Halloween Party!

Saturday October 27th, 2012

3:30pm to 7:30pm

Cost $25 per child

Adults are FREE

Call (954) 489-8835 to purchase tickets

The James Jones Legacy Foundation is sponsoring foster kids in a summer “Camp for Champions.” This week the #22 Heat player and the kids were down on the farm at the Davie Ranch.

Video: James Jones visits

Ages: 5 – 16

Hours: 9 AM – 5PM

March 12th thru 16th

April 9th thru 13th

Campers Will:

• Learn safe handling of horses, horse care, feeding, and grooming
• Ride everyday at the walk and trot. Canter work will be included if appropriate
• Participate in horse-related arts & crafts, games, and contests
• Paint and bathe horses
• Learn horse terminology including colors, heights, markings, body parts, and riding styles

Focus will be on equitation as the most effective way to ride and will stress proper use of hands, legs, and body position. We have a variety of wonderful horses and ponies that know their job and are used to working with children.

To Find Out More About Our Camps Call:

(954)489-8835

Have you ever thought that the horse is the only one who gets exercise from horseback riding? That’s a really common misperception carried by people who don’t ride. You’ll actually experience many health benefits when you ride a horse!

• Abs and Upper Body. Horseback riding is a great form of exercise that effectively and completely works out your abdominal muscles. To maintain your posture as the horse moves, you’re constantly making minor adjustments in your upper body, leaning, rotating and sitting up. Proper rein technique requires you not only to pull, but to grasp the reins firmly and hold them up, which gently works your shoulders and arms with constant tension.

• Low Impact. Even though it raises your heart and breathing rates and challenges your muscles, horseback riding is actually much gentler on your body than many other sports. Because you’re seated much of the time, riding doesn’t stress your knees and lower body. Best of all, horseback riding is fun and exciting!

• Fun for Everyone. Because all ages can participate, horseback riding is a great sport for your entire family. Many families even enjoy it so much that they commit to it together as a lifestyle.

December 19-22 (Monday-Thursday)*

Ages: 5 – 12

Hours: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Please Register Early.

General Information:

Horse riding camp will be offered during winter break and are geared towards ages 5-12 with campers divided into age groups. Each day, campers will groom, tack up/down, and ride our lesson horses. In the event of rain, we will work with horses in our covered cross tie areas and in the indoor barn aisle.

Focus will be on equitation as the most effective way to ride and will stress proper use of hands, legs, and body position. We have a variety of wonderful horses and ponies that know their job and are used to working with children.

Campers Will:

• ~ Learn safe handling of horses, horse care, feeding, and grooming
• ~ Ride 2x per day at the walk and trot. Canter work will be included if appropriate
• ~ Participate in horse-related arts & crafts, games, and contests
• ~ Paint and bathe horses
• ~ Learn horse terminology including colors, heights, markings, body parts, and riding styles

* There needs to be a minimum of 10 campers per session for the camp to operate.

To Find Out More About Our Camps Call:

(954)489-8835

ABOUT RIDING THE PASO FINO IN GAIT
by Michele Londono, Ph.D.

Few people realize it, few horsemen and horsewomen from other breeds even know this. In the Paso Fino breed, the rider can be 40% to 70% responsible for the gait of the Paso Fino under saddle! This makes riding the Paso Fino horse quite a challenging, but also quite a rewarding experience. And Paso riding has mostly become the fastest growing equine sport of the new millennium.

Yes, the Paso Fino foal is already naturally gaited at birth and yes, the solid training of a good Paso Fino horse can enhance his gait considerably for the ring or for the trail, with bitting or without bitting. If you ever wonder why the same Paso Fino horse ridden by his owner and then ridden by the trainer will look very different, the answer is both in the seat and in the individual amount of bonding of the horse with the rider. This happens in all breeds. But ridden by a true beginner, the best gaited Paso Fino horse might well start to trot! Why? Because the rider is not giving the cues necessary to the harmonious headset and four-beat gait combination, it is all in the rider’s hands, know-how and the seat.

How can a beginning rider hinder the Paso Fino gait? It can happen either by dropping the reins too low, or by pulling too hard on the mouth, for lack of balance, or giving confusing leg aids. The same way a new rider can cause the sensitive Paso Fino horse to loose his four beat balance under saddle–and his temper sometimes–, a new owner can cause it just by not respecting the correct feet angles for the Paso Fino, if the farrier follows the lower angles of racing horses or quarter horses. Let’s use a metaphor that works pretty well in the world of arts to illustrate the extent of damage that can be caused by incorrect riding skills and– or– by the lack of good shoeing angles, for a Paso Fino. Ballet and Paso Fino riding are art forms. The Paso Fino in many ways is like a ballerina. Who could blame a ballerina for looking clumsy and tripping on a rocky road, while she does glide perfectly on a shiny stage floor?

This article aims at helping the first time Paso Fino owner and rider with a working gait formula.

All elements of the Paso management and the riding formula have to be perfectly right for the Paso Fino horse to act elegant and smooth at all times under saddle, and, to this effect, a few Paso Fino riding lessons remain the key to success under saddle, at least at the beginning, until you bond with your horse.

