dressagenaturally

The best bit to use on your horse is what the horse finds comfortable and that the horse understands.

That give you a pretty good range of choices.

It also gives you good questions to ask yourself when choosing a bit:

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁?
D𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁?

For example there may be a bit that gives great tongue relief, and the horse is quiet when carrying it, but when they feel pressure from it they curl behind the vertical... The signal is creating more confusion or working against the message you are trying to give.

These questions work for bitless bridles too.

I once tried a bitless bridle that had straps that connected to the reins that crossed diagonally under the jaw and all my horses were totally confused by that.

I`ve seen bitless bridles that `work` but they have strong metal edges on the noseband, or they use leverage where the noseband becomes tighter, or the cheek pieces roll up into the horse`s eyes when turning.

So when choosing a bit or bitless bridle start with those questions.

But I can`t leave you without sharing something else to think about when it comes to riding with the reins.

In my humble experience these statements have, so far, always been true:

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨,
t𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚`𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙤 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨,
t𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚`𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙩.

So remember, when making choices about any equipment: Look at the bigger picture.

Everything improves when trust and communication improve and most of that has nothing to do with equipment. 🤗

With that said...

🐴 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸’𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁: 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻`𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗹𝗲
This simple, elegant, and functional Dressage, Naturally Bitless Bridle was designed by Karen. Made from quality english bridle leather, it has all the refinement and quality of a dressage bridle, with the fit of a comfortable halter, and the functioning of an excellent tool of communication.
LINK IN BIO for the SHOP

dressagenaturally

I recently presented at an event in Italy called Compartiamo Masterclass.

It was me and 7 other professionals.

In my first session I did, well - Nothing.
(Pretty gutsy to do in front of a few hundred people and peers I respect)

One of the participants in my Nothing demonstration was a stallion who had a fair amount of tension and was quite excitable. His owner held tension, too.

By the end of the presentation he was standing with his head down, yawning, and his owner had her arm over his back and resting on one leg.

It was a result that would have been impressive if I 𝙝𝙖𝙙 done a `special-magical-fancy technique`.... Instead I could only take credit for creating the space of Nothing.

I wanted to demonstrate the power of offering calmness and spaciousness.

I also wanted to demonstrate the power of ego-less training.

Too many times I see horses be put through the ringer for the sake of a demonstration of the professional`s techniques.

Here`s the thing - The idea behind starting with Nothing is the recognition that we humans are causing a lot (if not all) of the problems horses are having.

We choose to put them in a situation.

We choose to ask them to do something.

We have an expectation.

The most powerful training technique is to acknowledge this, and find a new starting point.

Own your role in your horse`s problems.

Find the easiest way for your horse to feel at ease.

Start there.

That doesn`t mean you should feel bad about yourself and go hide, just acknowledge the reality of the moment and do your best to minimize the stress.

It`s not about avoidance.
it`s about finding the ease-iest way forward.

In the next session we did do 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 and had a really nice result, too 🤗

Thank you, @gessicanotaroreal , it was fun playing with you and your beautiful stallion, and Thank you, @ic.photography.00 for the photos.

𝗧𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 `𝗡𝗼-𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲" 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 (𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞 𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗜𝗢) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 `𝗡𝗼 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲`

dressagenaturally

The best bit to use on your horse is what the horse finds comfortable and that the horse understands.

That give you a pretty good range of choices.

It also gives you good questions to ask yourself when choosing a bit:

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁?
D𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁?

For example there may be a bit that gives great tongue relief, and the horse is quiet when carrying it, but when they feel pressure from it they curl behind the vertical... The signal is creating more confusion or working against the message you are trying to give.

These questions work for bitless bridles too.

I once tried a bitless bridle that had straps that connected to the reins that crossed diagonally under the jaw and all my horses were totally confused by that.

I`ve seen bitless bridles that `work` but they have strong metal edges on the noseband, or they use leverage where the noseband becomes tighter, or the cheek pieces roll up into the horse`s eyes when turning.

So when choosing a bit or bitless bridle start with those questions.

But I can`t leave you without sharing something else to think about when it comes to riding with the reins.

In my humble experience these statements have, so far, always been true:

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨,
t𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚`𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙤 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨,
t𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚`𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙩.

So remember, when making choices about any equipment: Look at the bigger picture.

Everything improves when trust and communication improve and most of that has nothing to do with equipment. 🤗

With that said...

🐴 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸’𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁: 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻`𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗹𝗲
This simple, elegant, and functional Dressage, Naturally Bitless Bridle was designed by Karen. Made from quality english bridle leather, it has all the refinement and quality of a dressage bridle, with the fit of a comfortable halter, and the functioning of an excellent tool of communication.
LINK IN BIO for the SHOP

dressagenaturally

I recently presented at an event in Italy called Compartiamo Masterclass.

It was me and 7 other professionals.

In my first session I did, well - Nothing.
(Pretty gutsy to do in front of a few hundred people and peers I respect)

One of the participants in my Nothing demonstration was a stallion who had a fair amount of tension and was quite excitable. His owner held tension, too.

By the end of the presentation he was standing with his head down, yawning, and his owner had her arm over his back and resting on one leg.

It was a result that would have been impressive if I 𝙝𝙖𝙙 done a `special-magical-fancy technique`.... Instead I could only take credit for creating the space of Nothing.

I wanted to demonstrate the power of offering calmness and spaciousness.

I also wanted to demonstrate the power of ego-less training.

Too many times I see horses be put through the ringer for the sake of a demonstration of the professional`s techniques.

Here`s the thing - The idea behind starting with Nothing is the recognition that we humans are causing a lot (if not all) of the problems horses are having.

We choose to put them in a situation.

We choose to ask them to do something.

We have an expectation.

The most powerful training technique is to acknowledge this, and find a new starting point.

Own your role in your horse`s problems.

Find the easiest way for your horse to feel at ease.

Start there.

That doesn`t mean you should feel bad about yourself and go hide, just acknowledge the reality of the moment and do your best to minimize the stress.

It`s not about avoidance.
it`s about finding the ease-iest way forward.

In the next session we did do 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 and had a really nice result, too 🤗

Thank you, @gessicanotaroreal , it was fun playing with you and your beautiful stallion, and Thank you, @ic.photography.00 for the photos.

𝗧𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 `𝗡𝗼-𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲" 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 (𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞 𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗜𝗢) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 `𝗡𝗼 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲`