Clients Write

Recent Letters

"Just a note to say we miss being at Morgado. It was such a wonderful vacation, you took such good care of us. We are telling everybody we know about Morgado and be sure, we will be back….miss riding those wonderful horses, please give a kiss to Zanzibar and Que Fito….my favorites, but don’t tell the other horses"  N.Larsen  3/2011
 
"Just wanted to say a huge thank you for you and the rest of the team at Morgado for our recent visit.  Jo and Imogen had the holiday of a lifetime! (as did I)." A. Gibson 3/2011
 
"Je tiens a vous remercier de l'excellent accueil que vous m'avez temoigner, lors de mon passage dans votre proprieté fin fevrier.
L'harmonie de ce lieu, et l'ambiance transmise par la presence de Paulo Sergio, nous donne envie d'apprendre et surtout
de revenir."  D. Chezeaux  3/2011
 
"I hope you are well and that the weather is warmer than when we were there! Susan and I really enjoyed our week at Morgado in February. I thought you might enjoy some photos I took while we were there.  Thanks for your great hospitality." J. La bella 2/11
 
"Thank you for a wonderful stay at Morgado. You wer all so kind to me, and took excellent care of me.  Everything, from the accommodation, food, wine and of course the horses were perfect. It is funny to look at the
pictures Petra took at my first riding lesson and at my last lesson – you can actually see that I have improved and learned a lot.  I did not get the opportunity to say thanks and goodbye to Marie and Julia – could you please do that for me? Having lessons with both Rodrigo and Marie made everything much clearer, and way much easier to put thing into action.  Give my best to everyone.  I will be back." T. Hegerstrom 2/2011
 

I have no idea how to say thank you, not just to you but to everyone - the students, Daisy and her helpers, whoever cleaned my room (ghost? I never saw anyone doing it!), all the other guests all the beautiful and patient horses, and of course Rodrigo and the owners of Morgado for providing such a wonderful venue for us to enjoy. I really don't have the right words to express how much I enjoyed myself nor to say how much I learned. It truly was a perfect holiday, where the most arduous thing I did for a week was walk back up the hill from the indoor school. I was able to see how to change the way I ride and to experience a totally different feeling as a result. My poor horse! He has lots to undo and lots to redo hopefully better!
Your organization appears effortless and I am so grateful especially to you for your kindness and help - beyond the call of duty at 1 o'clock in the morning. With your warm welcome to Morgado's guests it would be hard not to arrive looking forward to having a good time. Without a doubt I shall be asking to come back probably in the spring for
another week. Until then, thank you so much to the entire team but especially to you and Rodrigo. You all made my time at Morgado very special and I look forward so much to coming again.
Very best wishes (from sunny! North Wales) Mo 12/10
 

Thank you so much for everything in last week. The three days that we spent there were so nice.  The horses, of course, were beautiful and very very nice to ride and the  teaching was good.  What was most important to me was the service and food and both were very very good!
My friend appreciated that they were relaxed after that holiday. Ok, we are now back to Finland (its so cold here now -4), and we already waiting for our next holiday in Morgado. S Mustonen 6/10

Dear Morgado,
I wanted to let you know that we had an amazing time at  during our stay.  What a wonderful experience. We learned so much and  thoroughly  enjoyed the people, the place and of course the horses.  Morgado offers a truly unique experience to ride  incredibly well trained, sensitive and generous school-masters. With  the expert guidance and encouragement from Rodrigo and Charlotte we learned so much and was given the rare opportunity to feel how  things should be, when they are done correctly. I felt incredibly  privileged to ride these fine Lusitanos and was able to transfer much  of what I  felt to my riding at home. Also, the staff at Morgado is  incredibly kind and attentive. No wonder that they have so many  clients who return time after time. We hope to do the same.

