While on the island of Sal, we went horse riding with Santa Marilha Horse Excursions. They began when Carlotta and Teo decided to help horses whose owners could no longer afford to take care of them. Over the last decade, their stable has slowly adopted many beautiful horses found all over the islands of Cape Verde, and beyond. Thanks to them, unwanted Cape Verdean horses now have a home and are well looked after.
Horse-riding has caught on with visitors to the Cape Verdean islands in recent years. However, they were an integral part of the Cape Verdean economy during colonial times. Initially, horses were brought in from Europe to be traded on the islands. Eventually, to meet the booming demand for horses on the African continent, the locals started breeding horses on the islands themselves. Some descendants of these horses are still roaming wild on the islands.
Sunset Horse Ride on the Island of Sal
With Santa Marilha, we booked a “Romantic Ride”. It took us across the golden dunes of Sal Island. The experience ended with a bottle of wine and a blanket, upon which we relaxed and watched the Sun dip below the horizon. Leading the way was our chief guide, Ana, originally from Finland. Several years ago, she came to Cape Verde on holiday and decided never to leave, trading a dull retail job for a life of adventure with horses under the warm island sun. “All my friends keep telling me how jealous they are that I’m living my dream, here, on Cape Verde”, she told us. “I told them they could do it too. They just have to do it. It’s actually that simple.”
The ride was beautiful, and the sunset a memorable one. But the best thing about the excursion was meeting Teo, Carlotta and their team. I loved hearing their tales about how they came to acquire, and care for, the horses we rode on. All in all, the story of Santa Marilha is a truly inspiring one.