What is essential is to have a few Paso points of reference, to read about Pasos and to recognize the need for pointers, all in order to gait successfully. However, this basic need for very correct riding skills in order to get a true Paso gait represents in no way a threat to the sport, it should not be seen as work, as a limitation or a fast stop to the true enjoyment of the breed. All the opposite. It should be seen as a challenging horsemanship feature and a chance for further bonding experience with the horse. The beauty of the Paso Fino horse is actually in his own versatility, a rider may be successful under saddle not only in western skills, but also in English skills, jumping, barrel racing, cattle work and competitive trails or endurance. The same Paso Fino horse with sound training basics can actually or virtually excel at all these disciplines at the same time, and win all the competitions, if the rider gives him the correct cues and bonds with the Paso horse as a riding team. It has been done. Paso Finos usually win three days events and even endurance competitions, to everyone’s amazement, considering the hotter temper and the smaller size of Paso Finos.

Pasos are pleasers and they respond to new cues without hesitation, children can ride them and senior citizens as well, without any problem, handicapped riders benefit from Paso Fino school teachings. Pasos will adjust to neck reining, bosal riding, bareback riding, they can wonderfully answer to leg cues when the reins are dropped, and they respond as well as they can to bit or bitless cues, when the legs are not there, Pasos are wonderfully gifted and it is only doing them justice to try and learn how to ride them better for the quality of their gait. This article is not intended to teach specific riding techniques for the Paso Fino. It is best to learn under the careful eyes of a serious, experienced and dedicated Paso professional instructor. What follows is just a guideline, if we were to give here a few pointers only for the true Paso beginners, and for riders coming from any other equestrian disciplines, using leg aids in dressage or in Western riding styles.

Riders of dressage may ride a Paso Fino successfully, as they have the naturally balanced body carriage and seat, and the gentle, soft use of the hands. All they need to do is omit any excess of leg and thigh pressure, as Paso Finos are naturally driven forward and need no spurring ahead, that would virtually turn them into time-bombs. All they need is a light slowing down from the reins, and a few stops with immediate rein release. Pulling the reins back –even slightly– automatically means backing up, in any trained Paso mind. When you feel the Paso engine under you, for the very first time, it feels like a porsche or a racecar! That is what we call ” Paso brio” or spirit. It can scare people first hand, but it is a quality, not a defect! Brio needs to be there, it is your accelerator. Do not worry. Do not panic. Do not give unclear commands. Riding a Paso with brio becomes a passion and a delight. Your gentle hands are the breaks, do not abuse the break, do not abuse or overlook the leg power either! Go with the rhythm, go forward, try a few stops, a bond will establish. All will go well under saddle if the horse is trained. You learn by doing, when you urge forward with a click of the tongue and the four beat gear first starts under you, what you feel is an eerie smoothness, when it is suddenly bumpy under you, there is lack of gait or a trot, due to a problem, find out why, shift your position, stop and try again, ask for help from another rider the ground, get to know your horse well, starting on the ground first. In an enclosed arena next. Try your skills at a trail ride next. The ring is the ultimate challenge.

Pasos can canter, of course, it is one of the questions most frequently asked, but it is best to keep it to a few controlled canters only, now and then, to keep intact the quality of the corto and largo rhythm otherwise. And, just as easily as they extend, Pasos can also collect and they can learn new tricks too! The sky is the limit once you trust your Paso and recognize the smooth feel of the gait, and learn how to keep the rhythm in a consistent manner.

To be brief, remember five words that will take you far when riding any Paso Fino horse, anywhere:

1. Patience

2. Relaxed attitude

3. Trust

4. Balance and practice

5. Safety Enjoy your Paso rides! Pasos can ride with a smile!

We would like to introduce you to this unique little horse, so you can see their amazing potential for yourself. Riders of all ages (7+), all abilities, and of other disciplines welcome. We love first time riders!

If you are considering an equestrian sport for the kids, we also have a youth rider program, incorporating lessons & show preparation (we will provide transportation of horse to and from shows- just show up and have fun!).

Whether its a one-time ride to come out on a weekend and enjoy the nice weather, or the beginning of a successful show career, we are here to help you have fun and achieve your goals!

Call (954) 489-8835 to book your appointment!

Be the first to find out what is happening at The Davie Ranch.

Deals and promotions are posted constantly and wonderful pictures too!

Now enrolling for Labor Day No School Camp!

Call to sign up as space is limited.

(954) 489-8835

Equi-Lease Program:

• Do you want to ride more than once a week or ride without an Instructor?
• Do you want to go to horse events, but don’t have anyone to go with?
• Do you eventually want to own a horse, but aren’t ready to take that step yet?

If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, then Equi-Lease is perfect for you!

At The Davie Ranch as a student you can not only enjoy horseback riding lessons but also participate in our horse lease program called Equi-Lease!

If you have ever thought of horse ownership but were concerned about cost, you may want to consider leasing one of our great school horses.  Here’s why:

• It is simple!
• All of our school horses are available to you.
• You can participate all kinds of fun-filled activities, go to shows and events.
• The Equi-Lease Program offers a unique opportunity to meet other horse enthusiasts and to lease into a stable full of horses at less than half the cost of horse ownership.

Ready to sign up?  Call Paola at (954)489-8835 for more
information and to discuss the details!