Since the last entry on this blog, a series of unfortunate events have occurred. Pacha has been badly ill with pneumonia in April 2012 which put him off during a month.. He was treated successfully, but the first time I sat in the saddle, he threw me off immediately, in spite of advice taken from the vet and some preparatory work over a few days before. The consequences have kept me away from riding until year's end. He has recovered but not completely, and remains prone to infections. Because of his unpredictability, I will not ride him any longer. It took me time to come to grips with this decision, because of the special relationship we had established beween us during more than 3years of working together. I still keep in touch with him via some ground work, which helps his owner as well.
Now I have resumed riding with a new horse whom I have been invited to share with her owner. Solene is his name. He is a handsome pure bred Alter Real stallion, aged 13 years.He is quite gentle with man and other horses.
For anyone loving Lusitanians, it his hard to dream of a better opportunity. As can be seen on the picture, he is just lovely to see. The first rides shows three good gaits, a slight tendency to go behind the vertical with a mouth which is rather 'mute' at the moment. He has had a fair elementary training, and his ability to lateral work is there. The first objectives will be to get a more frank contact with the mouth, and then begin lightness work. A good programme in perspective indeed!
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