by Keron Psillas | Aug 25, 2010 | Brazil equestrian trips, classical dressage, Tips, Well-being of the Horse |
It’s been a very busy summer for Debra and I. This post is a sort of round-up of all the activities and a look ahead for the fall and winter.
I’m very happy to announce that Meditation for Two, my book with Keron Psillas, will be published in Switzerland and Germany, and then in Brazil! I’ll post the information on this blog when the German and Portuguese language copies are available.
This past weekend we hosted a clinic at our home in Healdsburg. It was a resounding success. We had 30+ participants (riders and auditors) and three days of lessons, lectures, and great food. There were 35 for dinner on Saturday night and a great time was had by all! What made the clinic such a success was this: all the participants were open and engaged. What I mean is that we were able to discuss the deepest meaning of riding and how it impacts our lives and our horse’s lives along with all the steps, how-to’s, and discussion of technique. We had participants aged 10 to 85 and in many ways, the youngest and the eldest were the most receptive. It was a magical time. I hope you’ll make plans now to join us in January (the 14th thru the 16th) for the next clinic here at home. There are limited spaces so sign up early by sending an email to Debra to reserve your spot. (Barbierfarm at aol.com)
Prior to the clinic at home I made a tour of the US with stops in Virginia, Florida, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Illinois. Ridiculously hot weather was the common denominator, but happy horses and riders was a close second. It was great to be back in Virginia at Classicus after a long hiatus, and it was good to see regular students progressing at all the other stops. Keep up the good work! Congratulations are in order for the group at Jill McCrae’s farm in Grayslake, Illinois. They performed a great show in late July. It had to have been pretty spectacular to see all the Lusitanos with their riders in costume. We had a visit at Jill’s from Nancy at The Royal Lusitano with news of Larapio’s babies growing up and into their personalities! Best of luck to all the group for the World Equestrian Games appearances.
In early September I’ll be traveling to New Mexico for TWO clinics around Santa Fe with Ginger Gaffney and Lynn Clifford. You can see all the contact info on the clinics page. There are a very few spots left, but plenty of room for auditors. I hope you’ll join us if you are in the area….and tell your friends, too. Then I’m off to New Jersey to Castlegate Farm. Nancy Clark tells me that her new horse, Ataualpa has adjusted nicely to life in New Jersey (he hasn’t seen snow yet….). And then after that, I am in Germany, Switzerland and Greece for a series of clinics. This past July, we had a great clinic near Munich that was hosted by my German editor and publisher, Isabella Sonntag, and I am looking forward to returning to see those students and some new ones! Then I travel north of Kiel (in the heart of Schleswig-Holstein) to conduct a clinic for Caroline Hatlapa at the Herrenhaus Borghorst. Caroline was my hostess in June when I delivered the Meditation For Two lecture to a very lively audience. I’m happy to be headed back there to teach and to see many of the people I met in June. I’m working on a few other clinics for October in Germany and Switzerland and will post the details here as soon as they are available. Then I’m off to Greece! This will be my first visit to the land of Xenophon and I am really excited.
I realize this post is rather long….but there is MORE BIG NEWS!!! Debra and I will be leading a trip to Brazil in late November. Reserve your spot now as we are bound to fill up very very quickly. Brazilian hospitality, delicious food, and of course, spectacular Lusitanos will create a once in a lifetime experience. We’ve been doing this for many years now and because we have longstanding relationships with the finest breeders we can show you the best horses to suit your needs. Debra and I will be your guides, whether you are looking for your perfect equestrian partner or the perfect equestrian vacation. All the details will be available this weekend on the blog.
Here’s a gallery of images (courtesy of Keron) from a number of the clinics this summer and the clinic here at home this past weekend. Enjoy! And check out Keron’s article in Doma Clasica (a Spanish magazine dedicated to the Equestrian Art).
Let us hear from you, and please, share the blog with friends. We are gearing up for a tremendous announcement and we want as many dedicated equestrians involved as possible!
Amities~
Dominique and Debra
by Keron Psillas | Jul 29, 2010 | classical dressage, Well-being of the Horse |
Just a quick post to let you know that our book, MEDITATION FOR TWO, is now available on Blurb (in case you really don’t want the gorgeous hand-printed, hand-bound volume with six limited edition prints….)….
I’ll be back later today with all the news and updates.
There is still very limited space in our clinic at home in Healdsburg, for both riders and auditors. I’ll have all the information, including an itinerary later today. But if you want to come and ride with us and enjoy the beautiful Sonoma Valley, send an email now! (Barbierfarm at aol.com).
Click the link for the book:
http://www.blurb.com/books/1432930
by Keron Psillas | Jul 16, 2010 | blog information, classical dressage, Well-being of the Horse |
I’ve just returned from a trip to Europe to teach and to lecture. I was invited to give a lecture at the Herrenhaus Borghorst by the kind invitation of Caroline Hatlapa. The hospitality was tremendous, the setting magical, and the guests intensely interested in riding in lightness. I presented a lecture with a multi-media component and lots of question and answer time. We had great discussions, open and direct, about true classical equitation, systematic training, and the need to ride with more compassion and care for the horses…..especially in a competition setting.
