ANNABEL DARRALL-REW AND "THE DUKE"

On Christmas Eve 2005 I met Kate Mably for the first time at the Withiel Church Carol Service.  We chatted briefly about horses and Kate said I would be welcome at Bosneives anytime; she was interested in me being a listed BD judge and I was interested in her horses and ideas.  I started going every week to watch Kate and her beautiful Lusitanos.  It was very, very cold; all the work was outside while the indoor school was being built.

Apart from some very brief moments exercising other people’s horses I hadn’t ridden for about 30 years.  I desperately wanted to but my nerves were really bad, partly due to a bad fall and partly due to being so out of practice.  After a year I got up the courage to take up Kate on her offer of riding her dear horse Quiebro.  I rode him a couple of times in the outdoor arena, very carefully in walk and trot.  But when I was invited to go for a gallop in the forest my nerves gave out again.

Kate brings Lusitanos from Portugal to be sold.  In April 2007 she brought over 5 young horses, 2 of which already had buyers.  One of the others was a gelding called Xavante who had just turned 4, just been gelded and only just been ridden for a few months.  His nickname rapidly became The Duke, (his breeder is a Duke)

By this time the indoor school was very much in use and I spent a lot of time watching all the horses and riders but especially The Duke who seemed to be particularly well mannered and happy with people.  I wrote the newsletter for Kate’s website www.bluehorseuk.net and in July I wrote that whoever bought The Duke would be a very lucky person and I wished it was me.

At the end of August I joined Kate to go to my second Lusitano Breed Society Show.  I had just heard that a friend of mine had been told she was terminally ill and it had shocked me.  I asked the others in the lorry what they would do if it happened to them and Kate asked me the same question.  I was quick to reply that I would stop faffing around and start riding again.  She challenged me to do just that and to ride The Duke from the door of the indoor school to the letter F and back, in

walk, but that I had better hurry up as she had a buyer coming for him on Monday afternoon. This was the moment that I heard myself say; “You can’t sell him to her as I want to buy him!”  I felt horrified and excited all at once.  On the Monday I rode him just as Kate had suggested and it was wonderful. And I did buy him.

Each time I rode him I went just a little further out of my comfort zone and Kate was absolutely brilliant with me.  She knows when to push me & when to back off. The Duke is a gem.  He is delighted to be in the company of people or horses.  His newest best friend is Ticao who also lives at Bosneives.

I hack him out with a friend (Linden) who exercises horses for Kate and we go for glorious 2 hr hacks in the forestry near the stables.  The Duke can be a bit of a wuss as he practices spinning or jumping up with all 4 hooves off the ground but I don’t mind and can usually stop now it before it starts.

Each week I have a lesson with Kate. Some are geared towards schooling him/me and others are based on Kate’s wonderful Natural Horsemanship talents.  After a bit of a setback I had a big boost to my confidence riding him with just a piece of line in his mouth – he behaved impeccably.  My Pony Club background came to the fore when we used bending poles which was great.  Apparently I ride a really good serpentine too!

I have now owned The Duke for 6 months and he is perfect for me.  I hope we shall compete in some dressage competitions later in the year.

I had not realised before meeting Kate that the Lusitano is such a special kind of horse.  The temperament is fantastic and they are a delight to ride and train.

The Duke and I shall be at this year’s Lusitano Breed Society show.

Wow! I can’t believe it.

Annabel Darrall-Rew