RIDING BITLESS
The girl was wearing a “Parelli”-Hackamore made of cord only and she never had anything else on her head, also going into forest trails with not very experienced childs on her back (but of course accompanied by us on another horse)…
So for shooting, with the bow of course, I have to drop the reins. Normally we drop the rains at the beginning of the run so still standing or in walk and put the horse in canter without reins. A fully trained, experienced horse also is stopped after the trail without the help of the reins. As Imnaha (DREA Bluimnaha Eagle) at that moment was only 4 and as she had been pregnant before, we did not have a lot of time for training together. She understood, what I expected from her almost automatically.
Just Great, these FA’s?
Franz Renggli
Switzerland
My husband also rode JoJos Black Cloud bareback and with a halter at our local show. I don't recall what year it was, but mid 2000s would be right.
Barbara Steever
Pennsylvania
the first time Magnum was ever ridden. Joaquin worked with him for about an hour in his paddock, then walked him out, with a bosal (over rope halter), bareback, and off they went !!!!
Afterwards, Joaquin saddled him up for the first time ever, right next to the road. And away they went again ... altho it was so dark by then I couldnt get any photos .... Magnum was 4.5 years old at the time. I think this was the same time that the asphalt tanker truck came up behind them ... If it wasn't this ride, it would have been the following ride about a week later. Magnum & Joaquin were in the right lane, up against a cliff at the base of the mountain. Across the road from them was the big river. The tanker truck came up behind them, and then pulled over into the left lane to pass them, sandwiching Magnum & Joaquin between the cliff and the tanker car .... but Magnum didn't bat an eye or miss a beat, he just kept trotting down the road. My heart was about to come out of my chest, Joaquin turned around in the saddle and gave me the biggest grin of the decade !!!
Jan Dockery
North Carolina
Just gotta share a photo from today... my best friend got to finally ride Rainy. First time he has been saddled since I think late last May. He is AWESOME as always. :) This pic also shows a better (closer shot) of his riding halter.
Noell Devenny
Oregon
Regarding bitless, last summer our greenhouse supervisor, Hector, decided that he was no longer afraid of horses and started climbing on our three young stallions. I told him that I didn't care, as long as he didn't get hurt. I already knew that he was learning to be calm and gentle around them.
Soon, he was riding them everywhere around the farm. Beside pastures full of mares, neighbor's horses, other livestock, barking dogs, etc. The subject of Native Americans came up. He thinks he is of Mayan descent. Anyway, I half teasingly stated that real wild Indians, rode bareback with only a jawstrap. In my head, I was trying to figure out, exactly how they did this, but two days later, Hector was out bareback with only a jawstrap. He had concocted a jawstrap out of doubling a soft nylon cord and tying it rather loosely around the lower jaw. To this, he snapped in his reins and hopped on. After a few times, he said the horses reacted better than to a bit.
Milt & Mary Decker
Oregon
Gloria McRae riding Lucky Moon bareback with just his show halter on. She had just come out of a foundation halter class with him and got a boost up for a ride around the fairgrounds before heading back to his stall. On the way back to his stall, Gloria rode him down a couple of isles (she was lost) past mares, geldings and a couple other stallions. No problem, not even a look. She could ride that boy anywhere, they had such an incredible connection.
Tricia Dennis & Gloria McRae
Oregon
Over the Fourth of July, Peter and family were all here from North Carolina. Of course the kids all wanted to ride a horse. Sully got elected this year. These pictures show getting him calmed down for the kids. Fortunately Peter was up to the task
Judy & Ramon Lauri
Kansas
My daughter and her 87% FPD gelding that she raised from the moment he was born. She is a beautiful young lady both inside and out and she and her horse have a very special bond.
Katrina Woempner
Idaho
