Equine health care management certainly requires “A Village”.  Naturally, horse owners must head up their team with a competent, knowledgeable, and experienced equine veterinarian.  Preferably, your vet will be skilled in the breed and type of horse(s) you own, as well as the sport in which you and your horse(s) may compete, if that is the case.

Next, and absolutely as important, in my  opinion, is to have an expert, qualified farrier and/or hoof trimmer.  The old adage, “No hoof, no horse” still holds true today.

Having the foresight and wherewithal to include one, or more, complimentary modalities to your horses’ health care routine will balance your team and optimize your horses’ health care management program.

In Part 1 of this series, I’ll be discussing Low Level Light Therapy and Reiki. I think you’ll find this information enlightening and, I hope, will inspire you to explore the possibilities for your horses.

Continue reading Whole Horse Health Care – The Role of Alternative Therapies, Part 1 →

Alejandro Salazar started riding horses at a young age on his family’s ranch in Costa Rica, where he was born and raised.  Shortly after, he started receiving formal instruction in Jumpers and Dressage.  It is an education he has continued to pursue for over 30 years.

While still living in Costa Rica, Alejandro was a team member for the Costa Rican National Equestrian Team.  Team membership presented numerous opportunities for International competition in Costa Rica, as well as, several Latin American countries.  Alejandro regularly participated in National Level competitions that led to wins of National Championships both in Dressage and Jumpers.

In 1987, Alejandro’s family was transferred to Mexico City, Mexico, where he continued the training of his Thoroughbred stallion imported from Costa Rica.  Eventually, competing him at the Grand Prix level in the Mexican Jumper circuit.

Another family transfer took Alejandro to Southern California in 1989, where he finished high school and completed a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Environmental Engineering from the University of California in Santa Barbara.

He then attended Purdue University in Indiana, where he obtained a Master’s Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering.  While in Indiana, Alejandro worked at a large Dressage breeding and training facility.  He obtained extensive education in young-horse training and barn management.  This facility provided numerous opportunities to take a wide variety of horses to competitions.  This included young horses getting out for the first time…to more advanced competitors.  Alejandro schooled the horses trained at these higher levels on a regular  basis - including their Grand Prix breeding stallion.

In 1997, Alejandro moved to Northern California where he continued to compete in both Jumper and Dressage rings, while working full time as an Environmental Engineer.  Rancho Pura Vida was established in the year 2000, and Alejandro transitioned to training full-time.

Since opening Rancho Pura Vida, Alejandro has maintained a client list of horses and riders at all different levels – from novice to advanced competitors,  while continuing to elevate his own abilities and performance at advanced levels of competition.  Alejandro developed a strong reputation for successfully resolving issues with difficult horses, including stallions.

As Alejandro’s show career advanced at higher levels of competition, more horses and students appropriate for that level of competition came in to his training program.  The program has evolved into a comprehensive system, working with horses of all breeds and riders/horses at all levels of training.  Alejandro teaches a large number of lessons per week, as well as, doing monthly clinics at other locations.

Although he competes regularly with horses at both schooling and rated shows, Alejandro’s current main competition string in dressage include:

• His own dressage horse Don Fioretto, an Oldenburg gelding, showing Prix St. George and Intermediate, and working on developing the Grand Prix to hopefully show at that level in 2014.
• A Hanoverian gelding named Luxemburg owned by Leslie Munoz of Placerville, California.  Luxemburg came to Alejandro trained to 1^st level and schooling 2^nd level, and he is currently showing in 4^th Level and Prix St. George.
• And a young Morgan mare named Merriewold Kirin, bred and owned by Diana Wold of Merriewold Morgans in Arroyo Grande, California.  Kirin came to Alejandro last year with a good start under saddle and she is currently doing great at 1^st level and showing great promise for more advanced dressage work.

 Alejandro and Kirin  Alejandro and Legacy

All three of these horses have qualified for the Regional USDF and CDS Championship show to be held in September 2013 in Northern California.

