Dressage exhibition

Video of Athena+++// (11 year old Anglo-Arab mare) doing a dressage demonstration both with and without a bridle. The exhibition was at the 2008 Region 3 Championships held at Rancho Murieta Aug 15-17 2008.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• bridleless
• riding
• dressage
• exhibition
• Arabian
• Anglo-Arabian
• Anglo-Arab
• freestyle
• championships

[MystSilverDragon]

he is free, could runa off ifa he wanted to, and yes his head isa high but........he Is doing what hes asked, in agreement :) this isa beautiful no? :)

[athenacpa]

Thanks. That was the point I was trying to make - the bridle only tells the horse where to put their head - when ridden properly you tell the horse where to go and how fast to go with your body - not the bridle :)

[chandranielson]

Awesome! I've done bridleless with my 1/2 arabian dressage horse, but never in public or in a big arena, just in the indoor. Maybe something to work towards....

[athenacpa]

I am sure you could - all I did was put together the movements I knew we could do under pressure. My horse should be receiving the AHA embassador award - to be officially announced early in 2010 due to our public bridleless exhibitions - we need more of our Arabs out there doing stuff like this to show people that Arabs aren't all crazy! :)

[athenacpa]

I used music from the artist Enya - I think the song title is Ornico Flow or something like that...

[dicttattor]

beautiful, i love it :)

[3dayeventer101]

@DancerSeattle true Athena is a sane half arab. someone said arabs r crazy.i have only seen a couple crazy arabians.

[DancerSeattle]

It's not likely that Athena would bolt. She used to live next to a jet landing strip and there was a rifle range near by. But for the safety of the horse and the rider, Athena knows that whoa means "stop moving your feet - no matter what!"

[DancerSeattle]

I'm greatful to say that I've known Rita and Athena since they were very young. Rita has always had a special communication with her horses. This is a very special demonstration of this very special bond. These two listen to each other with love, trust, and respect. When you can get this close to a horse, the space between horse and rider evaporates and magic happens!

[3dayeventer101]

retia is a good rider but athena COULD bolt

[athenacpa]

That isn't true. I have ridden her through crowds at a Horse Expo without her bridle and she spooked when a sandwich board fell right in front of her and she stopped immediately when I gave her the "whoa" command. I can give her the "whoa" command when she is at liberty or playing on a lunge line and she will stop EVERY time :) I have had Athena since she was 12 months old and "whoa" has been drilled into her training since she was two.