

2011-03-12T00:24:00.000-08:00

Chanel de Miami, pure Herdade blood, exquisite beauty and gait.

Lynn with Chanel

Chanel pregnant with her last foal Enya do Summerwind

In memory of our special Chanel: 1996-2011. She didn't have enough time on earth, but we were happy to have shared it with her. Pure Herdade bloodlines, super beautiful, sweet and smooth. We will miss you until we die.

Chanel was a FOUNDATION Mangalarga Marchador mare, probably with the best picada gait we have ever ridden. The daughter of a champion Calciolandia mare, Verbena owned by the Guerra family. Other Verbena offspring were Folha da Calciolandia, MT, Batuque de Miami, CA and Feitico de Miami, FL. All were wonderfully smooth gaited horses.

Chanel passed on her beauty and smooth gait to all her foals. Two remain with us now: John's riding horse, Artemis do Summerwind and Enya do Summerwind, her orphan foal who we will keep. Caesar do Summerwind is in CA with Marli Wood and Destiny do Summerwind is in TX with Gayle Hamilton.

It is a great loss to us and also for the US Marchadors to lose such a good breeding mare. Her 2 daughters will carry on the Herdade genes.

New Video on the Mangalarga Marchador

2011-03-01T21:53:00.000-08:00

Mangalarga Marchador - the horse from Brazil! A great view of great horses and beautiful countryside vistas!

Summerwind Newsletter

2011-02-26T21:08:00.000-08:00

For more great photos and news about Marchadors from around the country, download our SW Newsletter! In this issue:

Visit to Brazil - excerpts from an article by TWH expert Eldon Eadie
Lynn's corner
News from Family and Friends
SW News

http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com/qlNews_detail.aspx?CI=5068

Video of Bella

2011-02-20T21:48:00.000-08:00

Bella is a beautiful Mangalarga Marchador mare that we have had the pleasure of knowing and loving. Wonderfully smooth, incredibly intelligent and willing to connect on many levels, she has overcome many physical ailments while in our care. She is expecting her first foal in March 2011 and then will return to her owners in Texas. It will be a happy reunion for them, but a sad day for us when we leave her behind.

For more information on this fabulous breed, please contact us: Summerwind Marchadors http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com or http://www.futurefoal.com

The Importer Series - Summerwind

2011-02-10T20:59:00.000-08:00

The IMPORTERS is a series of articles about the history of the Marchador breed coming to the U.S. and the breeders who brought them in. This is the third installment of the series — Summerwind Marchadors. The bloodlines highlighted in this article are Favacho and J.B.

Go to our website to read the full article by downloading the pdf file.

http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com/qlNews_detail.aspx?CI=5046

Fidalgo do Summerwind - born 1/11/11!

2011-01-01T15:13:00.000-08:00

Brasilia do Summerwind's first foal and he did not disappoint! Unbelievably confident and not afraid of anything new, he is just like his mom and dad. Great looks and gait, Fidalgo was reserved before birth by Lynn Boone-Mayberry and her daughter Becca.

His birthday is a sign - he will be a great horse, maturing around 15 hands, probably mahogany bay and a fabulous, flashy marcha batida.

Enya do Summerwind born - last Mangalarga Marchador of 2010!

2010-12-30T15:01:00.000-08:00

Born on the coldest day of the year in AZ, this little girl was strong and sturdy from the get-go, breaking through the birth sac on her own! The daughter of Chanel de Miami and La Paz Jivago, she will make a foundation broodmare for any prospective Mangalarga Marchador breeder! She is offered for sale for now at $9,000, but we like her ourselves, so hurry!

She will mature a dark dun (dorsal stripe), 15 hands and be very, very smooth. She is laid back and unexcitable, but learns really fast. Big deep eyes and already a lady - she takes after her mother most.

2010-12-25T08:51:00.000-08:00

   Feliz Natal!
From our family to yours, we wish you the joy of the season! Have a safe and memorable Christmas season.
   John and Lynn Kelley

     Summerwind Marchadors and SW Future Foal

Mangalarga Marchador - A Breed Without Frontiers

2010-12-24T09:01:00.000-08:00

Nomade de Clarion, MM stallion in Brasil

This was a popular tagline for the ABCCMM for many years. We forget, because the Mangalarga Marchador breed is so rare here in North America, that it is known and prized around the world, but especially in Brazil!

In its native country, the Brazilian Association of Breeders of Mangalarga Marchador, the ABCCMM, currently has 5,000 members and 400,000 registered horses that live in approximately 22,000 farms! This generates 43,000 direct jobs and 200,000 indirect jobs.

In Brasil, Marchador horses break records in agribusiness, selling about $60 million (U.S.$) a year in only 75 auctions across the country.

Xingera do Krieswald in the Netherlands

The broad scope of the Brazilian Association may be measured by their representation, with two affiliate associations in the United States and Germany, and it is present in the main Brazilian states through 53 centers that foster marketing and distribution.

Beethoven do Summerwind, one of 5 MMs now in Canada.

Caboclo da Piedade and Seamus da Boa Fe in the US.