Susan W. 11/2007

Dear Morgado,
My recent trip to Portugal was nothing short of AMAZING! The experience I had at Morgado Lusitano was both exciting and exhilarating. The Lusitano stallions are absolutely magnificent and s-o-o-o beautiful. It was an absolute thrill of a lifetime and an honor to ride astride this exquisite breed and receive top-notch quality instruction.  I loved all the horses I rode at Morgado and learned important lessons from each one. My rides on Hercules felt magical, and almost put me into a dreamlike state. Morgado Lusitano was a joyful and fun experience and in just six short days, I felt I was becoming a softer and more elegant rider.  I can also honestly state that I have never been anywhere, in all my travels, that is so accommodating to the clients. Everyone I encountered was just great. I also thoroughly enjoyed the old world European charm and accommodations at Morgado.
Thank You All!

Karen S. New Hampshire 10/2007

Dear Morgado,
Just to say a big thank you for such a wonderful weekend at Morgado. The facilities/horses absolutely superb. Your hospitality, the atmosphere warm and friendly, the ambience of the lovely old house, comfortable, tastefully furnished rooms, and every attention to detail for guests- fantastic!
In Rodrigo and Charlotte, you have two lovely people who believe 200% in what you are doing. Rodrigo's quiet and stylish riding, his position as a rider with the Escola, and Charlotte having had such good training with Luis Valenca, you are fortunate indeed to have them, but they know they are equally fortunate to have the opportunity to bring Morgado to it's rightful place as probably the leading classical training facility for visiting riders, anywhere in Europe. I have been looking for a long time, and haven't found anywhere that comes close.
I wish you every success in this very ambitious project, and will recommend it very highly.
With all best wishes,

Heather M. England, 5/2007
 

Dear Morgado,
Superlatives aren't enough!  I cannot think of enough good things to say about Morgado Lusitano.  I loved everything about it and will be back with my friends in tow.  Thanks for everything,.  It was all you said and more. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Sue W.  Washington  3/2007 

Dear Morgado,
I wanted to let you know that I survived myself!! Morgado was absolutely wonderful and was the most perfect way for me to reenter the living world.  I had gotten into such a state of worry about going, riding, etc. how silly...what a terrific place for relatively inexperienced riders and much more talented folks. The horses were excellent, the staff incredible, ambiance very sympatico, and the training was great. Rodrigo and Charlotte are really good complements to each other. Their styles of teaching completely different - where Charlotte is more cautious and detailed, Rodrigo is firm but also willing to push you slightly outside your comfort zone so you can experience more classical movements. He has the patience of a saint as do the horses who mostly give you gifts and pack you well. He also was very attentive to my level of energy and knew before I did, that perhaps I should take a break for a few. Loved it!
This whole trip has given me impetus to really get in good physical condition, work harder at understanding lateral movement....ok, and learn my left from my right....so I can return.
Thanks again for your help in organizing this!
Carolyn Q. 6/2006

Dear Morgado,
Please forward my congratulations to your manager Joao. He has put together an excellent team at Morgado. Everyone was extremely helpful and pleasant - from the gentle Ricardo, talented Miquel, hard working students Vanessa and Rhea, and the focused and professional instructors, Isabelle and Rodrigo. Joseph's enthusiasm and excellent web site got us involved in the first place. And Ana you were always there for us and your generosity and attention were beyond the call of duty. Having someone like you on staff provides the client with a level of personal service and security that makes the Morgado experience so wonderful. We were also very impressed by the excellent food served at the restaurant. We didn't expect gourmet food on top of everything else!
The horses, of course, were amazing. Under the kind instruction of Rodrigo I got to experience dressage moves (passage and two tempi changes) that my young mare at home will take years to do. It was very thrilling and I feel I have a better base for schooling my horse. I hope to return to Morgado in the future and in the meantime I will promote the facility amongst the equestrian community here.
Thank you again for providing Pat and I with a unique and wonderful riding experience. 
Marcia G, Canada 11/2005 

Dear Morgado, 
Now that I've had time to savor my week at Morgado, I can say that was completely marvelous.  The horses were amazing ( I rotated between 6 different stallions): it was the thrill of my life to experience advanced movements like passage and piaffe from the masters!  Rodrigo is a kind, patient and enthusiastic instructor, and I really benefited from his ever-present attitude that I should and could expect more from both the horses and myself!  The food was tasty and the lodging beautiful and restful.  Ana Teresa was a hard-working and creative guide.  It was a glorious retreat, over all and I am already starting to scheme ways of returning. Please see enclosed photo of myself, my husband Jon, and the wonderful Regente. 
Sincerely,
Jenny S-B, California 11-2005 

