Wildfire Farm
A PREMIER DRESSAGE TRAINING FACILITY


                CLINICS

Several dressage clinics are usually held each year at Wildfire Farm.  Recent instructors have included: Major Andres Lindgren, Eicke von Velthelm, a master German  dressage instructor, and Lisa Wilcox, a silver medalist member of the  U.S. dressage team at the 2002 World Equestrian Games. But Wildfire's  signature clinics for the past five years have featured Manolo Mendez,  a former head rider of the Spanish Riding School in Jerez. Spain and  presently Professor of Classical Dressage in Victoria, Australia. He  usually comes to Wildfire to give at least two clinics each year.  These unique learning opportunities have attracted riders and auditors  widely throughout Virginia and Maryland.


We are once again pleased to host



MANOLO MENDEZ CLINIC

Manolo Mendez has had to cancel his clinics to the US for 2011. He plans on returning in 2012. I will post dates when they become available. Thanks for your patience.


The recent Competitors Dressage Clinic was a huge success. Because of the high interest I will schedule another one at a later date.





Manolo on Rose Flanery's Al PacinoManolo on Rose Flanery's Al Pacino

Manolo discussing technique with MarianneManolo discussing technique with Marianne

Jessica McTaggart on BelottiJessica McTaggart on Belotti

ManoloManolo

Margaret Rowe on WinnieMargaret Rowe on Winnie

Wiecor with owner March EndersWiecor with owner March Enders

Manolo working piaffe with Mary and WillowManolo working piaffe with Mary and Willow

Recent Clinics with Manolo



Manolo working inhand Manolo working inhand

The most outstanding feature of Manolo's clinics is his emphasis on  the correct, unhurried development of the body and mind of the horse.  He teaches the importance of maintaining a long, low neck carriage, so  that the horse is always in front of the vertical as he moves. He  begins with simple, straight movements, and introduces new movements, such as transitions, work on a circle and lateral work only when the  horse is strong enough to maintain self-carriage, straightness and  balance as he performs them. He feels that, as the horse learns more  advanced movements, such as collection, half-passes, flying changes,  pirouettes, piaffe and passage, he should be able to remain physically  balanced, straight and free of any physical discomfort, as well as  mentally calm and confident. He emphasizes that achieving these goals  can never be hurried, because of the years it takes for each horse to  develop the necessary strength, self-carriage and confidence in his  abilities. During lessons, each new movement is practiced quite  briefly, and is always accompanied by ample praise for the horse's  efforts to learn something new. Riders are encouraged to always ride  with very gentle hands, so as to allow the horse to seek a soft  contact with the bit, and to develop flexibility and softness in their  own bodies so that they will be able to enhance, rather than restrict,  the horse's own natural movement.

Observing Manolo interact with a horse is an unforgettable experience.  He begins by standing quietly in front of the him, focusing intently  on him, but saying little or nothing. Horses immediately notice this  unusual attention, and themselves become calm, focused and ready to  learn. They invariably remain intensely focused on Manolo, and on  what he is thinking about them and asking of them, for the remainder  of the training session. Manolo is then able to proceed with getting  to understand what the horse's level of development is, discovering  particular problems which may exist, and choosing what he thinks are  the most important areas to work on during the lesson. Frequently, he  will discover incorrect muscle development in a horse's neck, shoulder  or hindquarters due to faulty riding or training, and will help to  develop a plan for correcting these with the horse's rider, At times,  he will find that a horse is confused, anxious or unsure about what is  being asked of him, and he will concentrate on building up the horse's  confidence as he helps the rider to develop increased clarity in his  or her requests. He is exceptionally skilled at working in-hand,  especially with young horses, and with horses whose training is not  going smoothly. He works with mounted riders extensively, and will  occasionally ride a horse himself as part of a lesson- always a  special treat for observers. Even riders and auditors who have  attended many of Manolo's clinics feel that no two are ever the same.  Unique and challenging situations arise out of the encounters between  Manolo and each individual horse and rider combination. Because of the  depth of his knowledge and experience, each one  is a tremendously  exciting and rewarding learning experience for everyone.

In attempting to explain what it is that makes dressage riders return  again and again to Manolo's clinics, his own words are surely the  best: "We are aiming all the time to develop the horse so that he can  carry himself in an increasingly better position, becoming more proud,  more elegant and more beautiful with each passing year."


Written by March Enders