The ABCCMM reports there are populations of Mangalarga Marchadors in 10 countries: Brazil, United States, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, Canada, Israel, Peru and Uruguay. (However, I personally know MM owners in Slovenia, Italy and France, so the number of countries is even higher)

The Brazilian National show, held every year in July for 11 days, is one of the biggest equestrian events in Latin America with 1500 purebred MM horses competing. (I have heard that it may be the largest single breed show in the world, but could not verify that.)

Just this week, the ABCCMM exported 5 stallions to Europe to represent the Mangalarga Marchador breed in shows, expos and for breeding. The first big event is EQUITANA in March 2011. Last year, the ABCCMM was unsuccessful in getting horses into Europe on a temporary basis just for the big show. This year, they would not be denied!

Patek de Maripa, MM stallion exported to Europe for breeding and expos like EQUITANA 2011

Sensation saddles - the name fits!

2010-12-16T16:10:00.000-08:00

I love riding bareback! Once you love it, often a saddle can feel confining. With a large leather saddle, I can’t feel the horse move (one of the joys of riding!) and sometimes I can hardly pick the saddle up! So, I have ridden a flexible or treeless saddle for a long time.

I was thrilled to demo 2 Sensation saddles from Nickers Saddlery in Canada in November with Kristy Everson. Two saddles demoed; 2 saddles bought! I feel like the old Remington shaver commercial. “I liked it so much, I bought the company!” Hardly. But I will become a sales rep. It’s a saddle I can be passionate about. If you are interested in hearing more or trying one yourself, send me an email or give me a call!

G3 Hybrid with Dressage flaps

Harmony Element with English flaps

I met Dana through a mutual friend, the Mangalarga Marchadors and Facebook in 2010. She is a horse lover, rider and a horse health professional.

From their website: http://www.nickerssaddlery.com

Dana Johnsen, President, Nickers Saddlery, made the first treeless saddle of her own design in 1994. At that time the concept was just beginning to be noticed. Dana persevered with the designs, believing the concept to be often superior to what some riders had available to them - to truly fit their horses in comfort. The Nicker's treeless saddle design, now known as the Sensation Ride, has been refined in materials and design.

Westlish Rebel

The Sensation Ride Line includes other innovative tack designs - geared toward ease of use, practicality and efficiency of function.Each Sensation Saddle is custom made to suit your needs. You can choose the components of English and Western design that you like best and combine them to create your perfect saddle. You can be flashy, with Hot Pink if that’s what you like. Every horse and rider is different and Sensation offers a wide variety of options in Leather, Seat Size, Flap shape, cantle and pommel sizes, rigging adjustments, etc. Almost anything is possible.

Western Sport Trail

Sensation Ride Saddles are designed to fit a wide variety of horses - but they are particularly popular for short backed, round horses, especially breeds such as the Icelandic, Haflinger, Fjord, Draft Breeds, Arabians, Gaited Breeds, Quarter Horses and Stock Breeds.

Vicosa is a grandma!

2010-12-12T16:08:00.000-08:00

Amethyst do Summerwind as a foal in AZ

Amy at 15 months before she was sold to MI.

Vicosa de Itajoana's first foal, Amethyst do Summerwind just had her first foal! Born yesterday in Michigan to Great Lakes Marchadors owned by Jay and Susan Bryan, it was an unexpected surprise this time of year. Mother and son are doing fine. We will post pictures when we get some.

Sire is Oxum do Vale da Prata, a black Mangalarga Marchador stallion, also imported from Brasil. The foal is bay with 2 hind socks.
Congratulations, Jay and Susan! and Amy too!

Vicosa is now in MT, owned by Rox Rogers, Haras Cayuse.

2010-12-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

Weaning foals

Weaning is often an event that causes breeders or owners to worry. Most foal injuries, accidents and loss of condition happen during weaning. The mare also suffers a loss and is often uncomfortable with a lot of milk in her udder.

Vedete de Itajoana and foal

When should it be done?

There is no set timeframe, but the usual answer is 4-6 months. In the wild, the mother will often let the foal nurse until the next foal is born. However, at four months, much of the foal’s nutrition is coming from grass, hay and grain, not mother’s milk. The weaning timeframe may depend on the situation. Often, if you have more than one foal, it makes sense to wean them all at once, so some may be 5 ½ months old and some 7 months old. Weaning sooner is also situation-dependent. We had one foal that seemed to be lactose-intolerant. Although healthy, he had bouts of diarrhea. It was in his best interest to wean early.

How should it be done?

There are many approaches to weaning, but this is our approach. We found it to be humane to both mare and foal. There was little or no stress to them and therefore, we were happy too. Perhaps our timeline could be shortened, but it worked for us. We use a method called fence-line weaning. Fence-line weaning is an option in which mares are moved to one side of a strong fence while foals are left on the other side

For the first week, we separate the mares and foals for eight hours in abutting pastures. Our fencing allows the foals to nurse. The mare needs to cooperate to make this event happen, so we have seen that the mares only approach the fence when their udders are full. But the foals can see, smell and hear the mares and vice-versa. During the second week, they are separated 24/7, still along a fence where they can nurse. During this week, I really watch to see how much nursing is still going on and how full or empty the mares’ udders are. In almost every case, they have stopped nursing. Week 3 they are separated by a pasture, so they are still visible, and if any nursing was occurring, they can no longer nurse.

