This June we are highlighting the Lavish Lusitano on YourDressage!
Did you know that riders who choose a member of this handsome breed as their dressage mounts are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program? The International Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association and the US Lusitano Association Inc. are participating organizations!
An adult amateur rerider shares about the four-year-old, recently gelded Lusitano she acquired at age 70, and how they are now dancing their way to their dreams!
By Roxanne Nemcik
Serendipity: “The combination of luck and the ability to recognize the value of an unexpected discovery when you are not actively looking for it.”
Well, for the purpose of this story let me qualify that definition. I was not actively looking for a horse. However, my friend, Cheryl, was determined to find my perfect Lusitano partner, despite my protestations that I was too old to start riding again at 70!
I am an adult amateur rider who started riding in my 40s, when my eight-year-old daughter was riding ponies. I wasn’t brave enough to jump so I rode dressage. I stopped in my early 60s after I lost my German Riding Pony (GRP). I do not have an illustrious show record or any USDF Rider Medals. I showed a bit, but mostly rode just for fun; showing made me nervous.
After the loss of my GRP, I thought my riding years were behind me, but my friend thought otherwise. She called me one day in 2023, and said, “I found the perfect Lusitano for you. He is adorable!”
I asked the typical questions: how old he was, what level of training he had, and where he was located. She told me that he was four, had just been gelded, and had 30 days of training under saddle. My response was a resounding “what in the world am I going to do with that?” She told me that I needed to trust her, and come and see him.
I am 5’2” tall, and the next thing I knew, I was asking the horse’s owner to measure the height of a four-and-a-half year old Lusitano gelding to make sure he was not too tall! She said that request was a “first,” and we all laughed.
That was the beginning of my journey with Pasador, who is now seven, and measures 151 cm or 14.3 ½-hands. He is “small but mighty,” and is just perfect for me.
Readers may wonder at my wisdom in purchasing a green horse at 70. Admittedly, I too felt like it was a roll of the dice. Cheryl knew Pasador’s owner, and knew Pasador’s sire, the stallion X-Perto, who was on-site. She assured me that X-Perto had a wonderful temperament, which Pasador had inherited. That made me feel more at ease.
No matter how much the logical side of my brain was telling me it was crazy, the little voice inside me kept encouraging me to take a chance. Pasador touched my heart from the moment I saw him. He was then, and has always been extremely quiet, brave, and accepting. He has never taken a bad step with me, whether astride or on the ground.
Even though Pasador’s temperament is wonderful, my journey would not have been possible without the support of talented professional trainers Daniel and Jorge Arauz, and the gaggle of women friends who have supported us. I couldn’t have done it without them.
My goals with Pasador are limitless. I want to take him as far as we can go together, and wherever we wind up at the end of the journey will be the perfect place. At the moment, he is schooling Third Level with Jorge, and I am doing my very best to keep up with him.
My short-term goal is to show him at Third Level sometime next year, and hopefully earn my USDF Bronze Medal. My daily goal – which is so much more meaningful – is to simply be grateful for the day, and enjoy each ride.
My greatest accomplishment with your horse you might ask? That I took the chance.
What is the most important lesson have I learned during my journey with Pasador? To quote Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh: Always remember that I am braver than I believe, stronger than I seem, and smarter than I think.
If you buy a young horse, enjoy the journey. Watching Pasador grow and develop over the last three years has allowed me to appreciate and better understand what goes into developing a horse, and how important it is to be patient with the process. I have learned a lot about Pasador, and it has helped me in my ability to ride and care for him.
Pasador is so brave and patient with me, and that is the most special thing about him.
I have always admired Lusitanos from afar,so getting to own one has been so much fun. The breed is talented, brave, beautiful, and sensitive, in a good way. They have good temperaments and are forgiving. They have a natural talent for collection, and gaits that are very comfortable to ride. Lusitanos are competitive mounts for adult amateurs, and make great riding partners in general. Don’t rule Lusitanos out if you are searching for your next mount – you won’t be disappointed if you partner with one!
