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Riding bitless and barefoot

5K views 30 replies 13 participants last post by  DuffyDuck 
#1 · (Edited)
#2 ·
That's a great exercise to get a horse soft and responsive. It's good when using a bit too.

I've trained our TWH, Lucy, bitless from the beginning. She's only had a bit in her mouth once and that was just to see if she would accept it. It was never used. She's not as good or even close to that horse in the vid but I don't ride her very much. She's more of a pasture ornament because of her injuries after her birth.

Our other horses use bits but we can also ride them in just a halter and lead rope. Just not as much control.
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#4 ·
I can ride most of my horses with a leadrope around their necks, the younger/hotter ones I can ride with a halter and then once they're relaxed a bit more, I can go to the leadrope. And they're never shoed. Except for the one time my mare somehow managed to crack her front hoof really bad, so we had her shoed in the front till it grew out.

I actually really want to buy a bridle like the one in the video to start my two fillies in.
 
#8 ·
Is that a western ride?

It looks like to me as if the guy hadn't choose between western riding and english riding...

Maybe when you drop the rein, it's a clear signal of release, but I can't see how one could be clear when you need to pick up the rein again...
 
#9 ·
Giving a big or exaggerated release gets the horse to become softer. If you look closely, he only lifts his hand outward without pulling directly on the horse unless the horse doesn't respond. The horse feels the change in the rein and responds. Since he's not really pulling on the rein or making contact, he needs to exaggerate his release so the horse can feel the difference.

It looks like an English saddle but does that mean he has to ride with constant contact? Maybe he's more comfortable in an English saddle and training it for someone that rides western. The horse has good form and is responding well so why put pressure on his face?
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#14 ·
I'm also bitless, barefoot and treeless. Have had my boy since a foal.

I liked the video. I like seeing a horse with no bit. The horse looks a bit tail swishy sometimes and the rider uses quite alot of exaggerated hand movements, but of course, I don't know how far this horse is in training so.....

I've heard alot of people like the dr. cooks, but when both reins are pulled it tightens around the nose and poll, as it has a head hugging action. I prefer a side pull personally. However, well done to this guy who has achieved this so far by himself. :)
 
#16 ·
I'm not really impressed. The horse didn't appear to back well at the first of the video. The rider is sloppy to the extreme. If you want a horse to be really light you have to be able to ride. You can't be flopping around and waving your arms. You should stay centered and keep your hands and arms close to your body. Giving exagerated releases doesn't help the horse a bit. Giving properly timed releases is what helps a horse. The video seems to be of an overconfident amatuer than someone that really knows what he's doing. Bitless and barefoot means nothing to me.
 
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#21 ·
You should blame me: I took this video and asked him to show, how to ride with light hand movements. I´m so used to ride with bits and just wanted to see how easily a horse can be ridden without bits.

He doesn´t normally ride with these vast hand movements. In this video he shows a human, not the horse, how easy one can ride without bits.

So send me those nasty comments.:wink:
 
#23 ·
Don't take people's comments too personally. That is one of the most hardest things with horse people - when someone asks you their opinion and you give them a honest, direct, straight-to-the-point answer based on the horse's best interest, then they don't like it and defend themselves and their initial actions and then give you sh*t why you are 'soooooo rude'. (Sorry - I'm going off on a rant... past experiences on another forum)

I think the video was good because I like the whole bitless thing. BUT the guy does need to improve. The horse tail swishes many times which is a negative thing caused by the wrong stimulus. The guy is unbalanced, his hands are too heavy etc. He needs to learn to be lighter, the horse needs to be given better cues in order to respond better.
But that's the whole idea of posting a video for people to comment on, right? In order to get better, in order to improve, in order to ask for others opinions so that it makes you better. Nothing nasty about that.

It ain't all negative. This guy has achieved alot already. The only thing he needs to achieve is more - which is all of our goal - is it not?
 
#25 ·
There bark is worse than their bite.

Honestly, anything people tell you take it as constructive, but research it- don't take someone on a forum's word for gospel.

As has been mentioned, the video was commented on, and everyone has their own opinion. Now you have explained the situation, the guy is doing fairly well, but then more experienced riders has seen the video and given some tips which is great :)
 
#27 ·
I said nothing nasty. I was honest in my critique and if that bothers you then don't ask for an opinion.
 
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