A study at Texas A&M University showed that foals weaned in this manner showed less whinnying and running than foals separated by other methods. Levels of cortisol, a hormone that indicates level of stress, were lower in fence-weaned foals than in foals suddenly separated completely from their mothers.

A Christmas Story

2010-11-29T16:14:00.000-08:00

A brother and sister had made their usual hurried, obligatory

pre‐ Christmas visit to the little farm where dwelt their elderly

parents with their small herd of horses. The farm was where

they had grown up and had been named Lone Pine Farm

because of the huge pine, which topped the hill behind the

farm. Through the years the tree had become a talisman to the

old man and his wife, and a landmark in the countryside.

The young siblings had fond memories of their childhood here,

but the city hustle and bustle added more excitement to their

lives, and called them away to a different life.

The old folks no longer showed their horses, for the years had

taken their toll, and getting out to the barn on those frosty

mornings was getting harder, but it gave them a reason to get

up in the mornings and a reason to live. They sold a few foals

each year, and the horses were their reason for joy in the

morning and contentment at day's end.

Angry, as they prepared to leave, the young couple confronted

the old folks. Why do you not at least dispose of The Old One."

She is no longer of use to you. It's been years since you've had

foals from her. You should cut corners and save so you can

have more for yourselves. How can this old worn out horse

bring you anything but expense and work? Why do you keep

her anyway?"

The old man looked down at his worn boots, holes in the toes,

scuffed at the barn floor and replied, "Yes, I could use a pair of

new boots.

His arm slid defensively about the Old One's neck as he drew

her near with gentle caressing he rubbed her softly behind her

ears. He replied softly, "We keep her because of love.

Nothing else, just love."

Baffled and irritated, the young folks wished their parents a

Merry Christmas and headed back toward the city as darkness

stole through the valley. The old couple shook their heads in

sorrow that it had not been a happy visit. A tear fell upon their

cheeks. How is it that these young folks do not understand the

peace of the love that filled their hearts?

So it was, that because of the unhappy leave‐taking, no one

noticed the insulation smoldering on the frayed wires in the

old barn. None saw the first spark fall. None but “The Old One".

In a matter of minutes, the whole barn was ablaze and the

hungry flames were licking at the loft full of hay. With a cry of

horror and despair, the old man shouted to his wife to call for

help as he raced to the barn to save their beloved horses. But

the flames were roaring now, and the blazing heat drove him

back. He sank sobbing to the ground, helpless before the fire's

fury. His wife back from calling for help cradled him in her

arms, clinging to each other, they wept at their loss. By the

time the fire department arrived, only smoking, glowing ruins

were left, and the old man and his wife, exhausted from their

grief, huddled together before the barn. They were speechless

as they rose from the cold snow covered ground. They nodded

thanks to the firemen as there was nothing anyone could do

now.

The old man turned to his wife, resting her white head upon

his shoulders as his shaking old hands clumsily dried her tears

with a frayed red bandana. Brokenly he whispered, "We have

lost much, but God has spared our home on this eve of

Christmas. Let us gather strength and climb the hill to the old

pine where we have sought comfort in times of despair. We

will look down upon our home and give thanks to God that it

has been spared and pray for our beloved most precious gifts

that have been taken from us. And so, he took her by the

hand and slowly helped her up the snowy hill as he brushed

aside his own tears with the back of his old and withered hand.

The journey up the hill was hard for their old bodies in the

deep snow. As they stepped over the little knoll at the crest of

the hill, they paused to rest, looking up to the top of the hill the

old couple gasped and fell to their knees in amazement at the

incredible beauty before them. Seemingly, every glorious,

brilliant star in the heavens was caught up in the glittering,

snow‐frosted branches of their beloved pine, and it was aglow

with heavenly candles. And poised on its top most bough, a

crystal crescent moon glistened like spun glass. Never had a

mere mortal created a Christmas tree such as this. They were

breathless as the old man held his wife tighter in his arms.

Suddenly, the old man gave a cry of wonder and incredible joy.

Amazed and mystified, he took his wife by the hand and pulled

her forward. There, beneath the tree, in resplendent glory, a

mist hovering over and glowing in the darkness was their

Christmas gift.

Shadows were glistening, in the night light. Bedded down

about “The Old One" close to the trunk of the tree, was the

entire herd, safe.

At the first hint of smoke, she had pushed the door ajar with

her muzzle and had led the horses through it. Slowly and with

great dignity, never looking back, she had led them up the hill,

stepping cautiously through the snow. The foals were

frightened and dashed about. The skittish yearlings looked

back at the crackling, hungry flames, and tucked their tails

under them as they licked their lips and hopped like rabbits.

The mares that were in foal with a new crop of babies, pressed

uneasily against “The Old One" as she moved calmly up the hill

and to safety beneath the pine. And now, she lay among them

and gazed at the faces of the old man and his wife.