Dear Morgado,
After many years of learning basics with one instructor and a tiny taste of upper level work here and there, I decided to visit Morgado Lusitano. The wonderful  logical instruction, and beautifully trained horses allowed me to finally begin to learn flying changes and passage.   The experience at Morgado helped me to become much stronger and more consistent. The vacation provided me with a much better understanding of what's happening intellectually, its all starting to come together.  My friend Sheryl who accompanied me, came from a western style riding background. She received a terrific  grounding in the principles and feels of classical riding, and has been inspired to continue with the work.  The people of Morgado Lusitano, the horses, and the delicious meals were all wonderful. I plan to return. Hope you are doing well, again thank you for the experience at Morgado. 

Cheers,
Paula Z, California, 8/2005 

Dear Morgado,
Just wanted to thank you for helping me to arrange the trip for my students to Morgado.  Everyone had a terrific time. The facilities are great, the people are lovely, and the instructors are excellent.  I worked in hand on the ground with Rodrigo with one of the young horses, and I learned an enormous amount of techniques which I have been able to use immediately with my horses at home with positive results.  All of my students who went with me came home chomping at the bit to get into working their own horses more seriously.  All were ready to jump to the next level of horsemanship.  They all want to go back again and are willing to work to improving themselves so they will be able to go back and move along further next time.  The new facilities are going to be fantastic. I wish them a lot of luck with that endeavor. Ana-Teresa is a wonderful gal.  She went way out of her way to see that everyone was happy, and that we got to see a lot of different things while we were there.  All in all I would rate this facility as a five star establishment.  Thanks again for helping steer me in this direction..

 Regards,
Gail H. New York 5/2005 

Dear Morgado,
THANK YOU for such a very, very wonderful time at Morgado. It was such a joy to meet all of you and to experience the horses of Morgado and all of the lovely traditions you uphold there.  The riding was a great learning experience!  Where can you go to have the opportunity to learn from such beautifully trained, exceptional horses with the help of such classically correct and very patient instructors? It was a lifetime dreamed fulfilled but now it can be built upon!  I hope very much to visit you again, next time in your new and gorgeous home!  It is so exciting to be a part of the dream for the future of Morgado.  David and I were so honored that you wanted to show us the new home!  Our fingers are crossed that things move forward swiftly!
Thank you so much for your warm hospitality, for making us feel so welcome, and for helping to make our first (of many, we hope) trips to Portugal a DREAM!  Hope you can open this photo of the sweet and handsome Senhor!

Our warmest regards,
David and Naomi P.  Florida 4/2005

Dear Morgado,
Thank you again for your sincere and attentive care of us during our stay at Morgado Lusitano last week.  We have arrived home after MANY hours of travel, and are enjoying a beautiful, sunny, but windy day in Florida.  Please convey to the staff, the riders and instructors again my sincere thanks and praise for their patience and kind instruction...and if the horses could understand, to them as well.
Portugal is a lovely, friendly country with a proud and impressive history.  The horses were certainly well trained and taught me more than I could have learned here in the states in the same amount of time. Add to that the experience of travel and my husband's ability to play golf in another setting and you have the perfect vacation. I have already started to talk to my fellow riders about making a rider -only pilgrimage back to Lisbon as soon as we can justify that much time off and organize the trip.
Linda K.  Florida 3/2005

We recently completed a visit from a client from Canada and this was what she wrote before and after her visit. Here is here request for information. 

