• Intro
• Location in Portugal
• Courses 2010
• Pricing
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• Our horses at other stables
• Foundation
  • Portugal 2008
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• Lusitano history
• Lessons and riding
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• Sponsoring
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Foundation

The goal of Stichting Promotie Lusitano (foundation for promoting the Lusitano horse) is:

Increasing the knowledge of the Lusitano horse, classical riding and the Portuguese culture in general and in the most broad meaning.

The foundation tries to do this by means of schooling with Lusitano horses and promoting the breeding of Lusitano horses, while keeping in mind the breeding standards of the main Portuguese studbook (A.P.S.L. Associação Portuguesa dos Criadores do Cavalo Puro Sangue Lusitano). 

The foundation can be supported through:
a. Gifts, subsidies and funds
b. Profit made by the activities of the foundation
c. That what will be received through inheritance, legacy or gifts
d. All other funds acquired by legal means

Motivation

Over thirty five years ago my mother passed away after suffering from a terrible form of cancer. I survived because of the horses and they saved me from drugs and other addictions. They gave me the strength to carry on, to live on by myself and keep my love for nature. Later on, after a very creative life, this turned out to be my motivation to start working with horses. I wanted to share the Happiness, the Balance and the Knowledge I found through the horses. I am still grateful for the help I got with it. Portugal brought sunshine and colour in my life. The light I encountered there reaches into my soul. The combination of these elements and the horses helped me to rediscover the way to the Positive....

Gemma van Dijk

A translated citation from "Why does Buddha smile?' (Mark Magill, Rainbow Pocket 834, ISBN 90-417-0621-6, page 60-61)

The taming of the wild horse

"We try to tame the will of the wild horse and make it work for us. It is capable of impressive achievements, but we have not yet haltered it." 

I have kept horses on the country for years. In my sofa I am now contemplating that there is not a big difference between keeping horses and training one's mind. While looking at a joyful foal, you can already see yourself riding it through the hills, underneath the slowly setting sun.  You feed the young stallion, look after the animal and keep a close eye on its health but you also have to tame it. This can either be done roughly or gently. People keep talking about breaking horses and I have seen it being done. If this way would be the only way to tame a horse I would rather set it free, but it is not.

Horses are prepared to learn things, but you should not ask their attention for too long at once. Especially in the beginning learning is an exhausting experience for a horse. It needs to get time to relax.

You should also keep an eye on the circumstances. Horses are creatures of habit - they can become upset and distracted. You should be aware of that and you should not think that the horse became stubborn or unreliable suddenly and without reason. The way you treat the animal - where you stand, how you move and what you say - all these things are noticed by the horse. Horses are perfect mirrors of your mood, but you have to learn to understand their reactions. 

When you work with patience you will see the results after a certain amount of time. You can clearly see the horse is enjoying the learning process. It approaches you at the gate. It may even help by putting its nose in the head collar, because it knows something new and adventurous is about to happen. 

You take your time for patient exercises because others have taught you that this way leads to good results and because you have seen that it works. If you take the character of both rider and horse into account and work with dedication and care, you will get the desired results. You did not waste your time. On a beautiful evening you look up above a hilltop towards the pink clouds in the west. You both, horse and rider, share the evening red, calm and peaceful, as if you were one.