Those she loved, she had not disappointed. Her body was

brittle with years, tired from the climb, but the golden eyes

were filled with devotion as she offered her gift‐‐‐ Because of

love. Only Because of love...

Tears flowed as the old couple shouted their praise and joy...

and again the peace of love filled their hearts. This is a true

story. Willy Eagle

Spooking - Tips and Comments welcome!

2010-10-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

Azenha de Maripa, one-rein stop practice at a canter

How many times do I hear – I want a bombproof horse? We use so many terms that are not defined well in horsemanship, but what does this mean? It could mean a dead horse walking. But to many, it means a horse they can trust to take care of the rider. Most accidents happen when the horse bolts or tries to lose the rider in an effort to save themselves from whatever impending danger they see.

Every horse spooks in some fashion at some time. My favorite variety is the stiff-legged tabletop spook, where after being startled, the horse freezes into position. Spooking is a natural reaction that any living thing has when something is scary or startling. I know I jump during the big thunderstorms at the loud crashes.

There is no substitute for a relationship with your horse and building their trust in you. Then, during a scary moment, they startle and then check in with you to see what they should do. You can teach your horse all about the things that might be scary, but in the end, you cannot train for every new situation, so their trust is my primary safety net.

Koyote Libertas, because he trusts me, he often checks in with me when he see something scary.

My second safety item is lateral flexion and the one-rein stop. I teach this to all my horses from the time they are foals. Bits do not stop horses, no matter how strong. This stop is then automatic and there if I ever need it.

I do believe the Marchador has a good mind, perhaps different than many other breeds. We rode in the Rose Bowl Parade as our first parade when Bossa Nova was 3 years old! From what I learned afterwards, that was crazy! She handled the whole experience with ease.

I also think the breed and genetics do matter. You can choose a breed or breeding pedigree that may be calmer, less reactive and a better mind. People talk about dog breeds all the time, but we rarely make the connection to horse breeds.

What do you do to help your horse?

Finding Seamus - a story of gait

2010-10-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

The Mangalarga Marchador has a natural marching gait. However, there are times when you need to "set or train" gait. One is when they are young and need to learn how to balance a rider and stay at a steady pace. The other is when you have screwed it up. This is a story of the latter.

Seamus da Boa Fe, imported in-utero, grandson of Malibu da Santa Terezinha.

He loves to be picked!

Seamus is a great Mangalarga Marchador – proud, good size and like all Marchador horses, very sweet. He was a family member almost his whole life. We kept him a stallion – our first – and he taught us quite a bit about horsemanship along the way. He was the first horse we ever started under saddle and he did just fine at that. But we also made a number of mistakes with Seamus.

Young Seamus

The first in my mind is that we didn’t freeze his semen! But the one that refers to this topic is that Seamus learned to piaffe and passage before he learned to walk (march). It was very impressive to see a gaited horse doing dressage. In the ring, he looked like a Lusitano or Andalusian. We probably could have faked it and entered their competitions, since in the early 2000s there were no Marchador show classes.

He passed his ABCCMM inspection, but the Brasilians were telling us what to do to straighten out his marcha.

Seamus doing Spanish Walk at the Fiesta of the Spanish Horse

The dressage training had asked for him to elevate which he could do very well. During the time when his muscles should have been asking for extension to get long and cover ground, he was being asked to collect and prance. Elegant he was; smooth, he was not.

To make matters worse, while in a training barn, his feet were not trimmed right. In shoes they looked okay to us, but when he threw a shoe, we saw what we had and were horrified. His toes were so long! He was lame without shoes. We consulted 3 farriers and each recommended a significantly different approach. Seamus is the reason we took the initiative and studied barefoot trimming ourselves.

This summer, we have turned the corner. Seamus is sound, and I have started riding him again. Now starting over, I still do dressage moves, but I also practice the marcha, as our great friend Tresa Smith, (Montana Marchadors) would like. Because it is important to have the MM breed march.

The words of the Brasilians ringing in my ears from so many years ago, I started to find his march and keep him in it. Here is my approach:

§ Long straight distances asking Seamus to cover ground in the march.
§ Speed for batida. Almost a canter, but right at the moment that he will transition, I say no, this is the speed.
§ Uphill work.
§ “ALLOW” the gait to happen. When he is gaiting along, I leave him alone and let him know this feels good and is right.

Lynn and Seamus this summer in Pagosa.

For Seamus, right before the canter, his legs are going like a little duck, very quick, almost disjointed, but guess what? It is very good! We have always used Koyote as our measure for a great marcha batida. Seamus looks to be about the same! Right now, he is the best in uphills and very fast, but as we practice keeping the rhythm, the smooth marcha gait comes out more and more often. It’s really just building muscle memory and of course, the muscles and stamina we need to maintain it.

He's very athletic and talented!

For a slow gait, Seamus can do a walk that is close to marcha picada. I keep him slow because I can hear the rhythm and get it right. Right now, he can only do this moving slowly, but I think in time, we can increase the speed and have him stay in it. It’s very smooth, so I use it, especially going down hills. Of course, with his previous training, he can still elevate. Whenever he gets nervous, he passages!

