About Sarah
Sarah Martin is a Grand Prix rider and trainer from Blanca, CO. She has been teaching and training National and International level riders and their horses for over 30 years. Sarah is a US Dressage Federation Gold Medalist and a member of the Faculty for the US Dressage Federation Trainer and Instructor program. Sarah has studied and used Pilates as a cross training method for riders for 20 years, and brings a strong knowledge base of rider position and its influence on horse development to her teaching.
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About Clayton
Clayton Martin is a USDF Silver Medalist and a USDF Certified Instructor through 4th level .A native of Colorado, Clayton put himself through college rodeoing in the Bareback bronc division, and has no desire to ride bucking horses ever again. As a result, he has developed his skills with long lining, and works with developing horses from green to Grand Prix in long lines as well as under saddle. Clayton is an empathetic instructor and trainer, with tremendous patience and close attention to detail.
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About the Martin Team
Clayton and Sarah are strong advocates of blending the balance, harmony and “horse sense” of Natural Horsemanship as the base from which correct Dressage training naturally emerges. Motivated students, they both are constantly seeking education from many sources, and draw on their background with nearly every style of English and Western riding to help educate their students. It does not take long around them both to feel the cohesion and dedicated partnership that has developed over the 30 years that they have been working together.
What is taka chi?
Heavenly Chi, or Heavenly energy, is the energy created just before sunrise, when the first light of the sun is being pushed across the earth. Daoist Masters feel that this is the most energetically potent time of day. They use this time to stand outside and do their forms, gathering this energy into their bodies.
This, for us, is the time of day that birds sing and everything seems possible. Horses, sunrise and endless possibility - it all is a natural fit for a training stable in the heart of a valley at the base of the mountains, especially ones with the power and majesty of Mt Blanca and Little Bear.
On Sacred Ground
Walking, and riding, in the lap of Mount Blanca, gives one the feeling of timelessness. There is a vibration from these mountains that all who come here can feel. When you study the history of Mount Blanca, this feeling is easily explained.
SISNAAJINII- WHITE SHELL MOUNTAIN is the Navajo name for Mt Blanca, the name Spanish explorers gave when they first explored this valley. In a quote from the Navajo people:
"We call the mountain before you Sisnajinii. This mountain is one of our four sacred peaks which cradle Navajo land. We believe that First Man and First Woman came up from the underworld and placed 4 grains of sand that made four mountains. They dressed them in four colors and put them in the four directions that form the edge of Navajo Land. White Shell Mountain forms the eastern doorway onto Navajo Land."
This, for us, is the time of day that birds sing and everything seems possible. Horses, sunrise and endless possibility - it all is a natural fit for a training stable in the heart of a valley at the base of the mountains, especially ones with the power and majesty of Mt Blanca and Little Bear.
On Sacred Ground
Walking, and riding, in the lap of Mount Blanca, gives one the feeling of timelessness. There is a vibration from these mountains that all who come here can feel. When you study the history of Mount Blanca, this feeling is easily explained.
SISNAAJINII- WHITE SHELL MOUNTAIN is the Navajo name for Mt Blanca, the name Spanish explorers gave when they first explored this valley. In a quote from the Navajo people:
"We call the mountain before you Sisnajinii. This mountain is one of our four sacred peaks which cradle Navajo land. We believe that First Man and First Woman came up from the underworld and placed 4 grains of sand that made four mountains. They dressed them in four colors and put them in the four directions that form the edge of Navajo Land. White Shell Mountain forms the eastern doorway onto Navajo Land."
