# Our adventures - Bitless dressage from the start



## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

*Welcome to my journal!*


Because someone in my "Welcome"-thread suggested to I decided that I should start a journal. 


The most important part of this journey will be this sweet fella:










*Name:* Boromir (Stud name: Bellagio)
*DOB:* 14th of April 2019
*Breed: *Westphalian (although pedigree is mainly Hanoveranian, with almost no TB blood)
*Sire:* Callaho's Benicio (by Belissimo M)
*Sire of Dam:* Show Star (by Sandro Hit)

He is the first horse I bred myself, leased the mare and chose the stallion to breed a dressage horse that could potentially fullfill my wishes intead of having to deal with a hypermobile, nervous "dressage-ship"(how we call them in Germany).


I want to train him according to classic principles, inspired by people such as Branderup, Steinbrecht etc. but bitless, which is still pretty rare over here in Europe and is often looked down upon as not being a "proper" way to train your horse.
For any groundwork I prefer to work with clicker/mainly positive reinforcement, especially concerning medical-training, and do everything from lunging, to long-rein work and freework.


I would love to also, one day, participate in one or two Working Equitation competitions, but we'll see how the rulebook is looking then concerning bitless bridles (so far they're still allowed in 3 out of 5 classes).

That's it for now, as we don't do a lot together because he still lives 370km away, but I'll visit a stable here next saturday that looks perfect for us(and is close to the sea, yay!) where I'd stable him from autumn(next year) on.

Here are some more pictures showing his development in his first year inkunicorn:
























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## Aprilswissmiss (May 12, 2019)

Following! All his flashy white is absolutely stunning.


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Thank you! 
His sire is flashy like that as well, but a liver chestnut  











I've taken, and lost, a bet that with my luck he'll be a completely solid black horse.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

He's beautiful, good luck with all your plans.


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Thank you, so far he has been nothing but lovely.
He has a great temperament, very calm and courageous for his age, we'll see if he stays that way 

I miss how small and cuddly he was though.

This is the first time I've met him, at 3 days old, and he believed he was a lap dog and looooved neck and back scratches.
(Pls. ignore how heavy I looked, was quite sick for months at the time and gained 30kg in 2-3 months thanks to staying in hospitals and heavy medication. I'm good now, but it was a tough time)

He was his dams first foal and she was just lovely, absolutely trustful in people, but kept other horses at bay, really great.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Awww, I love this.  So cool! I ride bitless 99% of the time anymore - I prefer it actually. Can't wait to follow your journal!


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

PoptartShop said:


> Awww, I love this.  So cool! I ride bitless 99% of the time anymore - I prefer it actually. Can't wait to follow your journal!



Thank you 

For the record. I am not against riding your horse with a bit, in fact, if he prooves to be overly sensitive on the nose and indicates that he does not like bitless training at all, I'd obviously switch. But the plan is to go completely without a bit, just as some sort of advocacy and to show people that it is in fact possible to train your dressage horse properly without a piece of iron in its mouth


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## Palfrey (May 29, 2020)

Well he certainly has the bloodlines to be a fantastic dressage horse! I wish you all the best!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Same here, I am also not against bits! I just prefer going bitless and sometimes I do ride in a bit (a very gentle one), but my mare definitely responds even better without one lol. I agree. 

So exciting!  I love all the pictures!


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Thank you, guys :loveshower:

I'm very excited for everything as well. Hope I can manage to visit the stable where I want to board him from next year on. It's decently close to the Northern Sea so we might even get some beach pictures here at some point:runninghorse2:


Currently he is just enjoying life back in Germany with his half-brother (also Benicio son), two fillies and a couple broodmares.
(not the best pics but I still like them)

His tail is growing strongly, mane not so much. Guess that's what you get for having a warmblood 
































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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Following. Not that I tend to follow people's journals but I'm another bitless-but-not-dead-against-bits person. Looking forward a few years, to when you're doing bridleless dressage with him!


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

I am already very excited about it as well 

He's got his feet done today. I love how his brother is standing in the back, checking if they do it all properly.

He seems so big already, I hope I can visit him in december and check his actual height.







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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Just came back from the stable and it truly is what I was looking for.