It was my pleasure to observe many fine riders and horses during the two day clinic that my friend Gerd offered at Borghorst. As we were in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, there were marvelous warmbloods, BIG HORSES, in the clinic. Thank you, to Caroline and Helena Hatlapa, Maike Theiler and Dr. Gerd and Johanna Heuschmann for such a memorable visit to the north of Germany. I am delighted to tell you that I’ll be offering a clinic at the Borghorst later in the year, with full details soon on this blog and on the website and facebook clinic schedules.
Following my visit with Caroline and her daughter Helena, I went to Munich to give a clinic to a great group of riders assembled by my friend Isabella Sonntag. Isabella is the founder of Wu Wei Verlag and publisher of my latest book in German, Wege zur Leichtigkeit in der Klassischen Dressur. Everywhere I go in Germany I am greeted by students that are absolutely hungry for a new way of riding and communicating with their horses. I am deeply encouraged by this and hope to see this desire flooding into the competition world. It gives me hope that we will all develop deeper compassion for our horses, our partners. I’ll be back in Munich teaching in late September (around the 24th) and will post more info next week. Thank you, to Isabella and Christina, and to all your team for a great clinic.
Immediately prior to my trip to Germany, I was with all my Chicago friends at Jill McCrae’s farm in Grayslake. It is such a pleasure to see all of the horses progressing so well. At the end of the clinic I was treated to an advance performance of their upcoming Elegance on Horseback event. Jill, Georgette, Betheny, and all their students love to ride and perform in costume on their wonderful Lusitanos. If you are in the Chicago area, go check it out! Thank you, Jill and Jeff, and all my friends for another great weekend…..and to Zorro the baby raccoon for all the entertainment…..see you in August!
by Keron Psillas | Apr 9, 2010 | classical dressage, horses for sale, Well-being of the Horse |
by Keron Psillas | Mar 30, 2010 | Uncategorized |
The sun is playing hide and seek with us, but I am happy to be home in California after a stretch of good clinics. The wisteria is blooming and the buds are turning to leaves on the grapevines.
I had the great pleasure to work with some marvelous horses over the last 2 weeks and to talk with friends and clients about our plans for the rest of the year. As always, it is going to be a busy time, with clinics around the country and in Europe and Brazil.
But first, a recap of my clinics…. At one of my favorite clinic locations, Jill MacCrae’s farm near Chicago, we rode outside on Friday in gorgeous sunshine and warmth and then the next day we woke up to 6 inches of snow, but the chill was replaced by the warmth of the participants. All the Lusitanos AND non-Lusitanos were very very good. In New Jersey, it was my great pleasure to see Quitaro do Top back in work after four, yes FOUR colic surgeries. He is in fine form and happy, largely due to the efforts of his “Mom”, Nancy Clark at Castlegate Farm. I rode Tzigano Dos Pinhais, owned by Paul Galisin, and had as always a great time. Tzigano is a wonderful boy….even after a long quiet winter he is ready to work and happily willing. Lesley Pettneati’s lovely Trakehner mare performed beautifully. I must thank my friend Gary Maholic…riding his Belgian Warmblood reminded me that even the big big fellows can have a delicate, glorious, light piaffe. My stop at Dan Rosenthal and Ann West’s Green Gallery Farm is such a great pleasure as I have five Lusitanos waiting for me there including Quemetico do Top, Orador Interagro, Marques do Retiro, and Osado (Coimbra). My only complaint, it was too short. I finished the trip with a stop at Melinda D’Amico’s (Paz Apparel founder along with her husband Dan Fries) place to ride my old friend Orador. He is such a gentleman and a great pleasure to work with. We finished the lessons with Orador and Melinda performing perfect pirouettes! Thank you ALL for a great clinic series.
In May, we will be back in Brazil for the 13th International Lus0-Brasileiro Auction at my friend Victor Oliva’s Coudelaria Ihla Verde….and then on to the International Lusitano Exposition. We will be holding a three day clinic at Manege Sant’Adelaide and riding the wonderful horses of Davi Carrano. You can see all those details on the Brazil Trip page on this blog. It is not too late to make your plans to be with us for this very exciting trip. In many ways it is the best trip of the year to Brazil as it combines the farm visits with the chance to experience Brazilian culture on many levels…but always in great comfort and with the hospitality the Brazilians are known for.
Before Brazil though I will be in Zurich, Switzerland for a clinic, then Dayton, Ohio for a new clinic location in the US, then New Jersey for a private clinic before taking off for Brazil. You can see all the dates and contact info for the clinics on our Facebook Page/Profile (search Barbier Farm if we are not already Facebook friends.)
It has been the custom for many years that students come to Barbier Farms to spend a week to work intensively. In the past we have scheduled for individuals around the times that I am at home so that Debra and I can teach together. We are changing this. Moving forward, beginning in the fall, we will have specific times that you are invited to come to ride with us, to ride the horses in our barn, and to audit all the lessons that go on through the day. Later this week, on this blog I will outline the program for you. We would love to have you join us. As spaces will be very limited, we will encourage you to reserve your spot early. In addition to riding and riding and riding on fantastic Lusitano stallions we’ll have some special meals and opportunities to visit the wineries and see the sites around Sonoma and Napa. Details to come.
Debra and I wish you all a Happy Easter ~ Joyeuses Paques!
Amities,
DBarbier
