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

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....

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

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!

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

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

Fazenda Calciolandia, Brazil

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.