Off to Portugal

[Heather]

Hi All,

Off to Oxfordshire on Friday to do a photoshoot for Your Horse with Mike Peace - look out for article turning him into a dressage rider! I then have a new series starting in July.

After the photoshoot, I am off to Luis Valenca's in Portugal for a week, so will be offline for that period. Looking forward to riding Luis's lovely horses plus my friend Bill's four stunning stallions. We also plan to visit Dr Borba's yard, another of the great trainers of Portugal.

And also, meet up with our friend Pedro of 'Chronicles of a New rider' fame! Pedro has met up with us for the last couple of years over there and it will be good to see him again!

Heather

[Lgd]

have fun - and don't buy any more new horses!

[Aly]

Wish I could fit in your suitcase, have a great time take some photos of those glorious horses.
Cheers!

[Heather]

Thanks folks - bank balance won't run to the sort of horse I would LIKE to bring back!!

Heather

[Kerry's Partner!!]

I wouldn't mind a run up the A34 to take a peak; and come to that I wouldn't mind Heather, Mike and Susie taking a peak at Kerry in Checkendon. Ah well - in my dreams. I hope the sessions go really really well. I'm looking forward to the day when I have a top class trainer of dressage as well as behaviour virtually on my doorstep.

[sweetbriar]

Have a great time Heather. I envy you riding those beautiful Luso's. One day I hope to do the same.

[lamprellsarah]

oh good luck!! i envy you like hell!!
please fit me into your suitcase, i will be ** slave!!
anyway have fun!!!

[Silvia]

Have a good holiday, Heather! And say hello to Pedro. :)

[Heather]

HI everyone,

Just back after the best trip yet to Luis Valenca's.

Had a fantastic week and er............. yes, you guessed right, despite my promises to myself to the contrary, I have bought another horse!! More of that later! ( See also post regarding Pazao, who had to be returned to his breeder)

The week started off on Sunday, Margaret Cox and I arriving ahead of my American friends Dr. Bill Sanders and wife Linda, plus their rider Sarah. Margaret and I had a lesson on Sunday morning on two new ex bullfight stallions, being joined by Katherine Spode, who keeps her horses with Luis and flies over to ride them, taking a flat now in Vila Franca and with computers enabling her to work part time from there, lucky lady! One of the new bullfight stallions Darbo, had terrible serrata marks on his nose, which was permanently thickened and swollen. A very talented little horse about 15.2hh, he had great one time changes and passage, and super lateral work. The other, Caramel, a stunningly regal palomino, with the most enormous neck, and truly the colour of a newly minted gold coin, with that fish scale sheen, had five bullfighting homes prior to Luis rescuing him as a terrified and mistrustful stallion only three months ago. Seeing him now, totally friendly and loving his new job, was testament to the incredible nature of these wonderful horses. He was like a cushion to sit on- wonderfully uphill and light. One amusing moment though when Margaret was on him- he still doesn't trust anything that might just be a bull. Margaret was riding past the gallery and Luis was lightly using the piaffe whip to get him to engage more in passage. A largeish chap sitting in the gallery, and wearing mostly black clothing suddenly got up, leaning forward as he did so,and possibly to a horse, he could have looked loomingly like a bull. He did the most spectacular about turn that Luis nearly got flattened and Margaret did very well to stay in the plate!

Bill has four stallions in training with Luis and I next rode Librerio, who has been in training with Luis now for three years. He is not an easy horse very opinionated and close on 16.2hh, pure white and very magnificent. Got a wicked sense of humour and I really enjoyed him- fabulous passage and ST and as good a piaffe as you would ever see- really springs from diagonal to diagonal. Luis uses him a lot in his shows. I think Bill may just sell him back to Luis to carry on using in the shows - the Royal Horse Gala is coming back to the Uk in October or November and Luis's show will again be the Lusitano breed contingent. I think that Librerio once around mares at Bill's place in the Us could be a handful and a half, and as he has ten other stallions he is hardly going to be missed from a breeding point of view!

I also rode Bill's fabulous black stallion Nilo. He sent him to Luis to train from the yard where I bought Fanta ( the very same week last year- better not let me go that week next year- seems I come back with a horse!) and Nilo has improved beyond belief. 16 hands and with stunning conformation and presence, Nilo's passage is the best I have ever sat on - some are not easy to sit to, but this is just huge and yet carries you. Likewise, his Spanish trot has strengthened enormously and is going to be truly spectacular. I am so lucky to have friends with such fabulous horses who they let me ride!

I didn't get to Dr. Borba's after all- we just had too much going on at Luis's. We were able to watch a lot of the young horses being trained and it was just all too interesting to leave. Luis was on great form- he is one of the funniest people I have ever met- he just comes out with things in such a comical way that we were doubled up at times.

So watching the young horses being worked, I spotted one that really caught my eye. Grey, four year old pure bred Lusitano stallion, 16 hands now- walk to die for, big trot and a wonderfully light uphill canter. Then I remembered that I had seen the same horse the year before being backed. He was Sofia's ( Luis's daughter) horse and Margaret and I had been very taken with him then. However, Sofia and husband are just finishing off a new house and she could do with the money - not wishing to take from her Father- and also her sister Filippa is pregnant and so Sofia has to ride all the young horses that she would normally work so is just not going to have time. So reluctantly she is selling Rei ( means king in Portuguese). I rode him - no one had ever ridden him other than Frederick who is training him - beautiful rider in the Mike Aylmore mould- and Rei went really well for me - seemed more than happy with me on board and not his usual jockey. He is so light and already beautifully supple and responsive, sharp yes, but lovely nature. His breeder is a lady who is very kind to the young horses - Luis said he has had 15 from her over a period and they have all been lovely to work with. Sofia could have had just about any horse in Portugal so the fact that she had chosen this one shows how much they thought of him. His bloodlines are in the purple, mostly Andrade, which I especially like as they have refined heads but develop very big necks and back end. I never dreamt that I would be able to buy him - Sofia has let me have him at a price no more than was being asked for Pazao, and once trained, Rei is going to be a very valuable horse.