We are so excited! Seamus is an exhilarating and fun horse to ride. He loves to work and loves the attention. We hope he will stay sound and just impress the heck out of anyone who sees him move!

Practice riding in the marching gait.

Young horses will often speed up and slow down. You need to teach them to be consistent and to set the speed where their gait is most comfortable. Lazy or smart horses may pick a movement that is easier for them or that they enjoy more like a canter or going sideways.

Or as in our story, your discipline may ask for another gait. If so, spend as much time marching as you do cantering or piaffing!

Koyote Libertas, ridden by Felipe Ribeiro, our marcha batida standard.

Summerwind is trying to bring up some Brasilian trainers to help owners and breeders learn how to set or improve the marcha gait. No dates have been set. Because we ride bitless, we are sending them a Dr. Cook bitless bridle to practice that. Most Brasilians will use bits. We will keep you posted on our progress.

Our new handout - Isn't this cool?

2010-10-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

Tracey Buckalew at Going Gaited Magazine is just a joy to work with. Summerwind will be at the Festival of the Horse in November and we wanted to have a handout to give away. Here's what we came up with. (This isn't the final, a few mistakes we found after this proof). I am just delighted.
http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com/news.aspx

Click on the 10/082010 post and then inside, click on the pdf file symbol.

Be sure to visit her magazine and website too!
www.goinggaited.com

New article in GOING GAITED

2010-09-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

Summerwind has been granted an import permit to bring in Brasilian frozen semen! The long-awaited result of a four year effort may be about to arrive. Watch for more news later this month or early next month.

Stallions from Haras Maripa, the farm providing the first semen in the shipment.

AND, Check it out! A breed profile on the Mangalarga Marchador is in the latest issue on Going Gaited.

http://www.goinggaited.com/aBreedSpotlight.html

August Newsletter

2010-08-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

It's out and posted on our website. In fact, we re-wrote our website and changed some of the pictures. Take a look! http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com/qlNews_detail.aspx?CI=4886

In the article about speed in the gait, here is the video to watch. Enjoy!http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=FazendadasAguasJM#p/u/15/t_JpcRVVQho

Today's Horse Trader Highlights Marchadors!

2010-07-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

Our latest article is in July’s issue of Today’s Horse Trader magazine. Please email me or the editor to get your copy. Today’s Horse Trader is distributed in the Western states of AZ, NM, CO, TX and WY.

Email to info@summerwindmarchadors.com

2010 ABCCMM Inspection Visit and Bacara

2010-07-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

photos: Jeff Bosley on Bossa Nova de Miami, Bacara's mom and yearling Bacara do Summerwind that Jeff fell for 3 years ago.

In August 2010, Dr. Getulio Vieira will be again visiting the US to inspect and approve the US born Marchadors for dual registry with the ABCCMM – the Brasilian MM association. Jeff and Michelle Bosley have chosen to continue tradition with their mare Bacara do Summerwind (Caboclo da Piedade x Bossa Nova de Miami)

The ABCCMM’s inspection process is one of the cornerstones to the quality of the breed. Horses are inspected by the ABCCMM technicians when they reach age 3 (or later) – for conformation, for gait and for temperament. The Mangalarga Marchador is an unusual breed of horse with traits that have been carefully cultivated for generations. When a breed of horse has specific traits that are highly desirable and unique to that breed, then protecting it from indiscriminate or random breeding practices is wise. The purpose of the ABCCMM inspection is to make sure the animals that are registered and used for breeding purposes satisfy the clearly defined and developed breed standard.

For the ABCCMM, Marchadors that pass inspection are registered in their breeding books and allowed to breed. In Brasil, stallions are further tested on a group of 30 or so mares. After their foal crop is evaluated, the stallion may or may not remain a breeding stallion, even though he is fully registered.

The USMMA (US MM association) does not require inspection, but the breed standard is very close to that of the Brasilian ABCCMM breed standard. For us at Summerwind, we encourage and support the inspection process as a way to learn about the MM breed, your horse and if breeding, what characteristics to look for in a breeding partner for your horse. The goal of a good breeder is always to IMPROVE the next generation.

Jeff bought Bacara do Summerwind as a young yearling beauty. Bacara is now four years old and was started under saddle this year. Michelle Bosley seems to be enjoying her time in the saddle, even though she is a young horse. They live in Lumber Bridge, NC. Bacara is the only daughter of Caboclo da Piedade, so she is unique in our genetic pool of Marchador horses here in the US.

2010-05-27T08:42:00.000-07:00

Given a choice, my next dog will also be a border collie, like our wonderdog, Mac. I love the breed – their intelligence, spirit, pure joy and beauty when they are running. Wait – that description could also fit a Marchador!

Like dogs, there are now too many horses in the U.S. It’s a problem. But while I donate to some of the rescue efforts, I would not want a different breed of horse, even for a good cause or for free. And now having raised horses from birth, that is the way to go for me. I breed Marchadors because they possess all of the characteristics that I value in a horse. They are what I want to own, ride and spend time with.

