Vlog: Starting Django: Making Progress!

Django's start in training is going great! He is fun and smart and working with Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals is, as usual, building a fantastic connection for our progression to the Line and Mounted phases of my training. If you'd like to follow along in my classroom you can subscribe here and see my full Vlog as Django progresses from Liberty-Line-Mounted! 

http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/#!classroom

Using the Liberty Rein and Bitless Bridle

This week I wanted to show how you can use my Liberty Rein and My Bitless Bridle together while riding or for Ground Play. You don't have to ride Bridless the try it out and play on your own.

I like to give the horse the freedom of his head by using the Liberty rein. I start by getting us both used the feel of each piece of equipment on the ground and then working gradually toward the Liberty rein by riding with less and less contact on the Bridle rein (you could also do this with a bitted bridle) and communicating more with the body and the Liberty rein.

The Liberty rein talks to the horse in a different way. It really makes you have to think about your communication. If my horse and I are well prepared, it is quite amazing how well we can do together as the video shows. If you want to practice simpler versions of these exercises, substitute walk, to halt, trot to walk, trot to halt. If you are doing, well canter to trot or walk is a good one. Work on the same pattern and see what you can do. Take your time, don't be in a rush and know your own limitations and safety.
If you'd like to purchase my Bitless Bridle go here:
http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/#!bridles
http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/#!

New FDH Vlog! Starting the young horse

Here is the first in a new Vlog series about how I start a young horse. It shows Liberty exercises inspired by Carolyn Resnick to build our Connection first before I start developing the Communication we will need for technical training. The focus from beginning to end will be on Connection, Communication and Calm leadership. I will use my Liberty, Line/In Hand, to Mounted progression. I will also be introducing my new FDH Classroom for those interested in following along on this young Friesian's journey. Details coming soon!
http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/

Liberty Rein work: What and Why

In the past years several, I have been increasingly drawn to working with less and less equipment and more and more communication and natural outlines. I am studying where a horse tells me he wants to put himself when asked to collect as opposed to where I want to put him. It has answered several questions and debunked several things for me in my personal study of horsemanship. I find it fascinating.

I started playing with corderos and learning how to apply them to my play and horsemanship and was pleasantly surprised at how much the horses took to it and showed me there was no need for control of their head for even challenging movements. I observed with trust, connection, and clear communication that they would offer me beautiful round postures and collected movements and they seemed to enjoy it more when allowed to carry there necks and heads freely. There was clearly more pride and spirit in the movements. I was having more fun and so were they. It is very hard in advanced work to introduce challenging exercises while maintaining the fun and pushing just enough to encourage, but not too much to worry or stress the connection. It is a constantly changing conversation that is lively and fun as long as it stays balanced. 

I was taken enough with this tool to have Buckaroo Leather work with me on a design. I now use it in conjunction with my Bitless bridle for ALL Line to Mounted phase communication. I often warm up with my Liberty rein around my horses neck for In Hand and line work after my Liberty phase. I ride with it on with my bridle, not necessarily because I may ride bridless but because I can work on communicating more with my body and leg and less with my bridle. I can hold the Liberty rein and keep a long rein on my bridle and take the emphasis off the bridle. I have found there are many applications for this versatile tool and who knows, I will probably discover more, I'm always experimenting! Here is a sample video of what can be done with the Liberty rein. It should not be assumed that it is just for riding bridless. It has replaced my halter and sometimes my bridle! I will be introducing more exercises for In Hand and Line work with the Liberty rein soon so keep an eye out! If you are interested in purchasing a Liberty rein, you can get one here http://fdhorsetraining.com/Bridleshop.html

LLM: Lateral work and Leg Yield: Mounted phase

A series showing the progression through all the elements of lateral work and Leg Yielding in a fun, creative way. This 3rd video shows the Previous Liberty and line exercises practiced while mounted. If you are doing well with these you can progress to the trot or just try it for fun. You can always go back to the walk if it is to hard. Have fun!
http://fdhorsetraining.com

LLM: Lateral work and Leg Yield: Line phase

This is a series showing the progression through all the elements of lateral work and Leg Yielding in a fun, creative way. I am using the Liberty rein for ground play and Line work in this video to allow my horse to have the freedom to place experiment with his body positioning and arrange himself without too much interference. Purchase a Liberty Rein at this link http://fdhorsetraining.com/Bridleshop.html
http://fdhorsetraining.com/

LLM: Lateral work and Leg Yield: Liberty Phase continued

This next video shows a continued progression of my Liberty-Line-Mounted approach to Lateral work and Leg Yield. It is another Liberty exercise using "Touch training". The next series will be Line work continuing the series in a fun, creative way.
http://fdhorsetraining.com/