# Dressage without a bridle.



## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Haha, the poor horse looks so confused. Very impressive though


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## Royal Affair (Jun 2, 2009)

^mhm...The whole time he's like canter now? Very good job though dressage is hard enough with a bit.

Is she riding with a bridle in her hand? I would have just ditched the bridle and tied a string around is neck.


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

Thats very impressive!

I have to agree though he looked confused


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## SpiritJordanRivers (May 31, 2009)

That is EXTREMELY impressive! Of course he's gonna get a little bit confused. Bridleless is HARD. Without the neck-rope you would loose collection almost completely if not completely.


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## welshpony15 (May 20, 2009)

That is amazing stuff!!


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

I would love to someday do that with my horse Gunther, how did you start?


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## Sixxofdiamonds (May 7, 2009)

Equestriun said:


> I would love to someday do that with my horse Gunther, how did you start?



This video isn't of me. You can see it below in the video section titled "Bridle-less again" or something of the like.

Honestly? I just took his bridle off, and he did it. HOWEVER, I trained him from a yearling, he is 11 years old now and I could ride around just fine with just a halter and a lead or his bridle on his face and reins tied to the saddle horn. He was trained western pleasure, so he's used to having no rein contact.

A few weeks ago, I decided to hop on him when he was standing around (with no tack, no saddle or anything) and he listened pretty well. We only really walked and did a bit of a trot. So I decided to give it a go with a saddle and asked him to do all other things.


The biggest thins is knowing how to stop without reins. You have to teach your horse that a 'whoa' means to stop NO MATTER WHAT! If I say 'whoa' to Java, he will stop, whether I'm on him with a bridle, halter, no tack or standing on the ground.


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

Yeah, I watched some videos of you riding. It's amazing. I've had my horse Gunther sicne birth but he is only 4, so I would love to get where you are with your boy! Did you train him since birth or had help?

Your doing a great job, I'm jealous.


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## Sixxofdiamonds (May 7, 2009)

Equestriun said:


> Yeah, I watched some videos of you riding. It's amazing. I've had my horse Gunther sicne birth but he is only 4, so I would love to get where you are with your boy! Did you train him since birth or had help?
> 
> Your doing a great job, I'm jealous.


I've trained him since he was yearling myself. So almost from birth!


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

I thought they looked pretty good. Might not have been the cleanest test or the best performed one, but I would love to see most of you doing it as good as she did it WITH a bridle.

They did very well! thank you for sharing it.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Hahahahaha, OMG!

What a small world! This was my Dressage coach Elaine Banfield, and she did the pattern on her old as the hills gelding Earl Grey.  It's on her webpage, she just got him back recently and he's well into his twenties. 

My grandpa actually taught her how to ride, and I was stable manager at her barn for about a year until her and her husband split up. I bred my Arab mare to her Hanoverian stallion Icarus. If you go to her training section, he's the first picture (black stud). Here's the link to the section that has the video.

Elaine Banfield Equine Services


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

It is a small, small world.


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