Alejandro’s current main competition string in jumpers include:

• His own jumper horse, a rescued thoroughbred off the track named Amigo, competing at the Mini-Prix Level and working toward the Grand Prix ring.
• A talented 5 year old Oldenburg gelding named Landson owned by Alexandra Williams of Placerville, California, currently showing in the 1.0 meter division. Landson shows great promise in the jumper as well as potentially the hunter ring and is being developed hopefully to be a Grand Prix jumper a few years down the line.
• As well as, a group of other prospects including several sale horses.

Alejandro holds a Bronze and Silver Medal from USDF; is a certified trainer with the USHJA, and is currently working on his trainer certification with the USDF.  He is planning on obtaining his USDF trainer certification in 2014 as well as working toward his Gold Medal from USDF.  He regularly audits and participates in clinics with US as well as European Dressage and Jumping trainers.  His dressage coach is Rachel Saavedra, a Grand Prix dressage trainer and competitor and a faculty member with the USDF educational program.

Alejandro Salazar is the owner and trainer of Rancho Pura Vida, located on the east foothills of the Sacramento Valley in Northern California.

Website:  http://ranchopuravida.com/Index.html

Phone:  (530) 306-6818

Email:  info@ranchopuravida.com

Earl and Jennifer McFall run a very active show barn.  They specialize in the breeding and training of World, National and Regional Champion Morgan Horses in Hunter Pleasure and  Western Pleasure.  As well as, Morgan/Thoroughbred crosses and various Warmblood breeds and Thoroughbreds in Hunter, Jumper, Dressage, Western and 3-Day Eventing.

They also have a full academy lesson program for the instruction in all of these disciplines.

The McFalls purchased a home on acreage in Wilton, California in 2005 and are gradually developing a well thought out facility.  Located in beautiful Northern California, this is the permanent home of Dragonfire.

At present, the facility features a 21-stall main barn with a recreational room, vet/farrier area and tack rooms with lockers.  Also, an all-weather arena that encompasses a full acre and turnout paddocks.  Pastures for mares and foals are separated by trails that run through the creek and a galloping track around the pastures. A 10-stall mare motel houses the mares due to foal.

Dragonfire participates in three different Horse Show Venues: Morgan Shows/”A” Hunter-Jumper Shows; Horse Trials/Three Day Events and Dressage/Schooling Shows.  Their lesson program extends from the beginning first time rider to the advanced International competitor.

They have numerous lesson horses available for Adults and children alike at Dragonfire.   The instructors provide a safe and enjoyable environment for you to become the best rider that you can be.

They also offer a three day Boot Camp, includes all of the fun of camping with your horse, playing games, riding at a beautiful facility, and hanging out with the fun-loving Dragonfire group without the charge of lessons.

Earl and Jennifer are concerned not only with the performance of the horses they train, but also with involving their owners. They have a number of very active amateur riders, several of whom are competing in the “Masters” division (50 years of age and over). The younger set also provides an active presence.

Earl and Jennifer stress the importance of becoming a skilled and knowledgeable rider, as well as encouraging sportsmanship, responsibility and the enjoyment of horses and the people involved with them.

Diana and Jackie got to know Dragonfire and the McFalls when they went on a trip to look at Morgan breeding and training facilities in the Sacramento/Grass Valley area.

While touring Dragonfire they met the mare Caduceus Marika, who was trained and shown by Jennifer and had earned many Regional and National blue ribbons and a World Championship in Hunter Pleasure.

Merriewold purchased Marika and then bred her to Dragonfire Kirin to produce Merriewold Java.  Java, now a two year old, is a good example of the qualities that Merriewold is breeding for.

Merriewold then sent two horses to Dragonfire to be trained and shown.  Merriewold Galaxie would continue her career in Dressage and Jennifer started her in the Hunter division.  And Merriewold Hanah was started under saddle and began her career in Dressage, Hunter and Jumper divisions.

The Merriewold Dragonfire partnership has been very successful resulting in numerous wins for Galaxie and Hanah in Morgan and Open rated shows and a Grand National win for Galaxie!

Written by Jennifer McFall
and Bj. deCastro

Earl and Jennifer have won numerous year end awards, including the 2006 “Lifetime Achievement for Sportsmanship” award. This national award is granted on a yearly basis to the trainer voted most deserving by their peers. The pair has also won the national Sport Horse Trainer of the Year award every year for the past four years.

