When I heard that one of the world's top classical riding trainers was visiting the South West for clinics in June, I was hoping to watch but didn't expect a riding place.
Rodrigo da Costa Matos is a Principal rider at the legendary Escola Portuguesa d' Arte Equestre (Portuguese School of Equestrian Art) and a director of Morgado Lusitano, a top class classical riding facility just outside Lisbon. Then, equestrian author Jenny Rolfe invited me to take a riding place at her private Rodrigo clinic and Harry the Exmoor pony and Casper the Arabian were welcomed alongside the Andalusians and Lusitanos.
The inevitable butterflies before my first session with Casper disappeared the minute Rodrigo walked into the arena. He is a true horseman who puts you immediately at ease and genuinely wants you and your horse to improve. He teaches empathy and horsemanship and at the forefront of his training is kindness and respect for the horse, with no forced outlines. For someone like me, from a natural horsemanship background, this was the perfect way to experience a Classical riding clinic.
My arabian surprised me by focussing, keeping his head and even managed to stop looking at himself in the mirrors. Rodrigo concentrates fully on horse and rider, rather than the audience, and is reassuringly more concerned with impulsion, working through and forward into the contact and correct bend, than an immediate 'outline'. This relaxes and supples the horse, so we could progress to lateral work like shoulder in, leg yielding, half pass and then sitting trot - all with plenty of circles, changes of direction and transitions. After this, canter work was better as Casper was up together, light and accepting, and the session finished with him relaxed and stretching into a long rein.
After lunch, the spectator gallery was full – clearly no one was going to miss 'Rodrigo with the Exmoor pony.' Seven year old Harry eyed Jenny's majestic Andalusian stallions apprehensively on our way into the arena as they roared at him. 'How much lateral work have you done with your pony?' asked Rodrigo. 'Er, not a lot.' I replied to a raised eyebrow. I couldn't very well explain that Harry considers, in that very Exmoor way, that 'lateral work' is in the no-go zone. We started off with Rodrigo in at Harry's shoulder doing small circles with quarters out to get the correct lateral bend. I held my breath as Harry gave a small grunt but then something passed quietly between him and Rodrigo and he became as pliable, focussed and willing as Casper. Pretty amazing I can tell you.
Soon Harry was starting to do shoulder in and counter shoulder in, leg yielding and half pass at walk and then trot. By this time I thought I was dreaming. 'Sit' said Rodrigo as we trotted past and I was wide awake again. I'd never done sitting trot on Harry and the subsequent slight tension told me he was deciding whether to buck or bolt. I did a couple of steps of rising trot. 'Sit' said Rodrigo and I sat. 'Sorry, mate but I'm more scared of him than you.' I said to Harry, who rose to the occasion and there we were doing sitting trot. After this the canter transitions were easier as Harry was working through from behind and over his topline, lifting in front. He also finished the session relaxed on a long rein and accepted a pat on the rump from Rodrigo. 'I like your pony. He has good conformation and is very intelligent, very trainable.' Harry brought out that little bit of 'pony hugger' in Jenny's esteemed audience and strutted out past her stallions with his head high.
 
Harry the Exmoor at Rodrigos clinic in Devon
I had assimilated a lot during the sessions and the clarity of the instruction was something that stayed with me afterwards, enabling continued improvement. In fact, Harry and I won our M&M ridden class the following weekend and the judge came over and said 'A stunning improvement - what have you been doing?' As you can imagine, I wanted to learn more and, last week, I flew out to Portugal for three days of instruction with Rodrigo at Morgado Lusitano.
This slice of Portuguese heaven, on the outskirts of Lisbon and overlooking the scenic Tejo estuary, centres around the beautiful Quinta de Portella estate house, where guests enjoy comfortable accommodation, warm hospitality and the run of the house. Morgado is home to around 25 elegant Lusitano stallions, schooled to Grand Prix level, some of whom are made available to guests who can demonstrate a decent level of equitation and a desire to improve their riding and who want to experience high school movements. It’s professional and friendly, with enthusiastic working students from all over the world, keen to progress under Rodrigo’s world class tuition.
However, I sailed pretty close to the wind on the first morning, not being able to ride one side of my Lusitano stallion as he meandered off the side of the arena, ignoring my 'aids'. 'These are advanced horses and they will only listen to correct aids' said Rodrigo. Ouch! Furthermore, rather proud of my sitting trot at home, I bounced into orbit on the stallion's huge movement, and caused him to gnash his teeth at my walk to canter aids.
It was time to lock my ego in the suitcase and learn. Rodrigo is quiet, kind and encouraging, but you don't want to waste a second of your time with him so I became a sponge, soaking up all the knowledge possible. I rode three different stallions and by the last morning, was able to muster enough equitation to receive some praise from Rodrigo. This was prized as I'd asked him to talk to me like the working students not the guests, so he did...
There is no doubt that Rodrigo Matos is a master trainer and anyone interested in riding beautifully should try to spend some time with him while he takes a two year sabbatical from the Portuguese School to teach at Morgado and at clinics all around the world. To concrete my dedication to riding well, the manager of Morgado organised a trip to see the Picadores of the Portuguese School – a fantastic experience not to be missed!
I'm certainly making a return visit - but only after I've done my considerable homework – ‘Hours and hours of experience – it’s the only way to get your seat.’ says Rodrigo. (See the Morgado review and visit www.rideinportugal.com)
 
Riding the Lusitano stallions
For more information on Exmoor ponies, seeExmoor Pony Editorial Section
For more information on Morgado Lusitano, see the Morgado Review and the Morgado Lusitano Web Page or visit www.morgadolusitano.pt
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