1967-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1967 April Voice RS | Page 21

Bermuda Businessman
Promotes Walking Horses
In Vacation Paradise
SADDLING ALONG—Ralph Terciera, Bermudas foremost
Walking Horse enthusiast is pictured on GOLDEN MON­
ARCH, his favorite mount, as he shows a crowd of interested
horse enthusiasts the famous, easy-going walking gait of the
Tennessee Walking Horse.
Mr. M. Ralph Terciera is a leading business figure in
Bermuda. He owns a taxi cab company, a garage for
servicing these cabs and other cars, plus being a large
producer in the dairy cattle business on the island. If
this seems a bit unrelated to the Walking Horse business,
it is. But there is another side to this busy man’s life
that is all Walking Horses.
Mr. Terciera owns Walking Horses and has imported
many from Middle Tennessee for other horse fans on the
island of Bermuda. Through his various activities with
horses in Bermuda, he has become the number one
promoter of the breed on the island.
Horses are nothing new to Mr. Terciera. He was
born around horses and, as a boy, he was given the chore
of caring for the horses in his father’s livery stable. His
love for horses stemmed from this every-day task and
persists to this day. Over the years, Mr. Terciera learned
to care for and ride horses quite well. But recently his
major interest has been importing the horses from the
United States to satisfy the increasing demand in this
famous vacation spot.
Importing horses into Bermuda was not Mr. Terciera’s
original intention. It happened that he wanted a horse
of his own, so he went to the United States and brought
one back. Many other people became interested in own­
ing horses as a result and Mr. Terciera began making
several trips a year to the states to purchase horses for
these people.
Importing horses is not as easy as it may sound. They
are not famous for their ability as sailors and sea sickness
as well as cramped limbs are quite a nuisance. However,
these problems are rarely serious and are quickly taken
care of by a veterinarian.
Mr. Terciera also brings in saddles, bridles, other
horse equipment and western clothing to sell. Mr. Terciera
is his own best advertisement since he can usually be
noticed because of his cowboy clothing.
The pride and joy of Mr. Terciera is a beautiful
Tennessee Walking Horse named ADMIRATION’S
GOLDEN MONARCH. He has owned this horse for a
number of years and vows he will never sell it. He has
won numerous shows with this prize horse and also
gains great enjoyment by riding for relaxation.
It is with great pleasure that Mr. Terciera regards
the interest in horses increasing in Bermuda. This, he
felt, has come about largely through the efforts of the
Bermuda Horse and Pony Association. The riding aspect
of horses has increased many times over during the past
few years, and more and more children are wanting
horses. Adults have also taken a more active interest in
horses and arc enjoying it tremendously.
Mr. Terciera is married and the proud father of
three fine children. They are very interested in horses
and are learning a lot about them from their very active
father.
Mr. Terciera thinks the Walking Horse is the ideal
horse for Bermuda. “They can be ridden with a minimum
of effort, and nothing relaxes one more than riding a
Walking Horse,” said Mr. Terciera. “We get pretty busy
around here,” he said, looking around his office where
he controls his many interests. “But when the pressure
becomes unbearable I take off for ten or fifteen minutes
and by the time I get to Flatts all my worries have gone.
It is difficult to explain to someone who does not ride,
but the graceful rhythm of the Walking Horse seems to
take all the tensions from your body.”
Needless to say, Mr. Ralph Terciera is a very busy
man. His love for horses and his interest in their future
are very important to him. In a sense he is a pioneer for
the Walking Horse in Bermuda, and a very good one at
that. The VOICE would like to urge Mr. Terciera to
continue his fine work for the breed and thank him for
his many efforts in the past.