EARL McFALL, Trainer/Instructor:  Earl is a graduate “A” Pony Clubber, and is still actively involved in the program, teaching at several of the local pony clubs and giving clinics at the pony club summer camps.

Earl has competed successfully in Grand Prix Jumpers and through the Advanced level of 3-Day Eventing, and was long listed for the 2000 Olympics in Eventing. He is an active 3-Day competitor/instructor.

Earl was introduced to the Morgan breed by Jennifer, and has won National and World Championships in Dressage, Working Hunter, Jumpers, Hunter Pleasure and Western Pleasure.

JENNIFER McFALL, Trainer/Manager:   Jennifer also began her equestrian career in the Pony Club, and evented successfully with her 15.2 hand Morgan gelding, Dragonfire Kublakhan, one of the few registered Morgans ever to compete at the Advanced level. She continues as an active 3-Day competitor, most recently with her lovely young Holsteiner, High Times.

Jennifer, however, is better known for her many World Champion Morgan Horses. She trained and showed such notables to World Titles as WC Dragonfire Kirin, WC Caduceus Marika, WC Dragonfire Marley, WC En Excess NKS, WC WH Zimbabwe, RWC Lightyear, WC Dragonfire Voltaire, WC Dragonfire Savannah, WC Renegade Rose and RWC Dragonfire Nefertiti in the Hunter Pleasure divisions.

In Western Pleasure, she took WC DLH Dakota Blues, WC Briar Oaks Pep in my Step, RWC Merriehill The Lion King and WC Movado.

And she won with WC Dragonfire Kublakhan, WC Dragonfire Kirin, WC Dragonfire Marley, WC Briar Oaks Pep In My Step, WC Equinox Adelle, and RWC Blue’s Shining Star in the Dressage and Hunter/Jumper divisions.

Sally with Merriewold Galaxie. (Ironforge Starman x Ringbrook Renaissance)

Sally’s family started breeding and purchasing Morgans with the influence of her Great Grandfather, F. E. Radtke.  Her Grandfather started breeding Morgans and utilized the big and free moving horses for the 20 mile migration to the mountains in the summer with the Radtke Ranch cattle herds.

After many years, Joe Daly was purchased by Sally’s Grandfather and the big Morgan increased the size and athleticism in their breeding program.   Later, Sally’s mother would find and purchase Iron Forge Starman.  He would become their senior stallion and award-winning dressage champion paired with Sally – who like her horse-training brother, Brad, had followed her passion for horses to become a professional dressage trainer.

Sally has trained and competed two Morgan horses through Grand Prix and is only one test away from her AMHA Gold Medal.  Her retired gelding, MEHRS Eloquince, became one of the eight Morgans to win the AMHA (American Morgan Horse Association) Gold Medallion Award for competing at the Grand Prix level.

Sally Radtke Anderson and MEHRS Eloquince compete.

Iron Forge Starman is the third Morgan stallion to compete at Grand Prix and was also the Montana Dressage Society Champion for 2007.  Together, this pair have won many more awards and compliments throughout their years together.

In 1997 and again in 1998, she and her Thoroughbred gelding competed on the USDF Region 6 North America Young Rider Team.

Sally has also received her USDF Bronze and Silver Medals on non-tradional dressage mounts.  She has flourished with the help of instructors – such as, Jeanne Gaudreau, Mike Osinski, Debbie Riehl-Rodriquez, Steffen Peters and Conrad Schumacher.

Sally and Picasso

Sally and Iron Forge Starman perform the pirouette.

 Now, Sally is working with Merriewold Galaxie and is very pleased with the progress Galaxie has made in the arena and under saddle.  Galaxie is a born athlete.  She naturally lifts her withers and pushes from behind.  She will excel in any sport horse division, but is especially well suited for dressage.

Galaxie gets her talent from both sides of her pedigree.  Her dam, Ringbrook Renaissance, has beautiful conformation and balanced elastic gates and her sire is Iron Forge Starman.

According to Sally, “Galaxie is starting to give nicely to the bit, bend through the body and cantering a nice circle – doing so, relaxed.  She is leg yielding and has nice canter transitions.  Galaxie has also developed a good work ethic.”

Sally and Galaxie in training.