While looking for a Dremel tool for Trixie’s nails we came across a ceramics show in what appeared to be a former church in the twisting cart-tracks of the Medieval Centre of Viana. Huge stones, 10 meter ceilings with massive beams and a cavernous-you-better-be-good feel, you Portuguese sinners in this day of our lord 1400 AD. For the moment though it is a gallery of quite vigorous work by student ceramicists from all over Europe…France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, they’ve come to a course taught by a noted Portuguese and all the work was accomplished here in Viana do Castelo in commercial factory kilns. Very cool concept and the students were brimming with pride.
Then Linda discovered a beautiful dressage barn where she will commence lessons next week. She is giddy and today we shop for boots, jodhpurs and half chaps. The goat is the barn’s ambassador, although when new people come around she must be put away shortly because of her enthusiasm. She’s very pretty to my eye; she has that, “Would you like to take me for a coffee perhaps, or a glass of wine?” look.
While this is a traditional dressage barn, there are two whole rows of stalls containing big elegant gray Lusitano studs and I noticed quite a few traditional Portuguese saddles and so perhaps Linda will become enamored of that style of riding. While it is considered dressage too, or there is a bull-fighting style as well, the rider always remains very erect and the saddles have a pronounced cantle and more shape to them than a dressage saddle or even a hunt seat. They also use much longer stirrup leathers, so that one has more leg on the horse and it is a position more similar to the western style Linda knows best. It’s very handsome to see and looks to be more comfortable than conventional “English” dressage style. But then, I’m from Texas; don’t pay me no nevermind. But all this does make me want some of my horses back.
