Alan Villaça CLINIC @Silver Stables,  Phoenix AZ 

A USMMA event!  Hosted by Silver Stables and Summerwind Marchadors

Alan returned to Arizona again this year and the USMMA took advantage of his longer stay to sponsor another clinic in January.  Our 2024 clinic was successful with some members saying it was the best clinic ever.   

High praise and well deserved.  Alan is able to analyze the horse and the rider quickly to help each individual and each situation.   His suggestions and direction helps the riders or horses improve with immediate results.  It also inspires confidence to try new things that may have been avoided before the clinic – more speed, lead changes, flying lead changes, immediate halts, better backups are some examples.    

For gaiting, Alan had many suggestions for each person and each horse, but overall, he thought most of our horses needed more hindquarter development and consistent disassociation exercises to gait better.  We talked about what we could do to add that.  Alan often rides the horses out on the trail or roads before gait training as a warm-up for the horse and to relax them before schooling.  

Obstacles were new to some riders and some horses, but a fun time trying to master them all. Our obstacles:  a gate, 3 barrels, a jump, backup box, halt, dismount letting go of the reins with the horse remaining still, then walk off on a loose rein.  The jump was set at an easier level for some and an advanced height for those that knew how to jump.   The competition was based on the ABCCMM test PROVA FUNCIONAL (functional test), similar to Working Equitation. 

USMMA members came from many states – AZ, CO, IN, NM and TX.  We were delighted to have 2 youth riders participate from the Silver Stables riding program.  We had 11 riders in 2 groups split into morning and afternoon sessions.    Many people rode their own Marchador, but 5 riders rode a Marchador they had never met and did so well.    It was informative, challenging and fun!    

The Clinic Plan:

Jan 18

• Ground work exercises to practice flexibility and disassociation.  Riding the ground work exercises with your horse.  
• Riding free walk, collected walk, extended walk, relaxed gait, collected gait, extended gait.  May include canter to improve the gait.   
• A short gait competition with the class and explanation of the judging.

Jan 19 

• Questions and practice of any Day 1 exercises. 
• Individual Obstacle training and practice, in hand and under saddle.   Obstacle course set-up and practice. 
• Timed rides and practice, followed by a fun competition.

The Results:

For our combined scores in gait and obstacles, Alan first placed the horses in order and explained why they were placed in that order starting with the 5th place up to the top – as they do in Brazil.  Everyone got to pick a prize from the prize table.  

Morning session best:  

• Stella Quinn / Fidalgo do Summerwind, marcha batida (owned by Emma Keith)

Afternoon session best: 

• Jennifer Scanlon / Jedi-Knight do Summerwind,  marcha batida (owned by Elizabeth Sims)
• D.j. Sims / Boneca da Lusonatica, marcha picada (owned by D.j Sims)

About Alan:

Alan Villaça is a riding instructor at the ABCCMM (Associação Brasileira dos Criadores do Cavalo Mangalarga Marchador) and a technician in Animal Science. Born into a family of breeders, Alan continues a tradition spanning generations, having been a Mangalarga Marchador breeder for over 20 years in the South of Minas Gerais region.

As the owner of the Alan Villaça Equestrian Training Center (CTE Alan Villaça), he dedicates himself to horse training and the development of new talents in the equestrian world. Additionally, he provides specialized consulting for horse farms and teaches various courses, including:

• • Starting and training,
• • Gait and morphology,
• • Halter training, 
•   Carriage driving,
• • Hoof trimming and shoeing,
• • Dressage and equitation,
• • Competition training.

With profound knowledge and a passion for the Mangalarga Marchador breed, Alan Villaça is a reference in the field, contributing to technical advancement and the strengthening of equine culture in Brazil.

Photos by Jennifer Jeung