Freedom Dressage

Hey people!
Is there anyone else who does 'freedom dressage'
(you can also call it tricktraining, but I think it might be the wrong word, If I think about tricktraining I see horses doing their tricks in a circus, when I say freedom dressage I see a horse without any tack listening to its trainer)

In this treath we can discuss the training and show pictures/movies

I would love to start tricktraining. I'm unable to ride at the moment, and would love to teach Denny some tricks that he could do while I'm on the ground. Do you have any suggestions, Visibre? I would love to learn how to do the tricks you recommend. He's a very willing horse.

You might start the best with some easy ground training,
Teach your horse the simple commands like: walk, trot, galop, whoah and back.
When you have those basics you can start with the basic tricks like jambette (hold a leg in the air) and the bow ;)

I don't do tricktaining, I just ride norm. Dressage, but I think it would be fun to do that.... but.... I have a mare, and she is SUPER independant, like, it took 4 hours to join up with her, and even then, if she doesnt feel like doing that she wil go for a gallop wihout you, haha silly horse. But ayway, she doesnt usually like to stop. I ride her with a rope around her neck sometimes just for fun, and she responds to it well, even though she doesnt want to stop, haha. I've don lots of groundwork with her and stuff... so, what could I do to get her to only want to be around me when she's loose?

First, stop the join up.
I'm really against it because its like:
If you follow me, you can join my 'herd' if you don't follow me, you can seek it out alone.
So that's a bit cruel, maybe it looks friendly, but its really un nessesary.

You can start with a halster and a rope, and just do some groundwork.
Make your horse watch your moves, let your horse know that you are really playing with him, but don't stop him in its moves, if he wants to run away, let him. But go to him a few minutes later to stroke him and talk to him.

When your horse is nice and focused on you, you can start with the tricks and the real groundwork basics ;)

Ok, thanks, can I PM after I've worke with that for a while?

I liek the 'if she wants to run away, let her' thing, I was reading the book 'gallop to freedom' I don't know if you've heard about it, I like it. And the author said that exact thing.

Do you have any good exercises or websites/trainers you recommend?
Thanks.

Sure, you can always PM me ;)

Sorry, I don't know any trainers...
I wish I knew :P

I use a lot training of different ideas, like classic dressage, a few things of monty roberts and a few things of parelli,
But I mix it all up to a nice cocktail perfect for the horse I'm working with ;)

I really want to do some trick training! I have started by teaching my horse to give kisses and pick up things on command. I really want to teach him how to bow, but it has been hard for us. I have tried holding a carrot between his legs and bringing this leg up and back but it just doesnt seem to be working so well :(

Is that you and your horse in your dp?
If so wow that horse looks soo pretty :)
I would love to learn the how tos as well

I would like to learn. Before my BLM Mustang would let me handle her, she began responding to voice commands such as walk, back, and "hoof"- which she used to ask for food by raising her front leg out in front of her. Definitely fun!