Training

Resident Professional Trainer
Riff Rodriguez

Quite possibly one of the most knowledgeable trainers in the Paso Fino breed today, Riff Rodriguez has been involved with the breed for almost 20 years.  His hard work and dedication is proven by each horse that he trains – not only encouraging the horse to be the best it can be, he works his horses in such a way that nearly anyone can ride them with ease.  The dedication he has for his trade does not end there; Riff believes that the training of the rider is nearly as important as the training of the horse.  With that in mind, he is very generous on the information he shares with the youth and amateur owners in how to work with the horses rather than simply just ride.  Rather than just tell someone how to hold their hands or how to sit on the horse, he will make sure that the student understands the “why”.

"understanding the why"

"passionate and dedicated"

Respected by his peers, Riff has a very passionate and dedicated work ethic and has never hesitated to work with fellow trainers. At shows, he is always willing to lend a helping hand and is never without a smile on his face. In his training, he uses a lot of natural horsemanship techniques (although he is not exclusive in any style of training), and will often be seen just riding his horses in a halter and a snaffle. He prefers to ride in different areas as much as possible – arenas, trails, roads, wooded areas, it makes no difference. His training also does not end with any certain breed; he will help anyone learn how to better communicate, thus better enjoy, their horse.

It is with this in mind that Ciudad de Viento is proud to announce Riff Rodriguez as the newest member of our team, taking his place as our trainer. We are excited to add his knowledge, dedication, and honesty to our group and can’t wait for the new season to start!