Sweet Pepper Ranch Cowgirl Retreats have been placed on pause
Sweet Pepper Ranch is being careful to reduce the risk and spread of COVID-19 by implementing these measures at SPR, CLICK HERE.
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2021 Sweet Pepper Ranch Cowgirl Retreats
Now 3 ½ days – featuring ranch riding and ranch trail, yoga, meditation, gourmet meals, education, friends, & more!!!
August 26 – 29, 2021
REGISTRATION: Alayne Blickle, alayne@horsesforcleanwater.com or 206-909-0225 (via text or call)
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Our Cowgirl Retreats are about experiential learning. They are designed for committed riders interested in improving riding and horsemanship skills as well as mind/body awareness, while weaving in education and relaxation — all created with you in mind!
We are grateful that in 2021 we can begin to get back to some normalcy of life and to sharing time with others. At Sweet Pepper Ranch we want to assure you that we remain COVID vigilant and careful – we will have less people staying inside our home, 100% of activities will be outdoors, and we are only accepting staff and guests who are fully vaccinated. We will also follow CDC guidelines of recommending personal distancing as well as keeping track of new developments.
For 2021 we will focus on ranch riding and ranch trail skills. Both these disciplines are becoming increasingly popular and our clinician, Matt Livengood, has honed his skills in this area. In addition to being multi-carded in a variety of disciplines, in fall of 2020 Matt was selected to judge the AQHA World Show in ranch riding and reining in Oklahoma City. Ranch riding and ranch trail can be performed by any breed or age horse, at any riding level. These disciplines focus on transitions, quality of gaits, and moving body parts with precision. The exercises and techniques you will learn are a fun way to break up training routines and offer new learning experiences for us and our horses — no matter your chosen riding discipline at home. This year we also add new ranch obstacles, new exercises, and great patterns.
By adding yoga and meditation to our Cowgirl Retreat, we invite attention to our own physical and mental well-being as well as with working our horses. We will listen and connect with what our bodies are telling us, and turn that into action — perhaps learn to improve posture, increase range of motion, or even just feel how to relax for a few moments. Self-care for the body and the mind. (No yoga or meditation experience necessary.)
In addition, we are weaving in new speakers and electives to add depth to your learning experience here. We have added electives such as guided horsey craft projects, horse photography instructions/sessions, round pen demo, Mustang program education and more! Other possible activities include a personalized tour of the BLM Wild Horse Corrals, a trail ride to the local Owyhee desert mountains (for participants with their own horses), or a day trip to Silver City, a working ghost town in the Owyhee mountains.
DIRECTOR/FACILITATOR: Alayne Blickle Alayne, a life-long equestrian and reining/ranch-riding competitor, is the creator/director of Horses for Clean Water, an award-winning, internationally acclaimed horse and land management program which reduces environmental impacts. Well-known for her enthusiastic, down-to-earth approaches, Alayne is an educator, writer, photojournalist, and entrepreneur who has worked with horse and livestock owners since 1990. Alayne and her husband, Matt Livengood, are the creators and owners of Sweet Pepper Ranch, an eco-friendly horse motel and guest ranch.
Alayne will teach conservation-wise horse keeping techniques, beginning with a farm tour of Sweet Pepper Ranch to introduce you to concepts of manure management and composting, the many benefits of landscaping with drought-tolerant native plants, least-toxic pest control including using owl boxes for rodent control, a pollinator hedgerow to benefit native pollinating insects, rotational grazing, paddock management (including track paddocks), and eco-tourism.
Contact Alayne at Alayne@horsesforcleanwater to register or for more details.
RIDING CLINICIAN: Matt Livengood, NRHA, NRCHA, AQHA specialty, ASHA & NVRHA judge/ trainer/ show manager.
Matt has added cowhorse (NRCHA), ranch riding and ranch horse versatility (ASHSA) and AQHA Specialty. He teaches lessons and clinics on ranch riding and ranch trail, as well as on horsemanship, basic riding techniques, groundwork, and starting mustangs. And he judges extensively locally, regionally, and nationally, including being selected to judge at the 2020 AQHA World Show judging ranch riding and reining.
Matt competes in ranch riding, ranch trail, and reining. In 2019 Matt placed 6th in NRHA Rookie Pro Reining at the Regional Affiliate Finals. The same year he was awarded Championship in Ranch Riding Green Horse at the Utah Heritage Classic – on the same horse, Got to be Slick. He is also involved in training and competing with mustangs. In 2019 he competed at Mustang Madness in Cle Elum, WA where he and his mustang, Mesa, won freestyle and got reserved grand champion overall. In 2018 he placed third in the Nampa, ID Mustang Mania with Amiguito. And in June 2017 Matt and Tyme to Shine won the Reno Extreme Mustang Makeover.
Mustangs and working with mustangs are central components to Matt’s work and are featured in our SPR Retreats and activities. Together Matt and Alayne will offer various lectures and demos at our Retreats about mustangs. An optional highlight to the SPR Cowgirl Retreats will be a personalized “backstage” tour of the BLM Wild Horse Corrals in Boise on Sunday.
Other speakers, presenters, and demos offered will be based on participants interests and wants. Possible topics include cowboy dressage, equine dentistry and health, equine body work, mindfulness safety around horses, how to build a campfire, equine photography, arts and crafts (horse-themed!), intro to working a cow – and much more!
Private lessons with Matt Livengood are available and can be arranged for afternoons. Use this opportunity to gain new skills and exercises or perhaps to try your horse on our mechanical cow!
DATES for 2021: August 26 – 29, 2021.
