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If you have been following the Fortunato Files, you won’t be surprised I am learning a brand new thing. (As always, it turns out to be less about dressage and more about living and leading.)   I smelled trouble when my trainer, Erin Bell, recently appeared carrying a lunge line. We only use the line […]

With a goal of getting organized and moving forward, this horse will drop me to the right and slide to the left. We wiggle and drift side to side.  This is when I hear my instructor’s voice in my head. “Find your structure! No matter what he does, you are immovable. Your structure supports him – it […]

The inspiration for The Fortunato Files is a gorgeous rescue who is teaching me more about trust, partnership, courage and leadership than I ever imagined possible. He’s a Spanish Line Back Dun (very smart and a little sarcastic). Fortunato has a BIG personality. He also has tricks. (A few I’ve taught him, but most are […]

The first time I met him, I knew. I had been waiting for him my entire life, and there he was. I knew this was a dream come true. I did not know how much I had to learn, how brave I’d have to be or how far we had to go. I did not […]