Dear Morgado,
I am considering coming to Portugal in the first two weeks of November.  My husband is going to Portugal on a golf trip and suggested I join him and find a riding school to take lessons at while he is golfing. We arrive in Lisbon and are booked initially at the Hotel Munial. I'll confirm the address when I have it. Can you pick us up there?  I would like to start my stay with you early the next day, which could give me time to unpack and settle in a bit before the first lesson. Also, I may have a friend joining me. She is checking if her travel points can pay for her flight and the stay with you perhaps. Could she and I share a room? May I describe my riding to you so I am assigned a suitable horse? Firstly, I am very tall so need a saddle with long stirrups and perhaps one of the bigger horses. I have been riding dressage most of my life (I'm 52 years now) and trained my recent Hanoverian gelding to do tempi changes up to twos, half passes, reasonable pirouettes and a little passage. The piaffe was only a modest beginning and the tempi changes every stride didn't get very far! I would LOVE to have the chance to feel the one time tempis, the piaffe and a good passage and pirouettes if possible, and have some training in the aids in and out of these movements. I studied dressage with Deitrich von Hopfgarten, mainly, and several other clinicians including Col Christian Carde from Saumur. I have also studied many books, on your list and others, and have studied Centered Riding and Alexander Technique. I teach riding on a part time basis, don't go to shows, just enjoy and love riding and training. I'm starting on a 5 year old Oldenburg and hope to make less mistakes than I did on the last one!! If there is any other information you need at the moment please let me know.
Our flights are booked and I am really looking forward to my visit to your farm!
Sincerely, Kathy J.
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Subject: Thanks!
Dear Morgado,
Just want to thank you again for such a wonderful experience at Morgado. You were so very kind and helpful....we felt completely at home and welcome. It was a real privilege to be your only guests and to have an intensive riding and watching experience with someone so talented as Rodrigo. He and the staff were such a pleasure to be around. He was patient, yet firm in his approach and Ruth and I both felt we learned a lot with him. I hope you take time to care for yourself, as I think you give your all to everyone else! Best regards from Victoria and again thanks for a memorable experience!
Kathy J. Canada 11/2004
PS I miss all the lovely fish dishes and the Morgado special sauce!

Dear Morgado,
I am having a wonderful time here at Morgado Lusitano.  Beautiful horses to ride, a country full of history, culture, friendly people, flying changes and a never ending stream of red wine!  What more could one want from life?!  Talk to you soon.
Sabine C.  California, October 2004

Dear Morgado,
I just returned from three weeks at Morgado and upon reviewing your website I want to tell you not to change a thing!  I had a great time and look forward to learning from Rodrigo again soon.
Darlena L. Guatemala 

Dear Morgado,
My experience at Morgado was to put it quite simply.... my best travel experience to date. I would go back there in a minute. The people  (Anna Teresa, Joao, Rodrigo and ALL the staff at Morgado) were amazing. They made us feel right at home like part of the extended family.
The riding experience was everything I had anticipated and then some. I was able to ride upper level movements never attempted before such as tempis, piaffe and passage. It was like a dream come true!!! The horses (especially Hercules) were fabulous.
The food and the lodging were also superb. I can't wait to go back. It was everything you said it would be. Portugal is a definite hidden treasure. Thank-you soo much!!!!!
Lisa D.  Canada

Dear Morgado,
It was nice to hear from you yesterday. Yes, I had a wonderful time. The staff was so warm and friendly, and extremely helpful. Ana Teresa meet us as we arrived and took us out for dinner, and told us all the things one would want to know. She made sure we had great meals, and were entertained each day. Bill and I enjoyed where we stayed. Our hostess was friendly and very happy to serve us breakfast when ever we wanted. My husband enjoyed the pool and the highlight of his day was walking down for lunch at the restaurant.
Of course the riding for me was the highlight of my stay. Even though I truly did enjoy the wonderful lunches. In fact, the food at Morgado was the best food we found all over Portugal, and we ate in Posadas most of the time. I had all the riding I could handle. I did have my two lessons a day, and was offered any horse I wanted to ride, which of course I took advantage of. 
The horses were all very well trained, and I was able to do FEI work on many of the older ones, and practice training methods on the younger ones. My next horse will definitely be a Lusitano, as I found that they are so easy to ride, so smart, so gentle, and so beautiful!
In short, my Morgado trip was every bit all that was advertised, and more. I would surely recommend the adventure to anyone, serious or casual horseman, as well as anyone who is not riding, there are scores of things to do during the week.
I hope this helps give you some information to use for the web page. Let me know if you ever have Rodrigo over to your place, I'd love to drive up and participate in an event. 
Sharon M.   California

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The Morgado Lusitano training Center

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How well must you ride?

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Introducing the Horses

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Learning from a Master

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Housing Accommodations

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Prices

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Suggested Reading

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Request Form