PSP Algarve Ride 2001

Daily Tails - DAY 3 - Monday 8th - In which we meet Henrietta and don't lose her, our tack or nerve (too much!).

Oh dear - got to ride a bit today - woken by bells arguing backwards & forwards across the river and find out a bit more about Portuguese plumbing. It seems the taps WE think control the shower and bath control all the water (flush and washbasin) so when so informed, and turned on the loo flushes like crazy and the washbasin taps explode water in all directions. Oops! Slightly red faces or what!

Puzzle a bit as to why I've got "Purple/French" written on my hand - did I meet someone exotic and exciting last night that I can't remember?

It was a beautiful morning with a slight mist over the river and a slightly thicker one over the hills. Should be ok, we think. Ready and willing, we set off for breakfast, which was pretty good. We hope we didn't upset the party of German Tourists too much as due to time-scales etc we weren't too heavily into standing around going "After You, Mein Herr" and might accidentally have trodden on the odd toe and jogged the odd elbow!

Then pack everything into the Minibus and off the wrong way down a one way street to get back to the Horses. Can't remember who was driving - or can I? Elaine explains that they had got to sleep very late to be woken by "strange animal noises in the night?" Iberian Wolves we explain. Ho Hum!

All horses seem to be in the right places so the moment of truth arrives. Groom Horse. It seems that Henrietta and Paloma have got some relationship going so Lisette and I end up tied to the same tree. Er. No - we end up with our HORSES tied to the same tree. No - at times it is difficult to tell the difference, as both horses seem quite happy to dance around and wriggle underneath each other.

Find tack and seat-saver - hooray! Tack up and scramble aboard - although Henrietta is only small - still quite fun to mount as she has learned the trick of swinging her quarters away at the last moment, leaving one standing on one leg with a slightly strained expression (and sometimes groin!). If she'll stand still we'll be ok. Check steering - works ok, brakes, - hm - some evidence of brakes, decide Henrietta is nice but just as green as described.

Set off to Alcoutim for the Mayoral departure, narrowly missing being clattered by Elaine as Clarissa seems to want to do the ride on her hind feet only! Clarissa is good, but does NOT DO WAITING ABOUT! Elaine demonstrated good seat (see photos later) and things slowly began to gel together.

The Mayor (or someone) presents us with a mascot for good luck - jolly little straw man with plough (very apt - even if we didn't know it at the time!). So - time to go. Er, who has left this big truck in the way? Heigh-ho - just ride through the customers having breakfast at a nice café.

They don't seem to mind very much and offer us drinks etc as we clatter off up the cobbled street.

Shirley's Comment:- At this point there was a major logistics discussion as to who would go where, with what and how, due to breakdown of horsebox!

I didn't have the Camera with me that morning as common sense suggested that just getting used to a strange horse in a strange land might take all my attention. Probably sensible but - missed a shot and a half as we went over the Barragem do Alcoutim with me trying to lasso the railings to make sure we didn't shoot off down something that looked like a ski-jump. So - on we go - only 48 kms to do.

Daphne finds out that Sally still has the slight problem with Lactic Acid, as she stops dead and nearly collapses. Daphne kindly lightens Sally's load by going over her neck demonstrating method 12d of the riders book of sudden and unexpected dismounts, but is not much damaged, just a little shaken.

Up hill and down dale we go, very pleasant indeed, just keep thinking - 48 km to go. Across heathland where there was planting of new pine trees, and the smells were quite intoxicating - whew! Glad to be alive and also glad that I have a jolly good little horse! Upwards we climb, including a jolly canter, until aha! Lunchtime.