Centro Equestre Vale do Lima

THE HORSE WHISPERER

 

Despite losing jis right arm in a tractor accident, horse lover Filipe Pimenta has become one of Portugal's most celebrated trainers of the famous Lusitano breed. Roger Green visits his equestrian centre in northern Portugal to record his amazing success story.

At 30 years of age, Filipe Pimenta has achieved what many others might take a lifetime to accomplish. And he has done it against extraordinary odds.

His uncanny skills in training Lusitano and Garrano Horses for dressage and other disciplines (like bullfighting) have earned him the title of the "Horse Whisperer of Portugal" after the famous Hollywood film based on the bestselling novel by Nicholas Evans.

Equestrians from all over Portugal and abroad, including champion dressage riders and bullfighters, come to Filipe's centre to buy his handsome Lusitano horses, wich have been trained to perfection in dressage techniques. And there is money in this business too - a well-trained Lusitano can sell for as much as 100.000 euros.