YOGA/MEDITATION INSTRUCTOR: Audrey Waidelich, Oakland, CA. Audrey has been practicing yoga for 15+ years. She has 400 hours of yoga teacher training and offers a soft and easy approach to teaching. Her enthusiasm will show her deep love of yoga as she teaches and shares how her yoga practice contributes to her overall well-being. Audrey has a special interest in yoga as it pertains to healthy aging. Audrey, a skilled epicurean, will be our food goddess. Audrey is a life-long horse enthusiast has a special place in Alayne’s heart as she is one of Alayne’s high school horse buddies.
ALL AROUND GREAT PERSON: Janet Gilbreath, from Glen Ellyn, IL is another beloved high school horse friend of Alayne’s and joins us as our sous chef and all-around Girl Friday. Together Audrey and Janet will prepare scrumptious and healthy food to nourish our bodies and delight our palates. Janet is also a nurse practitioner and can advise us if there are medical concerns.
FEATURED SPEAKERS:
Afternoons feature a speaker on a horse related topic. Potential topics are equine bodywork, doing groundwork with horses, equine photography and animal communications.
LOCATION: Sweet Pepper Ranch, Nampa, ID
Sweet Pepper Ranch, Nampa, ID is a small-scale, personalized guest ranch in the high desert of southwestern Idaho. Facilities include a 150 x 300’ outdoor arena, a 120 x 72’ indoor arena, three round pens, built-in large-scale and small-scale trail obstacles, a short hacking trail, an outdoor wash rack, mud-free turnouts, a track paddock, and many stalls with runs. Guests can enjoy our solar heated pool, outdoor pergola, wireless internet, or an evening bon fire. Nearby activities abound from visiting wineries, joining the fun at a rodeo, trail riding at sunset near waterfalls, or hiking painted desert canyons.
THREE (and a half!) DAY RETREATS INCLUDE:
- 9+ hours of ranch riding instruction with Matt Livengood, trainer/clinician and NRHA, NRCHA, ASHA & AQHA judge
- Morning yoga — each session designed to improve the rider’s strength and awareness; take-home techniques will be shared – taught by a certified yogi instructor
- Afternoon educational lecture – (possible topics) horse/land management and facility design, history of wild horses, equine dentistry, equine body work, Cowboy Dressage, saddle fitting, liberty work
- Afternoon activity — choices include craft activities (equine-based), equine photography, how to build a campfire, private lessons with Matt (ala cart), or pool-side leisure time
- Meals prepared on-site for you with (as much as possible) locally sourced, sustainable, and organic produce.
- Meals are low-gluten, low-dairy, and no red meat – vegan options available (Alayne is vegan)
- Facilities feature a solar-heated pool and patio with pergola
- Afternoon meditation sessions – guided by a health care professional
- Daily happy hour (BYOB)
- Evening campfire
(Tuition does not include horse/human housing — but that is available!)
SAMPLE DAILY AGENDA:
7 am yoga
8 am breakfast
9 am – noon with horses – riding clinic
Noon lunch
1 pm guest speaker (equine/personal development related)
3 pm choice of activity (photo shoot, horse-theme craft, extra lesson, etc.), pool, or free time
5 pm meditation
5:30 happy hour
6:30 dinner
8 pm campfire
SUNDAY AFTER BREAKFAST – tour of BLM Wild Horse Corrals AND a sunset trail ride!
SAMPLE MENU:
Breakfast
- Egg frittata with zucchini and onions
Lunch
- Sandwich buffet – deli meats, cheese slices, tomato slices, lettuce, breads and wraps, condiments
Dinner
- Sweet peppers with yogurt, Kalamata olives, honey
- Blueberry chicken, charred corn and avocado salad, roasted carrots with feta
- Lemon panna cotta
BRING: yourself, your horse and his tack, a yoga mat (if you have it, if not we have some), yoga-type clothes, swimsuit… plus a healthy attitude and interest in learning. Feel free to bring a bottle (or two!) of your favorite beverage to share, alcoholic or otherwise.
TUITION FOR THIS SPECTACULAR RETREAT: $595. $300 deposit holds your spot. Balance due August 1. Board (both horse/human) and any ala cart items (extra lessons, etc.) are payable on Sunday.
HORSE/HUMAN HOUSING OPTIONS:
- Haul in each day and tie to your trailer:NC
- RV/LQ cost: $30/day
- SPR guest rooms available for two: $60/person/day (based on double occupancy)
- Private glamping tent: $60/person/day
- Private cowgirl camping trailer: $60/person/day
- Off-site guest rooms available: $75/person/day
- Tent Camping: $20/day
- Outdoor pens with hay: $20/horse/day
- Day stalls only: $15/day
Limited number of SPR guest horses available @ $125/retreat (does not include any rides off-property)
Private 1 hour lesson with Matt: $40
Non-refundable deposit: $300; tuition balance is due August 1; board (both horse/human) and any ala cart items are payable on Sunday.
ALA CART: Participants are invited and encouraged to arrive early to the Retreat to settle in and relax – meals prior to the retreat start are available for a small fee. Other ala cart extra events will be available for Monday for those who wish to stay longer and sample regional activities. Options include an organized trail ride in the Owyhee Mountains or a trip to a nearby ghost town. Please inquire!
PARTICIPANTS NUMBERS: 10 participants max/retreat. Minimum 5.
REGISTRATION: Alayne Blickle, alayne@horsesforcleanwater.com or 206-909-0225 (via text or call)
REQUIREMENTS: Experienced, committed riders interested in improving riding skills, horse/human relationships, environmental understanding, and mind/body awareness. We are only accepting staff and guests who are fully vaccinated against COVID. Horses must be current on deworming and vaccinations. Horses stabled here need to be negative on Coggins.
