About Alex

I got my start with "ponies in the park." As far back as I can remember I looked forward to Sundays when my grandmother took me to the pony rides at Griffith Park in Southern Calif. I didn't like it when they strapped me into the saddle and I screamed "bloody-murder" when they finally could pry me off the very small pony. My favorite one was a Pinto. When I turned 9, we moved to the country; the San Fernando Valley and I was given my first very own horse, Dolly. Of course, she was a Pinto! I now had a horse but no saddle. I immediately taught myself how to stay on riding bareback. I fell off the first time I picked up the canter, but soon learned how to balance without gripping, which certainly helped the horse not go faster! After outgrowing Dolly, I was given my second horse, "Firecracker"(cause I got her on the 4th of July)) I showed her in all the neighborhood "play day" events until we had to move and horses weren't in the plan. It was one of the saddest days of my life; I was losing my best friend!

Many years went by; Alex didn't own a horse but managed to keep them in her life one way or another. In the early 70's, the opportunity came for her to take her newly acquired horse to the well known trainer Barbara Worth. They trained with her until late 1974. She then enrolled in the Horse Master Program at the Pacific Horse Center in Elk Grove, CA. and received her Instructors Certificate in 1976.

Since then, she has taught students of all ages and abilities, from 3 years old to 70+. Alex has started and trained horses in several States: Pony hunters & jumpers in Texas, Appendix quarters in Arizona and in Colorado, Andalusian stallions. Among many others: Thoroughbreds, Arabs, Morgans, Paints, Appaloosas, Arabians, Tennessee Walkers, Warm bloods and has even trained a mule to jump!

She returned to California in 1987 and has been operating her own business, MAW Training Stables throughout the Sacramento Valley. Her students and many horses she has trained through the years have been quite successful in the Hunter & Jumper divisions. Besides being very good at starting the young, unschooled horse, Alex's "tough love" program has proven very successful in horses with behavior problems.

She prides herself in being an excellent care taker of the injured, recuperating and elder horse. She is experienced in all phases of stable management and in solving most lameness problems.

Alex LOVES to teach and welcomes students of all levels. Her goal is to create relaxation, suppleness, balance, and confidence in order to achieve complete harmony between horse and rider. She takes pride in finding the "right match" by suiting the horse's personality and ability to that of the rider. Her personalized riding program allows riders to set and meet individual goals at their own pace.

Alex is successfully showing the horses she has raised and trained in the Jumper Divisions in northern California, as well as coaching her students in the local horse shows.

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