It isn’t all about the breeders; it’s also about the owners. Both produce unwanted horses. I make a commitment to SW horses. We find a new home, sell it for you or even sometimes buy it ourselves if you can no longer keep it. My dream would be for every horse to find a forever home.

Marchador Trivia

2010-05-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

The USMMA with the help of all the importers will be writing our history and stories soon in the USMMA newsletter, perhaps to be published in a book too. Tresa Smith is heading up the tremendous effort. Here are some of the numbers to whet your appetite.

69 Marchadors have been imported from Brasil. Of the 69 imports:

1 had to be returned to Brasil when he failed testing in Miami

4 have died since being imported (only one from old age)

The oldest import is a mare born in 1982 - Formosa do Crocoto.

26 were stud colts or stallions. Of these, only 11 are still breeding.

37 mares were imported to become foundation breeding mares in 11 states with 14 breeders.

5 horses were imported as geldings.

The importers:

The Guerra family in FL – MM Horse Farms. Regal Legacy Farm, out of business, in CA, GA and OH Tresa Smith in MT – Lazy T Ranch and Montana Marchadors Premier International, out of business, in FL and CA John and Lynn Kelley in AZ, Summerwind Marchadors Susan Gabriel in CA, Dreamcatcher Ranch Rick and Liz Schatz in OK, Flying Oaks Ranch Holm and Susan Neumann in OR, Cascade Marchadors Keith Mosing in TX Peter and Lori Silcher in MT, 4 Seasons Marchadores

The foundation horses represented a great mix of bloodlines. Abaiba, Tabatinga, Favacho, Bela Cruz, Herdade, JB, Traituba, Caxambu and more. Some of the imported mares were pregnant to Brasilian stallions further adding to the genetic pool if they remained breeding animals. All of the other Marchadors found around the country are products of these original horses.

Loving horses....

2010-04-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

I am in love with horses. I stop and watch when they are running in the field and admire their beauty, their spirit, their exuberance for life. It is a delicate balance in training them to meet our needs and wants and not lose that spirit that so attracted us to begin with.

I did not understand horse behavior when I started; I just loved the horse. That is not enough. I needed to learn.

In my earlier days, I thought the lesson was about dominating the horse – “winning” the battle. As I progressed, I became a leader instead of a tyrant. In this new way of being, I am still respected, but my horses are freer to express themselves too. In this new way of being, when a lesson goes wrong, I go back to think about what I am doing wrong, not the horse. It’s The Black Stallion story all over again – and isn’t that what we wanted all along?

Marchador mares - Breeding Tips

2010-03-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

We believe the Marchador mares are very robust and natural in their heat cycles. Like some other ancient breeds, the Marchador mares hold on to their egg folicles much longer and their follicles get much larger. Many breeding vets start their breeding process with a follicle of 35 mm. With a Marchador mare, we often wait until at least 45 mm or 50 before we begin breeding. We have seen follicles of 52-60 mm without ovulation in our mares.

So, our advice is - when breeding with AI - wait a day or maybe two - more that what the textbook calls for.
Of course, every mare is unique and ultrasounding each of your breeding mares during their estrus cycle will provide valuable information to you on how to manage that mare.

Good luck!

2010-03-12T21:29:00.000-08:00

I rode Bella today (real name Elba Cruzalta) just around the ranch property and marveled at our journey together. Such a sweet mare and willing to try to do anything - like walk by that blue tarp over the hay - even though I can tell she's very apprehensive about it. Perhaps, I think, we need to do some tarp and scary things training to help this old girl.

She went comfortably - just at a walk, at my request. Such a difference from the mare who would rush almost out of control if you ever loosened the reins. I am content and happy on her back.

So now that she is happy, we will move on to the finer elements of riding. I would love to get her to bend and supple, to give her head some and start using her back end a little more. (She's learned on the ground to do that, but under saddle, not so much). But, I think, we have time for that - and today we just enjoy the walk - the sunshine and fresh air, the feeling of eternity like time has just stopped and that this ride can last forever.

I will miss you Bella when your owners come for you. For the rest of my life. You are a special one, a spirit horse.

My sister Katie

2010-02-28T16:59:00.001-08:00

I just wished she lived next door. Come back soon!

Fazenda Calciolandia, Brazil

2010-02-28T16:54:00.000-08:00

Calciolandia has specialized in smooth PICADA gaited horses for decades, even when that gait was unpopular and not allowed in the show ring. Their breeding program relies on strong Herdade roots often mixed with Passa Tempo, with occasional introductions of other old bloodlines like Angai or Tabatinga. Gabriel Andrade is a major breeder and was the major exhibitor at Brasil’s 2009 National Show.

Their horses are very beautiful - wonderful heads and expressive eyes - and very smooth. Another characteristic is the color. Most Calciolandia horses are bay, chestnut and palomino, not grey. The main stallions used there were the Herdade greats: Cadillac, Capricho, Tirol, Gas Cardeal and the Passa Tempo ones: Zum Zum and Segundo Rio Verde. The farm’s main focus is not horses, but cattle – they have 4 breeds there.

