«I was at a loss when I had to retire my New Forest/Arab mare. I was a confident rider on her but not on other horses and my knowledge and experience was limited. I had always loved Arabs and Iberian horses but never considered owning one until I tried a Luso gelding in England. I knew that was the breed I wanted and searched the internet. To cut a long story short I went to Portugal and found Sericaia though my contacts there. She is bred by Coudelaria Maria d’Andrade de Oliveira e Sousa.
I bought Sericaia in May 2006 and was reunited with her at Royal Windsor Horse Show of that year. No sooner had she stepped onto English soil was she competing in both the English dress class and the traditional dress class. Francisco Cancela d’Abreu rode her in both classes as he had been riding her at Lusitanus, in Portugal, up until the time she travelled to England. She wasn’t placed in either class but I heard many comments on how wonderful she looked and how different her colouring was by the spectators around me. I was so proud of her and couldn’t quite get my head round the fact that she was mine to take home to Leeds.
The livery yard I am on has over 100 horses. I have a field for my three on their own but they are surrounded by the other horses and the stables are in big blocks. It was a total change of environment and weather conditions for Caia. I have to admit to a few moments wondering if I had over horsed myself as it took a good year for Sericaia to settle and us both to start having a relationship of trust and respect.
Last year was our first year of competing together. We did local events at the yard, one of which was the Christmas fancy dress where Caia was the sleigh suitable decked out with a card sleigh all round her, flashing lights, sack of pressies and singing antlers. My other two ponies were the reindeers, all joined together with tinsel. We did come first!! We competed at some elementary dressage where we achieved a 2nd and 3rd placing and did our first Working Equitation competition at the Lusitano Breed Society show. We entered at Intermediate level and surprised myself by getting first place.
Since last summer I have been training hard with the Working Equitation at this is the discipline I most enjoy. We are working towards the advanced level this year which involves riding one hand only. Sericaia and I have a really good relationship now and we are both learning fast. My goal is to compete at European level as I feel Sericaia has the ability for this. I am also pursuing my dressage and would like to enter some medium level. We have recently started some jumping too, although Sericaia has a wonderful scope jump, with ease clearing 4ft, I’m not sure my nerves can handle this area of work! Who knows that the future holds but I have my dreams for Sericaia and me and a wonderful future together. I also have a great deal of gratitude for all the people who have helped, encouraged and believed in me.»
Watch more videos of Sericaia here.
“The Story of Sericaia, my wonderful Lusitano mare” by Lou Carroll-Pettit, article in The Original Luso Update, Spring 2008
