点评:I was really looking forward to this ride, but unfortunately it turned out to be very disappointing.
For context, I’ve ridden and competed for most of my life, so I came in with experience and high hopes. When we arrived, there was no one there to greet us or provide direction as to where to go, and communication with João beforehand had already been quite difficult. I’d repeatedly asked specific questions about the horses’ welfare and experience but only received information about pricing in response.
Despite requesting an advanced horse, I was given a mare who, I later discovered mid-ride, was six months pregnant. She was clearly struggling on the steep terrain, and I was very uncomfortable continuing once I found out. I would never have agreed to ride a pregnant horse, and I strongly feel this is something riders should be informed about in advance so they can make an ethical choice. It really impacted my experience with feeling guilt towards the horse.
The ride was largely on road and the lead rider wasn’t remotely engaged or welcoming - they didn’t ask any of us questions about our background or interest in horses and spent much of the ride on their phone.
For the price, the experience felt poorly organised, impersonal, and inconsiderate of both the riders and the horses’ wellbeing.
Really disappointing given the potential this place has to offer if more care and professionalism were shown.
The next day I went to Equitur, further east of the island, and had a significantly better experience and ride.
翻译:我原本非常期待这次骑行,但很遗憾,结果却令人大失所望。
我骑马和参加比赛的时间几乎贯穿了我的一生,所以我带着丰富的经验和很高的期望而来。然而,当我们到达时,却没有人迎接我们,也没有人指引方向。而且,之前与João的沟通也相当困难。我反复询问有关马匹福利和经验的具体问题,但得到的回复却只有价格信息。
尽管我要求骑乘一匹经验丰富的马,但最终却被安排了一匹母马。后来在骑行途中,我才发现这匹马已经怀孕六个月了。她显然在陡峭的地形上举步维艰,得知此事后,我感到非常不安,无法继续骑行。我绝不会同意骑乘一匹怀孕的马,我强烈认为骑手应该事先被告知这一情况,以便他们做出合乎道德的选择。这件事让我对这匹马产生了深深的愧疚感,也影响了我的骑行体验。
骑行路线大部分都在公路上,领队骑手丝毫没有热情友好的态度——他没有询问我们任何人的背景或对马匹的兴趣,而且大部分时间都在玩手机。
就这个价格而言,这次体验感觉组织混乱、缺乏人情味,而且完全不顾及骑手和马匹的福祉。
考虑到这个地方如果能展现出更多的关怀和专业精神,它本可以做得更好,所以这次的体验真的令人失望。
第二天,我去了岛东边的Equitur,体验和骑行都好得多。