After 4 long days on the road we finally arrived in Tacuarembo.
I was tired and sore – after a month off the saddle, dealing with the bureaucracy of the border, I was no longer used to the long days of riding. But deep inside I was smiling like a kid. I love long riding! There’s nothing quite like seeing the kilometres slowly go by, while being immersed in nature and the great outdoors. Especially here in the Pampas!
Having Mario out there with me was also a real blessing! Cautiva and Andariega began gaining weight since I could give them feed every night, and I had a travelling partner. I had someone to cook with, talk, laugh and yell to when stuff went wrong. This makes all of the difference in the world!
Just after 3 pm I rode into Alvaro Indaburu’s ranch. The stunning property sat on a hill with a large pond serving as backdrop. On top of another hill behind the home was Alvaro’s large riding arena with tall trees lining both sides.
“Filipe welcome to your home for the next few days,” Alvaro said as we shook hands.
With broad shoulders and a large smile, I liked Alvaro right away. The reining competitor and instructor is one of the most renowned horseman in the entire country. He has not only won many prizes in Uruguay, he has also competed in Argentina and Brazil. He also lived in Texas where he trained some of the best Quarter Horses in the world.
“I was going to move to the USA, after spending 3 months there, they liked my work so much I was offered a full time job. But unfortunately after getting everything ready for the move, they denied my work Visa,” Alvaro told me with a painful gaze.
It was his life’s dream to work in the United States with the best reining trainers and horses in the world. It was his goal. And through his hard work and commitment to reining he gained the opportunity to turn it into a reality. But unfortunately due to an invisible border, that dream was torn away from his grasp when he could nearly touch it.
As a son of an immigrant family, I know all too well what he is feeling. When you sell your home, tell all of your friends you are moving to a different country, get ready emotionally and all of that falls apart, it feels like someone has punched you in the stomach – removed the floor beneath your feet – shot you in the heart.
But life moves on and so has Alvaro. After getting the sad news, he began looking for a new place to train and found this stunning property in Tacuarembo.
“Sometimes the universe works in mysterious ways,” he said as we walked up to his magnificent riding arena.
On a gorgeous sorrel mare, Alvaro showed me some reining tricks and even invited me to get on. I was smiling like a kid at a candy store.
I can’t thank Alvaro enough for his love and guidance while we were at his ranch. I learned a lot from this amazing man and it was an absolute pleasure meeting his family.
