# Hello from Belgium!



## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

Hey hey.

I'm a German who just moved to Belgium and own a 1 1/2 year old westphalian(For anyone interested he is bred: Callaho's Benicio X Show Star X Renoir II) gelding. 
He is the first horse I bred myself(I leased a mare) and he is everything I wanted him to be. Already shows an extemely calm and friendly mind, which he prooved already at only 4 months old during the foal examination/show, and his gaits are good but he is not, like so many dressage horses today, hypermobile and ehm... "flashy".





















I started riding as a child, more at bad schools at first.Then found great riding instructors (portuguese) with awesome schooling horses where I got private lessons for cleaning stables, then I got a leasing horse who was ridden western ("californian style") and sticked to that until recently, during that period I also made a carriage license learning from one of Germanys national trainers and then had a short break (for money reasons).

Shortly after my mother and I got a standarbred, young, badly fed and cared for, but was obviously trained for racing before he was treated that poorly(he stayed too small so they never showed him). He taught me groundwork and how to stay calm with a young horse who feels the need to show off. We had the most fun doing longrein-work but my mother and I decided to sell him as soon as we broke him in as I started serving in the military and she didn't want to care for him alone.

3 years later, here we are.

The plan for me and Bellagio is to delve into the Academic Art of Riding, which I am interested in since I'm 14 but never found a trainer and basically worked completely on what books and video material could give me. Luckily the instructors in the stable I want to board him from next year on have a trainer and proper conditions for horses to live, meaning enough space to be outside with other horses 24/7 and loads of hay (Which is insanely difficult to find in this area of the country, especially if you also want a riding arena). 
I want to train him completely bitless, unless he shows clearly that he does not like it then I'd obviously would switch to a bit, and show him sometimes in Working Equitation. My main goal is to have a relaxed and healthy horse for long trail rides and nice allround work in the arena.


I joined this forum to have chats and civil discussions with equestrians from all around the globe and to possibly make bitless "classical" riding more visible.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Welcome to the Forum!!


Such a beautiful youngster.
I look forward to reading of your adventures as you grow together as a team.


Might I suggest you start a journal that would be your place to keep all your information as a online diary many of us can read and follow along with...
Something to consider...:smile:


_Welcome again..._
:runninghorse2:...


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

I'd love that, but I believe it makes more sense when I start writing a journal from next year on as that is when I get him closer to me.
As for now he still lives his best life with his half-brother of the same age, 2 fillies and 3 broodmares 370km away so posting journal entries frequently would be challenging at the moment.


Bellagio is his name on paper though, the dam owner convinced me to because for some time I considered selling him, but the more I got to know him the less I wanted to and for half a year now it is completely out of the picture and will stay that way, which is why I'm changing his name to Boromir to satisfy my nerdy self and because I find it more fitting in general, but I'm not used to writing that name instead of Bellagio yet :'D


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## BitlessSporthorse (Sep 10, 2020)

I specifically chose his sire because he is known for producing, calm and level-headed and very ridable horses.
And the day he proved that stereotype of the most was at the foal examination. He did not care for the strange new place or the other foals who went crazy and neighed constantly. He was happy and content and at some point just a bit tired and wanted to sleep.
Didn't go crazy in the show ring and couldn't care any less about the vet injecting him with the chip.


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