The trip to Portugal

I'm not terribly patient and the wait between deciding to go to visit the grey stallion and actually going was awful.  It was made slightly easier by getting a video of Kim and Charlotte (who work for Kate, Freddie's business partner, at Bluehorse in Cornwall) riding him on a trip they'd had earlier in the year.

Eventually the time to go arrived and I was very nervous- what if I didn't like him?  What if I wasn't good enough to ride him?  What if he didn't like me?

Freddie picked me up at the airport and we went straight to the stables where Xaile was kept.  He was tied up outside and I recognised him immediately and liked him as much as I did in the photographs I'd been said.  

They tacked him up and he pranced down to the little bull ring they had to ride in (the school was being dug up).  I have to admit I was a little scared of him.  He seemed very hot and lively.  The lovely Pedro Farto, who had been schooling him, got on and rode him.  He seemed very quiet sweet and I loved him even more.  Then I was my turn.  I can't tell you how nervous I was.  But when I got on I knew it was going to be ok and that he was my horse.  I rode him in the ring for a little while, trying out his walk, trot and canter and most importantly his brakes.  His best pace was definitely his canter.  I could have sat there cantering him for ages.  We then went out onto the road for me to try him in a different environment.  He behaved beautifully.  Freddie and Pedro had been taking lots of photos for me, so when we eventually got into the car to leave you can imagine how excited I was to look at them.  Then I discovered my awful mistake.  In my state of nerves and excitement I had forgotten to put a memory card into my camera!!!

After lunch we went to Freddie's house in the country where I would stay for a couple of days for him to teach me more about riding these horses, after all I had only sat on two- the dun at Golega and Xaile!

I had never learnt so much about riding as I did in those days and I was privileged to ride some wonderful horses, though to my relief I didn't like any as much as Xaile.  I have to say that Freddie is an amazing teacher, things seem possible with him telling you how to do them.  I remembered to put a memory card in my camera and so have some lovely photos from my lessons.

Spanish Walk:

Passage:

Levade:

Tempi Changes.

I also got to vist the incredibly beautiful stud where Xaile was born.

On the last day we went back to Xaile's yard for me to ride him again, this time with a memory card in the camera.  The second ride was even better than the first as I was feeling more confident and Freddie's lessons had improved my riding. 

Freddie rode him for me:

That wonderful canter:

We then took his tack off to let him have a play and see him move.

He has the most incredibly temperament and loves kisses and cuddles.

Then it was over and I had to go back to England leaving my lovely new horse in Portugal.  I had to wait till March for him to come to England as there wasn't space at my livery yard.  This was actually no bad thing as he went to Freddie's to be schooled and I can't imagine a better way for him to spend a few months.

During that time he was also gelded.  I thought long and hard about this and took advice from lots of people and we decided that it would make his quality of life in England (enabling him to be turned out in company) so much better that it was worth it.

The wait began.