Bitless Dressage with Country Flair ... a 'Wonder-ful' tale

At the peak of his career in 2003, Wonder was an international eventing horse, ridden by Olympian, Bruce Mandeville, preparing for the Pan-Am Games. Until he tore a tendon. Despite expert care, his professional career was over, and his path finally led him to be declared 'impossible to control' and given to Second Chance Farm Horse Rescue. He is now being retrained to his former glory under the loving care of Elsa Harper and expert training of German rider Peter Hick. He is controllable and happy in a Nurtural Bitless Bridle - as seen in the August 16th video, posted at www.nurturalhorse.com In 2005, Elsa received a typical phone call for her rescue farm "I have thoroughbred that we simply cannot control to ride. Will you take him in and find him a good home?" Of course Elsa agreed; that's what she does - takes unwanted horses, cares for them and retrains them, and adopts them out into loving homes. Elsa was away when Wonder arrived in the stall she had prepared. When she walked into the barn, she took one look and said "Oh, you so don't belong here!" That's when her investigation began, and she spoke with the previous owner and then Bruce Mandeville to learn the history of this amazing Australian-Bred thoroughbred.

Two other fortunate circumstances added to Wonder's good fortune to arrive at Second Chance Farm Horse Rescue. Elsa Harper had discovered the magic of Nurtural Bitless Bridles, and soon found that this big strong horse who fought the bit so intensely could be ridden and controlled in this bitless bridle. Then in the spring of 2008, Peter Hick, high level German rider and coach arrived in Canada to join his family, and is now offering riding lessons and training horses at Second Chance Horse Rescue. With Peter's strength and skills, Wonder is now retraining and reconditioning to be restored to his former glory.

Wonder and Peter demonstrated their progress as a highlight at Second Chance Farm Healthy Horse = Happy Horse Clinic, August 16th, 2008. They completed 15 minutes of their planned presentation to great appreciation of the crowd. But Wonder was obviously having fun and did NOT want to leave. So Elsa cranked up the volume to his favourite song and Peter let him open up and have some fun.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• NurturalHorse
• bitless
• horse
• English
• Dressage
• clinic
• no-bit
• bridle
• coach
• natural
• horsemanship
• Bitless
• Revolution
• Wonder

[NurturalHorse]

Thanks for the comments. This horse has a complex history with physical and phsclological issues.

We are always looknig for better vides! I had one (72% in Intermediate test) and I foolishy taped over it!

The point of our videos is that people and horses do BETTER. It does not make either instantly perfect. No piece of equipment can do that! But we are very happy to make them better.

[myprophet1]

well...I don't see any lameness, I see a horse that wants to GO!! He is also new to bitless and is feeling it out and having fun. For an older "professional" guy his attitude is very nice already and will improve in the right hands.

[NurturalHorse]

Thank you! That's what I saw when I was watching him - a happy horse that was getting better and so glad to be cared for and back in front of a small crowd dancing to the music! I am gald you saw it too! Zoe

[Thetwovets]

This horse is not sound.

[egasserdsterling]

what is going on with the rider ? so stiff and just like a sack of potatoes on this horse and NOT letting him GO . As a result the horse is frustrated ... nice potential for that horse so .... wish I could ride him. FYI : I also rescue TB and ride them in Dr. Cook bitless bridles .....

[MsCountrylady]

@egasserdsterling On the other site, this is great thing, that broken horse can be ridden again with full control and can have fun. This is perfect! I also have a Dr.Cook bridle and Mrs. Diana Thompson´s bitless bridle and TB mare, I am 13th owner in her 12 years life :-( She has not good relationship with a bit and is much happier with bitless bridle :-)

[MsCountrylady]

@egasserdsterling I also would say, that the horse wants to go forward and down with his nose, he wants to relax and he would be much nicer in relaxed movement than is in the video. And probably would have much more fun, because almost all horses like music and understand it some kind. This is one of minuses of german ridding - it is hard for the riders to relax their body = and so the horse´s body.

[Itancan33]

. . . Franklin Levinson and the amazing Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, to educate yourselves on what a beautiful relationship can look like between horse and rider and help you produce more constructive videos. I am no great rider but for the last two years I have been striving to become a better rider for my horse and to understand better what physical balance and control is required of me. It's sad to see such a potentially positive communication tool being used in such an inconsiderate manner.

[Itancan33]

. . . this particular horse is behind the vertical, a very sore and unhappy place for a horse to be and worse still he's being held there by the hard and unforgiving hands of the rider. All riders I've seen in your videos so far are fixing their hands low and in trot the majority are severely yanking on the horses heads, to me it looks like that's because they lack core stability themselves. I urge you to study true dressage by Nuno Oliveira and natural horsemanship by the likes of Franklin

[Itancan33]

Firstly, thank you Nurtural Horse for uploading these videos. I have just purchased a nurtural for my own horse, who is currently happy ridden in a rope halter or a peewee bit, just to see what he thinks of it. I am however, somewhat concerned by the content of the videos in which you hope to promote your bridle. 'Dressage' is not what I have seen in any of them . . . Dressage by definition is exercises that allow the horse to fully express his NATURAL gaits, as in the wild . . .

[TheSumsum1234]

Jaaa ... nicht mal sehen, dass das Pferd lahmt, aber hauptsache gebisslos, schlecht!

[hyperfocus2011]

ya i see lame...