A trip to the 4 Seasons Marchadores ranch in Montana!

We just got back from a 2 day trip to the 4 Seasons Marchadores Ranch owned by Peter and Lori Silcher of Hamilton, Montana where they raise a rare Brazilian bred horse called the Mangalarga Marchador!

If there was a such a thing as the perfect horse, well they are pretty darn close to it!

In the beginning.....lol! Anyway, we first met the Silchers 2 years ago at Ride the West in the breed showcase barn. They were just down the aisle from us and we got to see the horses up close and really liked their looks and quiet dispositions. The Silchers of course were pretty neat people too and so we were tickled to find them coming back again in 08 with their beautiful horses.

What makes these horses so special? Let me explain why they are so special to me, granted I am very new to this but my daughter has become a walking encyclopedia for me so I can pick her brain if I need to...LOL! The qualities that I like most about them is the disposition, versatiliy, conformation and durability and of course the really cool gaits they can do. They walk, trot and canter like any non gaited horse, but they can also do two other gaits as well. The Picada and Batida gaits are really cool to ride is all I can say! I couldn't tell you the foot fall pattern to save my life, but I know they are awesome on the trail. They can do litterally anything that any other breed of horse can do, but they can do it gaited or non gaited as you desire.

So Maria go to ride her favorite horse Netuno that was imported from Brazil and I got to ride a really cool gelding named Celibalto! What fun that was! We got to feel what it was like to take them out on the trails and wow did those horses have power for hill climbing! The thing I loved most about our visit was how down to earth these hard working horses and people are! Celibalto is an amazing young horse that was fun to ride. Maria is just plain smitten with Netuno and the only horse that stands a chance at holding Maria heart beside Netuno is her own arab mare Star!
Don't get me wrong, I love my Arabian Ponies! I love them as much today as I did last year. The qualities I found in the Marchadores are everything I have bred for with my ponies but they are a step ahead of my ponies because they can gait! I found myself this morning on my ride wishing I could get my 3 yr old gelding to gait....silly me!

So I have a new goal as I had thought I had finally achieved my ultimate Arabian Pony until now. I found the one ingredient that would make my ponies more perfect for me and that would be to try for a Arabian Pony that is crossed with Marchador! So my plan is obviously down the road as my filly that I want to cross with is only a yearling so breeding her is more than a few years away. A gaited Marchador/Arabian Pony is what I want for my own personal mount!

I want to thank Lori and Peter Silcher and their family for really making our visit a wonderful one! I can't recall when I enjoyed myself that much on a trip! It ended too quickly and we wanted to stay longer! If you would like more information about Mangalarga Marchadores, you can go to the US Marchador Registry, or visit the 4 Seasons Marchadores Ranch website.

Till my next post, Happy Trails!