About Maria and Baudouin

Baudouin

Baudouin Hallet is a classically trained European Dressage Master.

He began his equestrian formation in the famous La Gueriniere riding Academy in Belgium, where he studied for his instructorship under Alain Servais. During his time at La Gueriniere Baudouin had the great opportunity to meet and ride with the great Portugese master Nuno Oliveira.

After passing his instructorship exams (with honors for dressage), Baudouin continued his education with Pierre Boulanger (Belgium). At this time Baudouin was also admitted in to train with the Prestigious Masters of the Cadre Noir de Samur (French National School), such as: Mireille Francois, Comandant Guntz and Bernard Fenetrier.

Baudouin then had the great opportunity to ride the horses of Patrick Le Rolland (former French Olympic Coach), and to train with him for many years. Patrick's training methods will always remain Baudouin's primary reference.

Pierre Pradier (the official vet for the French Olympic teams, and author of multiple books, including: "Mecanique equestre et equitation" and "Mecanique equestre et Obstacle"), is another great master who deeply influenced Baudouin.

In the early nineties Baudouin started traveling internationally to ride, teach and to give clinics. At this time he also became the personal trainer, rider and instructor for the Duchesse Ursula d'Ursel and her daughter the Countess Regine d'Ursel, there he started and trained many young international quality horses.

Baudouin's students in every country have been consistently successful at every level. Some of the riders that he has helped include: Francoise Kloninger (twice selected for the French Olympic Team in Dressage), Anne Van Stappen (Belgian Dressage Champion), Adelaide Malandain (the French Junior Champion in jumping), and Ateshe Larsson (competitor in the Asian Games for Dressage).

In 2001 Baudouin had the great privilege of meeting Bartabas, the founder and creator of the internationally acclaimed equestrian theater Zingaro. Together they had the great honor of bringing horses back to the Grande Ecurie of the Palace of Versailles, France. Baudouin was instrumental in helping Bartabas create the Academie du Spectacle Equestre, where he became the head master prior to moving to the United States.

Baudouin's formation allows him to develop and gymnastasize young horses to their maximum potential. He works to re-establish trust in horses which have been labeled "difficult" and "hard to manage". Professionals often seek advice from Baudouin when having difficulty with their own horses. His purpose is to develop the natural abilities of the horse and to make riding a graceful, pleasurable experience. Preparing and confirming a solid base, so their body and therefore their mind is ready, willing and confident to work on the FEI Grand Prix movements.

Currently based in Ocala, Florida, Baudouin continues to travel and to teach. He is currently accepting students and horses of all levels and is available for clinics.

About Maria & Baudouin

Team Work

Baudouin and Maria bring over 55 years of combined experience to the table. Each with their own unique area of expertise, training and past experience. They work together as a Team to bring out the best in every horse and rider. As they say "Two heads are better than one," and never is it more true than with horses and dressage.

Maria

Horses are life for Maria Hallet. Her deep rooted love for horses and dressage is apparent in everything she does. She is passionate about riding, training and teaching at every level.

Maria has trained many horses of all breeds from the beginning thru the levels of Dressage, several of which are competing successfully at FEI. She is a USDF Bronze and Silver medalist, a USDF Bronze bar recipient, and is only 2 scores away from her USDF Gold medal. Maria has won multiple high points, USDF horse of the year awards, State, Regional and National Championships thru the Prix St. George and Intermediare I Levels, on horses she trained herself with scores in the 70's thru FEI I-I. Maria has trained and ridden horses in all of the Grand Prix movements.

Maria also works with stallions promoting them in competition, and with "difficult" or "hard to manage" horses. One of her specialties is musical freestyles, Pas de Deux and freestyle Quadrille. Maria and her students have won multiple year end awards, high points and championships for their freestyles, with scores as high as the mid 80%’s .

Although Maria is largely self -taught and her primary teachers have been the large variety of horses that she has been blessed to ride, train and learn from. She has also been fortunate to have had guidance from top professionals throughout her life. Maria's mother, an equestrian and therapeutic riding director, started putting Maria up on horses and teaching her to ride before she could walk, at the age of two Maria got her first pony, and by the age of three she won her first trophy in a thirteen and under division at a horse show. From four to seven years old Maria started her Dressage journey under the guidance of Grand Prix Dressage rider and trainer Linda Hasoi in Hawaii. Under her guidance Maria started competing in dressage at the age of five. At the age of seven Maria and her family moved to a hundred acre horse farm in Oregon, where she was home schooled and grew up learning all about horse care, farm management and running a boarding, breeding and training operation. By the age of nine Maria had her own students and was earning money training and riding "difficult" or "problem" ponies for people, and by the age of sixteen she was running her family farm and had a large training business of her own, competing all across the country. Growing up in Oregon Maria had the opportunity to work regularly with several Grand Prix Dressage riders and trainers, primarily; Debie Evans, Alice Loomis and Kathy Everman. She also participated in clinics as often as possible, with many great riders and trainers, such as: The Baron Von Blixen Finecky, Jeff Moore, Anne Gribbons, Ignacio Rambla and Charles de Knuffy.

For the past 6 years Maria has cliniced with USDF/USEF ‘S’ Judge and Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer Jennifer Roth from Carmel valley, California. Currently Maria works daily with her husband Baudouin Hallet, who started coaching Maria in 2002. She also clinics as often as possible with Charlotte Bredahl-Baker (I), Scott Hassler, USET Team member Katherine Bateson, and recently had the increadible oportunity to ride with Olympian Geunter Siedel.

Maria continues her Equestrian formation and since starting to work with Baudouin Hallet in 2002, she has started competing in the ’A’ circuit jumper divisions, bringing horses up thru the levels from the beginning.

Maria’s students compete successfully and enjoy doing musical freestyles, pas de deux, quadrilles, eventing. and jumpers. Maria relishes in starting riders from the beginning and bringing them up thru the levels. Her young/beginner riders start on the lounge, giving them a correct independent seat and a solid foundation of training. Her young riders learn about grooming, health care, feeding and stable management. Maria also has a great working student program; her young riders have the opportunity to work off extra lessons and privileges by feeding, grooming, and cleaning tack.

The riders at Hallet training are part of a strong team working and showing together – helping one another. Maria offers individual, semi-private and group lessons. Maria also coaches her students at shows.

Maria’s goal is to become an international Grand Prix Dressage competitor and to have the honor of representing the US in international competition.