What does Vendela Villanueva Performance Horsemanship offer?

• I am an Equestrian Canada Licensed Coach which means I have achieved a high level of training and have proven ability with horses. I offer quality horse riding and horse training lessons on your horse or mine. My lesson horses are calm and very well trained. These lesson horses are highly educated and have many years of life experience, so you can be confident knowing that you are taking a lesson on a horse that knows its job & can teach you to ride well! Very limited openings for lesson horse appointments as I keep their lesson work load light in order to preserve their goodwill! Teaching people to ride is a very important job, but it is also very demanding on the horses as they are teaching people to ride who are still learning to balance in motion. Our horse's mental and physical well being are of the highest priority to me. I want our horses to look forward to their work, so you get the benefit of riding a happy horse that is comfortable in its work. We invest in health therapies for our horses such as massage, stretching, chiropractic, special nutritional supplements & they wear tack that fits them properly. My lesson horses are also regularly treated to corrective exercise sessions in order to keep their postural muscles strong, their backs supported, and their bodies healthy and sound for the long term. We cross train our lesson horses using a variety of activities to stimulate their minds, so they stay interested in their work.

• ​I can also help you learn how to teach your own horse to be soft, supple and obedient under saddle and to have great manners. I very much believe that a very detailed, progressive groundwork program helps us give our horses a great foundation and has huge benefits to keep us and the horse safe while he is learning new skills that will then transfer over to his ridden work seamlessly. I love to share the magic powers of skilled groundwork and in-hand training with my students. I use a variety of methods in my work and combinations of these methods that I have learned through the years from my mentors and coaches. My program is ever evolving as I continue to study and add to my skill set. I am a life long student of the horse and I believe that the learning never stops, which is why I continue to train with a variety of very talented, highly accomplished coaches from many different backgrounds and styles of horsemanship. From dressage to gymkhana, reining, jumping, trail riding, roping, bridle-less riding, working cowhorse, vaulting to trick training and much more. I've done a little bit of almost everything through the years, which has given me exposure to some very talented teachers in their specific disciplines. I feel these experiences have helped give me a very well rounded equestrian education.

• . I am certified to administer the Equine Canada testing for Western Rider levels 1-4. These can be used for personal achievement, for high school graduation credits and as preparation to become a riding instructor. You can get started on your career with horses while you are still in school.

• ​I am certified as an Acrobatic Arts instructor up to level 6 of the program and am also a trained gymnastics coach through Gymnastics BC. I teach small group classes in this athletic art form and is part of the recreational vaulting program we offer. This is an excellent form of cross training for my riding and vaulting students since it creates strong, flexible athletes with improved core control and balance as well as a better understanding of the mechanics of how to use of their body in space. Skilled riding & vaulting becomes much easier to develop when we take the time to work on our fitness. The Acro program is open to anyone who would like to learn, not just my equestrian students. This program is super fun for the participants and can be considered a missing link for many of our youth and adults today when it comes to having the ability to independently apply riding aids as it teaches us amazing body awareness & motor control. The Acrobatic Arts program is very comprehensive, meaning the participants will know with precise detail how to do each and every exercise. We work towards the bigger tricks by breaking each skill down into small building blocks, making sure that the student can perform that building block with proficiency before moving up the skill ladder. Working in this manner, ensures that the student has the necessary flexibility, strength, control and proper technique to do the exercise well before moving on, which greatly reduces the chance of injury and creates strong athletes for a lifetime of fitness and fun. I work at a large gymnastics studio in Penticton BC during the winter season and I also offer lessons at my farm location in Grand Forks during the warmer months.

• ​Rider Fitness Training: I am a certified Corrective Exercise Specialist, which means I have many tools to help you work on your riding position off the horse (as well as on your horse). I work with riders to help correct postural distortions. This translates into better balance while riding, which produces better riding skills and happier horses. This service is available for both adults and kids/teens. Many people (even young people) have postural distortions that they are unaware of. I can help identify these areas and design a plan to correct these distortions through the use of self myo-fascial release, stretch and strength programming. The first session is an assessment session where I go over your physique from head to toe to identify areas that are out of healthy alignment. You will learn in subsequent sessions how to release tight, short muscles and strengthen areas that are weak. A body that is in balance makes riding well much, much easier. We can help our horses to do their jobs well if we take a little time each week to take care of our physical bodies. When we are in balance, we help our horses to be in balance.

• We host riding and fitness retreats & day camps at our beautiful farm location on the river in Grand Forks. We also host small gatherings at the farm, such as Birthday parties, intimate weddings, art lessons and have un-serviced camping spots available for use.

• ​My motto is safety first! I am First Aid and CPR trained am also a safety person for minor hockey. I also have a long list of fitness training courses under my belt, which have been achieved over the last 30 years, which has given me knowledge of safe movement and I believe that preparation is key! You can feel confident knowing that I put a lot of thought and planning into my lessons and that my horses are well prepared for their jobs.

• We have two locations to service you. Our farm in Grand Forks is set up with a cabin for use as a clubhouse for programming or to host events, is available for use as a vacation rental during the summer months, and is the ideal location for short term camping. We also have a small, private facility in Penticton that we are in the process of building. We will have an arena and pens/shelters set up for horse boarding and large turn-out areas for the horses to get out and move their feet daily. We have easy to access beautiful lake view trails right across the street from our facility and there is also a vast network of trails about a 5 min. walk from our place up at the Carmi Mountain Recreation area.