The Art of Natural Dressage

Hi All,
Before anyone jumps on my throat, The few times I rode other people horses in a cordeo was on their requests, mainly they wanted to see if their horse also could do it.

I wanted to share this with you and ask whther others have had similar experiences.
I have so far ended up riding horses ( 2 Thouroughbreds and one Nooitgedagt) that I hve never seen before, with a cordeo and no bridles or bits. in all 3 occasssions, owners who had seen my ride my mare, asked me how does one go about it, and when I explained, their reaction was invariably " My horse is too strong, he would never stop turn etc for me"
I then suggested they let me try it, and after spending no more than 5 minutes with the horse I just slipped the cordeo on, mounted, and after less than 3 minutes each one began to understand my signals and as time passed their response was smooth and quick. ( in case you wander, I am not mad, this was always done in a closed lungeing ring about 60' diameter)

each time it was an awesome experience, relieving the first time I rode my mare like that. Currently 2 of these owners are workign their way towards ditching their bits and bridles.

Has anyone of you done something similar? how did it go?

Regards to All.

Danny
Cape Town

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Cape Town

Hey Danny:

This isn't something I've done (heck, I'm still working towards riding in a cordeo on my own horses!)...

But no jumping down your throat from me, just awe!

I've done this with people's horses with a bitless bridle and they've been astounded, assuming that everything would fall apart, which of course it doesn't.

But I think this is extraordinary, and suggests that horses are thrilled to not have anything on their heads.

And it makes me think about how much of our communication is connected to our confidence levels and belief that we can communicate. I don't have fear about riding a horse I don't know without a bit because I have no doubts about how well it works and how pleased horses are, in my experience, to not have that metal in their mouths. I'm guessing some of your success is based in your confidence that you and these horses can work this way???

(This is a great light bulb for me, as it's making me realize that I've been the sole reason we've not ridden in a cordeo yet -- I'm not yet sure I can make it work. I don't trust my communication capabilities to that point yet -- I've been thinking I don't trust my horses yet enough, but, no, it's once again about my failings, not theirs!! )

Would love to hear what your few minute teaching process looks like!

And, I think this is just fantastic! (In a wonderful way, not in an unbelievable way!)

Best,
Leigh

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"Ours is the portal of hope. Come as you are." -- Rumi
www.imaginalinstitute.com

Hi Leigh,
No big secrets here to tell.
I do not really have a magic formula.
Maybe I should go back to how I started riding like this.
A few years ago I had read an article in a local "horsy: magazine about a chap who rides with a cordeo, and he offered some tips.

Then, just over 2 years ago I was about to move from one yard because of
( never mind), and was quite despondendt during the last week I had to be there. One afternoon I did not even feel like riding, but took my mare to graze, with just a halter. one way or another, I mounted and rose her with jut a halter and bareback, and wa amazed at how well she responded.

After a short experiment with a bitless bridle I moved on to riding with a rope halter, but the way that I fashined the reins from a rope it made it work like a cordeo, the halter would only come into play if I pulled on one side of the rope ( along the horses neck).

I rode like this for about 6 months, and then one day just took the plunge and rode barebaack with a cordeo ( we call it a neck-string here) and it went beatufifully.

The next step was to finally venture like that on outrides, later beash redes and we have never looked back.

The owner of the yard where I keep my mare is a great friend of mine, and we have tought his TB to go like that as well.

I did not do any ground work, just relied on my bond with the mare to get her to listen to me.

How to go about it? well, I just sit on them, use the cordeo for neck reining
( I find it easiest to start with turns, as most horses hav ebeen neck-reigned at times). at first I use signl haf-way up the neck, and as they begin to understand I leave the rope on the base of the neck and use more subtle signals.

To stop, pretty much the same. In the beginning I only walk them a few steps then as for a stop, repeating this as much as necesary till they respond to a subtle and light signal, then progress to longer periods of walking, then trot etc.

with time you can do everything you want.

If you would like to chat, you can contact me on Skype - my skype name is d1_levin.

Cheers,
Danny

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Cape Town

Hi Danny,

great to hear from you again! I guess I have nothing useful to contribute here as I didn´t ride strange horses for ages. I hardly ride mine, but if I do so, we also have nothing at their heads. So I have no cordeo-riding with a strange horse experiences to share, just wanted to say hello. How are you and Nikita doing?

Warm Regards,
Romy

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Hi Romi,
we are great ( well, I am not, broke a leg 2 months ago and still have 3 weeks before the cast comes off, but it will be fine.

Nikita and I are doing very well otherwise.

Keep in touch.
Regards,
Danny

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Cape Town

Hi Bianca,
no problem.
Cheers,
Danny

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Cape Town

Thanks for the great advice. I am sure that it will come in handy. I can't wait to be able to ride my horse in just a cordeo all over.

Thanks,

Ivy

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http://www.ivyshorses.com
Blog: http://www.EquestrianHarmony.wordpress.com

I ride conventionally (yeah, yeah, I know) and bridle-less. While I have never hopped on a horse having NEVER used somthing else (bridle, rope hackamore...) I have taken bridles off having never worked specifically on going bridle-less. These horses were used ot contact and suddenly went without. So far it has always gone well )

I did start my old mare in a cordeo, but i did years of ground wrok first, so it doesn't really count. I' have thought about hopping on some of my client's horses with just a neck rope, but it comes down to there is no need for me to do so. If someone was betting me twenty bucks I couldn't I would probably have done it a lot But only particular horses. Some have been taught to ignore their rider so much so that riding them with all the tack in the county is difficult... at first. It doesn't take long for them to come around, but I can't imagine doing it bridle-less from the get go. But probably not imposible either!!!

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Learning to put the relationship first.

Hi Danee,
I did not mean to imply that this is some extraordinary feat or that it is very difficult to achieve.
Quite the contrary, I find that horses lend themselves to this and in many istances they actually respond better being bitless than with the bridle.
Regards,
Danny

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Cape Town

When I first got into bridle-less riding I found that my mare was SOOOOmuch better bridle-less despite it being so new for me. My horses now are used to bridle-less early on so they don't "appreciate it" the way my jumper did. To my horses now it is stil riding and there for work like- my jumper mare thought it was the coolest thing ever and was so much more relaxed.

We had other issues as she was never turned out- at al- as a young hose and when she finally was she became herd sour big time and I was no longer leader enough for her to feel safe (even though I was prior to that). anwyas, on bad days she was down right dangerous. I caused it-I didn't know then what I know now and I tried to "control" the situation. But the times I rode bridle-less she was perfect. That is probably what gave me the mindset that has brought me here.

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Learning to put the relationship first.

Well, yes, I have on several occassions, but only if the horse and I connected in some way

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www.equusuniversalis.com