Calciolandia Marchadors were the first MMs imported in 1992 by the owner’s son who moved to FL. When he returned to Brasil, these horses became the foundation for Lucas Guerra of MM Horse Farms in Miami. We have two mares from MM Horse Farms original stock: Bossa Nova de Miami and Chanel de Miami.

2010 SW Awards

2010-01-19T07:54:00.000-08:00

Attached is our 2010 SW Awards program. If you own a Summerwind Marchador, or even the foal of one of our original horses, you are eligible to receive cash and prizes for entering shows, trail rides, and other competitions - even 4H! There are awards for the rider, owner and breeder.

This year we doubled the prize money! Come show off the MM breed and make history with us.

http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com/qlNews_detail.aspx?CI=4674

SW December Newsletter

2009-12-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

To read the entire newsletter, follow this link:

http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com/qlNews_detail.aspx?CI=4621

Haras Itajoana - horses in the US

2009-12-13T15:19:00.000-08:00

Itajoana mixes Tabatinga and Abaiba bloodlines to produce solid, beautiful & fast Marchadors. The main stallions used there were: Icaro de Itajoana, Acai Tabatinga and Cafundo Uranio. Cafundo Uranio (a mix of Herdade and Abaiba) was the farm owner’s favorite horse. When Uranio passed away, he proved impossible to replace. Although they still prize their Marchadors, the breeder is not as active today. Itajoana is part of a larger farm called Fazenda Santarem, a magical place. The farm also produces cattle, coffee, & crops.

Itajoana Marchadors were imported in 2001 by the Lazy T Ranch and in 2004 by Summerwind. Here are the horses:

Michigan:

· Atriz de Itajoana, grey mare, being used as a broodmare with the Bryans at Great Lakes Marchadors.

Montana:

· Bambino de Itajoana, grey gelding (son of Acai Tabatinga) and Vicosa de Itajoana, buckskin mare, both with Rox Rogers and being used in reining and cowboy dressage.

· Vedete de Itajoana, grey mare, with Dr. Tia Nelson. She may be used as a broodmare or endurance mount.

· Pupila de Itajoana, grey mare, being used as a broodmare. (granddaughter of Cafundo Uranio) with Tresa Smith at the Lazy T.

Wyoming

· Violeiro de Itajoana, grey gelding being used for ranch work and pleasure with Marion Neidringhaus.

Itajoana continues with the imported mares‘ offspring.

Atriz’s foals: Agustos do Great Lakes, the Bryans, MI

Pupila’s foals: Astrud de Lazy T, Eliza Frazer, MT

Chico-Buarque de Lazy T, Tia Nelson, MT

Joao-Gilberto de Lazy T, Tresa Smith, MT

Lo-Borges de Lazy T, Tresa Smith, MT

Vedete’s foals: Amadeus do Summerwind, Kristy Everson, AZ

Belmiro de Sunset, Pat Rollingson, CANADA

Diego do Summerwind, Pat Rollingson, CANADA

Vicosa’s foals: Amethyst do Summerwind, the Bryans, MI

Caetano-Veloso de Lazy T, Tresa Smith, MT

October Newsletter

2009-11-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

News and photos from across the country - all about horses and of course, Marchadors.

http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com/qlNews_detail.aspx?CI=4579

Wills, Estates and Trusts

2009-11-03T16:46:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else worry what will happen to your horses after you pass away? A morbid thought I know, but horses are living so much longer now, that it is a real concern to both me and my husband. We are about to start researching ideas, but if anyone has suggestions, please email them to us at info@summerwindmarchadors.com.

One of the first things I've learned is that just doing a will may not be enough. Since wills often take months to execute, you need to make sure that someone is named and given the money to get through this period.

Our horses are just like family. I would like them to live out their natural lives happily - whether or not I am there.

Training Brasilia

2009-10-15T23:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was riding Brasilia do Summerwind, a green 3 year old mare. After the ride, my husband John said “You know I watch her move under saddle and she moves exactly as she does when she is running at liberty in the pasture”. What a compliment! All the energy, enthusiasm and beauty of a natural moving horse was still there! After basking in the praise (I assumed it was for me), we talked about how we had gotten there.

We believe it is the ground work we do. We work with the foals from the time they are born, so it is easy to know the horse inside and out - how it will react to learning new things or new places. Training on the ground lets you and the horse develop a relationship of trust and a way of communicating.

We can teach almost everything a horse needs to know on the ground, and at any age. So, when we get to starting the young horse under saddle, it is just another series of steps in a life-long process.

The time spent with a young horse is especially important. What they are learning during the first 3 years of their lives set the foundation for the rest of their careers. This is time and effort well-spent and well worth whatever time it takes.

With Brasilia, I learned that the horse can also be the teacher. Here is what we learned from our smartest mare:

Start training with gentleness, not dominance, lots of pauses and lots of enthusiasm for the smallest of tries.
Look at yourself and your actions if she didn’t get it right. It was almost always my miscue.
Apologize and start again no matter who got it wrong.
Always check in to see that we have a connection a level of trust and respect before continuing or starting something new.
Make sure you are both ready to learn that day.
Dominance is not the same as leadership.
Breathe, relax, lick your lips!