They have 2 small groups (á 7 horses) in paddock trails (daily meadow access), but also have the opportunity to seperate in case of sickness or injury. They have a small indoor arena, a bigger outer one and a roundpen. The horses have access to hay 24/7, additional food can be fed if need be. I'm also very happy that it rained non-stop so that I could immediately see what it is like under "bad circumstances".
All in all I really like it and feel like this could be the place for Boromir and I (and me? I am not sure which word to use here, please send help :'D). ​


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I'm thrilled that you actually asked for grammar help. No one ever does anymore. It' me. Read that sentence without " Boromir and". It will tell you what sounds correct.


May I offer one more bit of , this time unsolicited, advice; please don't have your posts center justified. It is hard to read. Left justified is standard, and thus easiest to read.


Best of luck on finding the right place for your handsome horse.


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Hey, thank you.

Sometimes it is the easier things which confuse me :'D


I thought centering the post would help differentiating between journal entry and replies. I'll keep your advice in mind though, thanks


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

It sounds like the barn will be a good fit for you guys, that's awesome to hear!  The 24/7 forage is really good too - very important. Sounds like it's a winner!!


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Got these pictures today. Really like the way his colour slightly shifts when he starts to get his winter fur.

I was also always believing that I for sure would cut him a mohawk when I start riding him, but seeing him with a long mane like that kinda wants me to keep it long inkunicorn:


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

He is just the cutest! I love the pictures!


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Meadow season is over and now he is back at his main stable for the cold months.

He also needed a new halter and is just overall growing so quickly it's almost scary
Here a picture with his girl and for the first time ever dirty legs 









He also seems to not pay the biggest attention to his peers and takes his time to notice when they leave him behind 😂


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Is he only stabled over night, or full time? Dunno how people find the time to give a horse adequate exercise when they're cooped up. Esp for a young horse's hoof development - they just don't develop without lots.


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Yes... I'll definitely exercise a one year old. Very good idea. 
Over night in an open stable, during the day on one of 2 different paddocks.


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Hey.
I know it has been quite some time since I posted.
A lot has happened. I moved back to Germany, got diagnosed with cancer and am cancer free since the first of August. (have to do testing every three months to make sure we find new cancerous cells asap, but we obviously all hope for none of them to "come back" ever)

I moved back to northern Germany and already found a nice stable where he will move in in April 2022.
I don't know what you'd call that concept in English so I am going to try to explain it as well as I can.
We call it "Aktivstall". The horses live in groups and can choose if they want to go inside or on the paddock. 
Feeding goes automatic, but is still calculated on whatever each individual horse needs, this requires the horses to wear neck colars which contain chips so that the horses can get food in the "feeding boxes"(only one horse fits) when they need to. This makes it possible to make each portion very small, which is good for the horses stomach. They also are required to move some distance to get from the sleeping area, to get something to drink and to get hey or concentrated feed. 
During the summer months they can also visit big pasture.
I really liked how diverse the herds were. One had Shetlands. Icelandic, Quarter, Arabians, Knabstrupper, Appaloosa, Paints, Haflinger and some German Warmbloods. While the other had German Warmbloods, AQH and some draft horses. 

As for training, they have one riding arena, two indoor riding arenas(although one is primarily used for freework or beginners riding lessons).
Trail riding is a bit complicated but if you load up and drive for like 10 minutes there is great outdoors (the stable is somewhat close to the northern sea), people do this quite frequently.

The trainer there is great as well. 
Seems like our direction really will be western(californian influenced. I don't know if Dysli f.e. is a popular name across the pond), there are already some German Warmbloods who are being ridden in californian hackamore/bosal already, so I am glad that my boy will not be the first of his kind.
If everything works out, I might even show him in SSH next year(not AQHA obviously but EWU).
As for ridden competitions, I'd like, depending on how much he likes it, to show in Ranch Riding, Trail and Western Riding. If offered in my area I might visit some Working Equitation competitions as well. Western Dressage is non-existent over here, so we won't compete in that area.


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Most recent pictures of him.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I'm familiar with that feeding system, I have long used automatic feeders here in So Cal. It is not at all like your system, I have a corral in my back yard and have two automatic feeders that I fill up, and they dispense at programmed times. 

I'd be interested to know how you and your horse like your auto system.


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