So, as I am going to be limited on time with clinics this year, I am leaving him with Luis to carry on with. The training is so reasonable in price and such high quality that it is silly of me not to. It also gives me excuses ( as if I need them!) to go over as and when I can to train with him. It is such a help to have someone like Luis, who has trained more horses to GP and above than most people have had hot dinners, to refine my own knowledge of the training of advanced movements. .

Whether I compete Rei once he comes home - I am hoping to leave him there for another 18 months- is debatable. I am much more likely to let Mike Aylmore compete him as he is going to be big enough for him. I will use Rei for demos etc, but I really have no great desire to compete any more, and it gives me just as much pleasure to see my students out there doing well, plus to own a horse like that. Luis said that Rei has a great future and is going to be exceptional, so we have to live up to that. It is hard to forget that Luis is one of the two most revered horsemen in the whole of Portugal- Dr. Borba being the other- he is such a delight to work with and so encouraging and kind in his teaching - tells you very quickly if you are doing something wrong, but never in a disparaging way.

Icing on the cake too, was Luis himself riding. Due to a hip that literally he can pop in and out of it's joint - eeeekkkk! - it looks awful!!- he seldom rides these days, but he has a stallion, Jaguar, again ex bullfight, but very highly trained. He rode him for us, which was a rare treat. I took some photos, but even with flash, only two came out, the light not being too good in Luis's smaller school- still nice to have though.

So, a great week and looking forward to progressing with the beautiful Rei as soon as I can get back over!


Heather

[Aly]

Oh Heather, I am so pleased for you. You must post us some photos for us to drool over.....

Cheers! Aly;)

[lamprellsarah]

ahh wow, all of the horse you describe sound gorgeous, can't wait to see some pics, i am sooo jealous!!!

[Pedro]

So, Heather... looks like Rei won you over :)!

I can attest to the beauty of Bill’s horses, namely Nilo. Now watching them being ridden by Heather and company was as humbling as it was inspiring! Luis is really quite a character, seeing him you’d be hard pressed to believe he is one of the two most revered (living) horsemen in Portugal. So funny and down-to-hearth you never feel diminished or constricted in his presence.
I’m very happy I had the opportunity to see such a wonderful combination of riders, horses and teacher… and I still chuckle at that extended canter to halt transition Sarah did :). Was that Darbo?


Pedro Fortunato

[Heather]

Yep, it was Darbo, Pedro! Glad you enjoyed watching us making our mistakes!!

You are so right about Luis though - I feel very privileged to have lessons with him as he does not seem to teach as much these days and so takes fewer students. He is an absolute hoot.

He was taking us back to the hotel one afternoon and we had to wait for a family to cross a zebra crossing - Mum and three kids and short little Granny bringing up the rear. 'Hmm' -observed Luis as Granny's little knees went up and down like pistons trying to keep up with the youngsters - 'She has a good trot!'

I hope to be over in October at the latest to ride and train with Rei - will let you know when I know which week!


Heather

[Kerry's Partner!!]

It sounds like you had a fabulous time Heather. I did wonder just a little bit whether or not you might come back and announce a purchase!! He sounds really wonderful.

I'd like to add 'though that I feel that at New Rider we're all really exceptionally lucky too - the site opens up a whole new world. We have access to the site, to your advice, to each other, and for me I've been able to receive some tuition from Sue.

I've only had two lessons so far from Sue at Cheston but from them I've learned so much and feel so much more aware of things somehow. I've been trying very hard to put my new knowledge and feel into practice back home with Kerry who I hope is now experiencing the benefits too (that's if I'm getting things right of course!).

I'm getting too wordy again. I'm simply trying to say that you are all very much appreciated too. Thank you.

[larri]

Those darn Luso's just grow on you don't they ;) !! Shame about Pajao, and a great pity we have to wait so long to see Rei.

Glad to hear you had such a fantastic trip though!

Are coming to the Luso Breed show this year Heather? We are looking for riders for the saturday evening Gala a la Golega!

Anyone else with a Luso / part bred interested please mail/ pm me the show is at Addington and will be our biggest ever so we want it to be special!!

Larri

[Sarah]

Heather,

I am so pleased to hear that you had such a super trip to Portugal and that you have bought another horse! Rei sounds like he will be superb, and it would be super if Mike could compete him for you.

I can't wait to see some photos of Rei and hear how his training is going, please can you give us lots of updates about your new baby.

bye!

[Heather]

HI Sarah,

Thanks! I haven't any photos of Rei yet as Luis indoor school is very dark and the flash didn't work well enough. I won;t be going back over till October, so doubt I will be abloe to get any until then. Will keep you posted on how he is going when Luis reports back to me.

I just hope that he is the horse of my dreams when I get him home- he certainly is in every way from looks conformation movement point of view.

I am going to try to get back and forth over there as and when I can to train with him and get some sort of a partnership going.

Cheers

Heather

[Sarah]

Heather,

That is a shame that you didn't manage to get any decent photos of Rei to show us.

I am sure you will have no probelms in building up a good relationship with him when he comes over, especially as he was happy when you rode him after not being used to being ridden by strangers. No doubt he is an Enlightened horse!

I am sure he will be the horse of your dreams, the fact that Sofia chose him says a lot, you know the bloodline and you know the trainer - what more could you ask for! I'm very jealous!

bye!

[Heather]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Sarah- getting older makes you think twice about the wisdom of buying feisty young stallions!!


Heather