For those people who don’t have ground training as part of their regimen now, there are self-help DVDs from all of the world’s great trainers. Stay Natural! Or, you can go to a clinic in your local area or practice with a friend until you get comfortable on your own. The reward is a partner for life –before you ever put a foot in the stirrup.

As we get older, there may come a day where riding is no longer an option. Ground work or just spending time hanging out with a horse may be it. That would still be a great day!

John Kelley New USMMA President

2009-10-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

The US Mangalarga Marchador Association (USMMA) elected John Kelley, owner of Summerwind Marchadors, their new President. John's term begins in 2010. John hopes to continue the good work of the association, and plans to add a national show in 2010 or 2011.

The USMMA has about 200 Mangalarga Marchadors in the US and Canada today.

For more information about John Kelley and Summerwind, visit our websites:

www.summerwindmarchadors.com

www.futurefoal.com

For more information about the USMMA, visit the association website.

usmarchador.com

September News

2009-09-30T07:17:00.000-07:00

Our newsletter captures updates on the Marchadors and people we know and love across the country, some articles, information and products we find during the month and lots of photos of beautiful horses!

To read the whole newsletter, please follow this link:
http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com/news_detail.aspx?CI=4556

You can get on the mailing list by just sending me an email to info@summerwindmarchadors.com

2009-09-30T07:13:00.001-07:00

Pennsylvania Equestrian has written a new article on the first Marchador in Pennsylvania, Azenha de Maripa and Signa Strom. They are following their dreams.......

To read the full article, please follow this link.

http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com/qlNews_detail.aspx?CI=4557

La Paz Jivago's Return!

2009-09-12T06:38:00.001-07:00

The shipper leaves for Canada on September 12th to pick Jivago up. We hired Ned Leigh, an equine trainer and horse hauler to do a direct haul. He will be traveling like royalty, with the whole trailer as a box stall.

We can't wait to see him again, even though it was quite a shock to hear that Pat was going to stop breeding. What a great horse he is! We will start breeding this fall. Call us if you want to reserve one of his 2010 babies - or to breed to him!

www.futurefoal.com

SW Newsletter for August

2009-08-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

We have news from Brasil, family and friends. This month is DaVinci's birthday!

Check out our monthly newsletter by following this link.http://www.summerwindmarchadors.com/qlNews_detail.aspx?CI=4519

DaVinci!

2009-08-20T06:11:00.000-07:00

New photos of our future foal - DaVinci do Summerwind, owned by Connie Claire, Ocala.

Almost a year old now, these will make a great birthday card! DaVinci is the product of La Paz Jivago (Sunset Marchadors) and Bossa Nova de Miami.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swmarchador/DaVinci#

Pictures from Brasil 2009 Trip

2009-08-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

Come visit picasaweb to view our photos and share some of Brasil with us. The photos are from Belo Horizonte at the National Horse show for the Mangalarga Marchador, and from other cities in Minas Gerais state like Tiradentes and Cruzilia.

This year 2009 was the 60th anniversary of the founding of the ABCCMM, the Brasilian Marchador association and there will be a documentary produced to commemorate the Marchador history and this historic celebration. This photo is of a Marchador stallion named Emblema EAO, pure Favacho in bloodlines who we liked very much.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swmarchador/BrasilTrip2009#slideshow/5366562425090679250

Brasil Trip

2009-08-02T07:29:00.000-07:00

We are just back from Brasil! Another wonderful visit with friends and of course, Mangalarga Marchador horses! Stay tuned for our SW diaries and pictures as well as a special July newsletter (belated) with the highlights of the ABCCMM National Horse Show.

This horse is multi-champion FAVACHO ESTANHO. He has also sired over 35 champions in Brazil. We hope to import frozen semen soon in 2009.

SW June Newsletter

2009-07-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

For more information about SW, friends and family, visit our website for our June Newsletter.

www.summerwindmarchadors.com/qlNews_detail.aspx?CI=4417

SW New Pictures for June

2009-07-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

Take a look at our ranch photos from June!

http://picasaweb.google.com/swmarchador/JunePhotosSummerwindMarchadors?feat=directlink

SW Marchador in Endurance

2009-07-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

Mangalarga Marchadors are known for long distance riding and often compete in endurance racing in their native country of Brazil. However, with only 200 Marchador horses in North America, no one has competed them in endurance until now.

Signa Strom of Yankee River Sport Horses in PA and SW Marchador mare, Azenha de Maripa are now competing. Azenha was bred by Haras Maripa in Brazil and imported by Summerwind Marchadors in 2004. Together, Signa and Azenha have entered three races in Azenha’s maiden year, always finishing in the top third, with Azenha wanting to go faster!

Signa has written for the AERC magazine on conditioning horses for endurance riding. She thinks she has a winner in Azenha. Signa is a SW Sponsored Breeder.

For more information about the Marchador breed, visit Summerwind Marchadors ranch website or the USMMA website.