Anyone for a Salad?
Wednesday, 1 November 2000
We worked on the rising trot, including a few more "circles". Another student joined the class at this point and we spent some time in the sitting trot without stirrups. That was just perfect because I had received Heather's video the previous day. I had barricaded myself in my room and trotted to my heart's content. Now I had the opportunity to put the "training" into practice on a horse, and I was quite happy with the results.
At this point yet another student joined in for a lunge lesson on Jubileu. This was when I started noticing a change in Catraia. She (who is not a particularly forward horse) became too responsive to the leg and I even had to slow her down to prevent her from cantering instead of trotting (now that's a first!).
Was she trying to impress Jubileu? After all he is a big handsome horse (he is 17+ hands, remember? 
). In the end I concluded that she was in fact responding to the lunge whip in Francisco's hand.
Watching myself on video, later that day, I was quite surprised. I could see that my position still needs a bit of work. My posting, even if it feels a lot better, more relaxed with better freedom of the lower leg, is still too forceful and I could pretty well see why Francisco kept telling me to use the horse's motion and not to jump myself (I really was all over the place!). On a more positive note, I just couldn't believe in my motion in the canter. I thought I was rowing too much with the shoulders but on the screen I could see my shoulders and head quite motionless, while my lower back and arms were keeping up with the horse's motion.
So far I had no way to prove my inabilities. You all just had to believe my words. But, as you have seen, I now have proof! I have two more photos for you. I accept orders for printed copies by email. I take Visa or AMEX !
Pedro Fortunato
Lisbon, Portugal
