MOOSEÂ RIDGEÂ FARM
Dressage & Clicker Training
in Lincolnville Maine
(207) 322-8958
YEAR ROUND LESSONS
CLICKER TRAINING HORSES
HORSE MOVIE NIGHTS
HORSES & ART
CLICKER TRAINING DOGS
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Build Confidence With Horses
WELCOME TO MOOSE RIDGE FARM
Owned by ARICP Certified Dressage Instructor
Alexandra Doan / 207-322-8958
MRF is a small, family friendly facility located in Lincolnville, Maine (just 15 minute drive from Camden or Belfast) with a beautiful sunny indoor arena and welcomes students of all ages and levels.
LESSONS focus on correct riding position and riders aids to communicate with the horse through their body. Dressage exercises such as leg yielding, haunches in, shoulder in and more are taught thoughtfully so that the student really learns how to move their horse. We work on Dressage based exercises such as arena figures, talk about the training scale, and focus on how to effect the horses balance and flexibility.
LUNGING lessons teach the student how to use their body and allows them to focus on their position. Students have opportunity to learn how to lunge a horse, we focus on how to use body language, breath and energy on the ground to communicate with the horse.
CLICKER TRAINING is incorperated in all the lessons on and off the horse. It is a wonderful tool for students, it really helps them be more effective with their timing of their aids, it encourages listening to the horse, patience and it creates a very positive line of communication between horse and rider. I started clicker training my dog in 2001 and my horses a year later, playing with the concept. It wasn't until I attended Alexandra Kurlunds' clicker courses in 2008 and 2009 that I became more interested in this training tool and then in 2016 developed my own style of clicker Training games and exercises on the ground and techniques under saddle.
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ALEXANDRA DOAN
Owner, Dressage Instructor, Horse Lover
Certified ARICP Dressage Instructor, USDF Member, Clicker Trainer, Alexandra Mackenzie Doan, has always loved horses! She grew up in NYC where horses were harder to come by so her father fostered that love by sending her to summer camps in Maine starting at age 7-10 and riding holiday programs in England (at Ross Nye's Longfrey Farm) and in Ireland (at Iris Kelletts jumping stable) in her early teens. At Colby-Sawyer college Alexandra participated in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association and in 1992 she helped lead her team to number one in the USA with George Morris as the judge.
When she was 17 she started teaching lead line riders at summer camp in upstate NY (Pok-O-MacCready) and progressed in her teaching for the next 5 summers and then taught at Hidden Valley Camp in Maine for 10 summers. In 2002 she took more of an interest in Dressage and began teaching year round at a local farm, Hunter Hill owned and run by Willette Brown, in Maine for a few years before opening up Moose Ridge Farm in 2005.
Alexandra competed Dressage with Radu the past few seasons in 2015-2016 in Saratoga NY and in CT. She looks froward to possibly showing Vaquero but learning and spending time with her horses is more of her passion, although the show ring is a lot of FUN!
Inspired by clicker training classes with her dog back in 2001, then trying it on her 3 year old Pint, Pedro in 2002, Alexandra found this a neat new tool but it wasn't until 2008 and 2009 when she attended a few of Alexandra Kurlund's (the Guru of clicker training horses) clicker training courses and really started to use clicker training in her lesson program and developed how to utilize the clicker under saddle successfully. In 2016 she developed and came up with her own Click, Treat, Reward Program.
Alexandra is lucky to have worked with excellent local trainers : Willette Brown USEF R Dressage judge, and Barton Patrick, a Grand Prix rider, and has attended clinics with FEI Dressagae rider and trainer and S level judge Kathy Connelly with Radu and Vaquero a number of times. She now trains with Grand Prix rider and trainer, R judge Bryn Walsh of Puckerbrush Farm.
