"To
be an equestrian in the classical sense is
not just to be a rider. It is a position in life"
- Charles de Kunffy
Some of the components on this page may take a few minutes to load depending on your connection speed. You must have Java to view these components. If you do not have Java, click here to download.
Welcome to Torchlight Training and Cord Equestrian at Quail Run Ranch
in Gainesville, Texas
Systematically developing the horse according to his inherent and inborn abilities.
Torchlight Training/Cord Equestrian at Quail Run Ranch in Gainesville, Texas, is a small equestrian facility dedicated to correct Dressage as well as providing our horses with as natural a life as possible, while benignly and harmoniously developing their natural abilities as human companions and partners. With dressage as the basic foundation along with ‘natural horsemanship’ techniques on and off their backs, we seek to identify the disciplines for which they are best and most happily suited, and then train them accordingly. We have turned bored dressage horses into happy jumpers, burnt out jumpers into happy dressage horses, abused Quarter Horses into wonderful babysitters and one frazzled cutting horse in particular became a super child's hunter/jumper.
"...dressage is for the sake of the horse, as opposed to dressage for the sake of dressage."
- Susannah Cord
Our approach is one of the old school with some new twists. Like the old masters, we believe in crosstraining, wherein a horse has a varied life including dressage, jumping, trail rides and groundwork – the groundwork contains the newer twists, with its’ basis in the newly defined Natural Horsemanship.
We believe dressage is for the sake of the horse, as opposed to dressage for the sake of dressage. The competition world today appears to have become our most extreme and eyepopping divergence from the principles and ideals of traditional, or true, dressage. At the end of the day, the question must be – how do we bring back real dressage? Dressage that is about the training of the horse, not the color of our coat and does it match our horse? Does it flow well with that extravagant toeflick? It is in the application of time proven principles to unusual subjects that we reach the core of real dressage. To develop any horse and rider to be the best and most beautiful their abilities will allow. Making the ordinary horse, extraordinary.
Susannah Cord offers private dressage lessons, training services and hosts a series of clinics by renowned classical dressage instructor Eddo Hoekstra and in 2010 has also added clinics with another classical dressage trainer extraordinaire, Carol McArdle, to the roster. Quail Run Ranch offers excellent facilities, including a large covered arena, in the scenic heart of Texas horse country, Gainesville, Texas. For those looking for their next dream horse, Susannah also has exceptional horses for sale. Please use the links provided at left to learn more about Torchlight Training and Cord Equestrian at Quail Run Ranch.