Vaquero
Personal Dressage Horse & Lesson Horse
Vaquero came to the farm in June 2018 and is a well trained Apendix QH standing at 16.1 hands. He spent his youth show jumping the New England circuit and has been trained through 2nd level Dressage. He is a very smart, athletic and wonderful 18 year old horse for the confident intermediate and advanced student. His personality will melt your heart and his confidence will build your confidence!
Read about his clicker adventures and see videos in the blog section...
Wet Paint
Retired Dressage Pony
Wet paint was a nice beginner Dressage mount, he had some show experience in his youth and lots of good training. He used to work with kids and small adults that have steady hands and a solid position; he is responsive and fun to ride! He loves treats and is very smart which makes clicker training him a blast!
At age 22, we use him to teach students how to lunge and how to long line.
Radu
Was my BEST Dressage partner
I met Radu at Willette's barn, Hunter Hill in Union ME, when he was 4 years old in 2004. He had 3 beautiful gaits for such a large Percheron/TB cross standing at 17'2" and had a beautiful kind soul. I bought him when he turned 5, he taught me so much over the next 13 years. When he moved home to MRF in 2010, we started working with Barton Patrick. When he was 15/16/17 we took clinics with Kathy Connelly and in his later years I was able to share him with my students. My boy had so much to offer. I had a great run with this amazing horse and feel so thankful to have had him in my life!
Apple Field
kid expert
Apple has been with us since 2005 and loves the children, at 14' 2" tall she is very patient and kind. She loves treats and talks when she knows she hears that click in anticipation for the treat! She loves the spring time and playing with Annie-Sue. She is a beautiful Appaloosa with golden flecks that shine in the summer sun, I am so lucky to have her company and expertise!
Annie-Sue (& Frankie)
My Mini
Annie has been with me since she was 5 months old, she was an Annie-versary Sue-prize from my husband about 13 years ago! I used clicker training to teach her to drive in hand, to pull a cart and to accept small students. Frankie used to live with us and he and Annie were best friends.
Come meet Annie-Sue at the annual Lincolnville
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
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HORSES & ART SUMMER RIDING LESSONS
call 322-8958 to inquire about HORSES & ART programs
Riding & Horse Management
Horse Related Art
Dress Up Dressage Show
explore many possibilities
CLICKER TRAINING
MAKING DRESSAGE FUN with the CLICK, TREAT, REWARD Program
That's the goal of my training, Dressage is a very beautiful art, it's also a very intense sport so by incorporating clicker training into my work I find I end up having a lot more fun, my horses love the treats and I end up creating a very calm and positive learning environment.
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CLICKER CLINICS at Moose Ridge Farm this SUMMER / see clicker training page to learn more
CLICK
The click marks a desired behavior : a behavior that you have asked for or one that you observe. It says to the horse, "yes, that's what I want!" It teaches the horse to listen and to try and this builds the horses self confidence and confidence in you as their leader. Clicking ground games such as targeting make it very clear to the horse what you want, ie : the horse to touch an arena letter with their muzzle or their hoof on a mat. The clicker work under saddle helps the rider realize and feel the perfect moment of a transition or a leg yield, shoulder in, etc. We use clicks to develop movements as well.
TREAT
Mmmmm its like a chocolate truffle, its a "thank you, you did a good job", the treat makes the click worth the efforts. The treat is given in a very specific way to encourage balance (on the ground) or flexibility (under saddle) to the horse. Treats are never given away, they are earned and horses are taught to respect the treat giver. Treats give the horse a moment to process information. Finding your horses favorite treat will make the training fun!
REWARD
Not only is the treat a physical reward but also it is a lesson in itself. The reward is learning how to creatively work with your horse, to bond deeper with your horse, to play, to get work accomplished, to become a better rider, to listen to your horse more carefully, to communicate and have an equine partner interested in listening, learning and trying.Â
Riding is not easy, it takes patience, skill and practice practice practice - why not have fun while doing what you love best - working with a horse!
Host a CLICKER CLINIC at your farm
Bring your horse for clicker training lessons or ride one of mine
Clicker Clinics at Moose Ridge Farm