"Sway" Routine at the Elysium Sport Ponies Open House

"Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway I go weak
I go weak..."

                                              - lyrics from Sway by the Pussycat Dolls

This video was taken at the Elysium Sport Ponies Open House November, 2015. I was SO happy with this routine! As some of you know, I was injured the week before and wasn't able to practice. I decided last minute to ride to the song "Sway", one of my favorite songs that I performed to with Rovandio at the Equine Affaire last year. I knew the transitions of the music inside and out, and it has a fun, playful vibe. Enjoy our dance routine and please share with anyone else that would appreciate it. Thanks!

How to Ride Your Horse Bridleless - Helpful Tips & Techniques

Taking off Douwe’s bridle during a performance. Photo credit: Laurie Sheppard

When I was young, I admired the girls that could leap on their horses bareback and ride around without a care in the world. I was too focused on my dressage training to let myself “play” with my horses. There was a part of me that really wanted that relationship with a horse.

The performances that brought me to tears were not the upper level dressage freestyles, but the routines performed bareback and/or bridleless. The idea that "less is more" really inspired me. When I bought Douwe (my Friesian gelding), I let myself have an open mind and no expectations. Once we developed a relationship I started riding him bridleless and he loved it. My horses have taught me so much that I would love to share my experiences with you.

Safety First!

For those of you who are like me, cautious and not overly risky, you will definitely need to prepare your horse, yourself, and your surroundings to start working bridleless. Make sure to wear a helmet and ride in a smaller, fully-enclosed space like a round pen. There are a few KEY things that need to be in place before you attempt your first ride without a bridle. They are:

1. Independent Balance! To communicate clearly and effectively with your horse (with or without a bridle) you need to have good balance. You should be comfortable and confident at the walk, trot, and canter with NO STIRRUPS and with NO HANDS.

2. A Trusting Relationship: I do not recommend riding an unfamiliar horse without a bridle or even your own horse if you do not already have a deep, long-standing relationship with them. If there have been circumstances in your past where your horse bolted, bucked, or reared and the two of you have not fully worked through those issues, I suggest you put more time into your relationship before beginning the bridleless process.

3. A Solid WHOA! Make sure you practice the halt, a lot! Your horse needs to be responsive to your voice/seat cue (there is that clear communication) so that you can feel confident that your horse will stop whenever you ask. That is why I use treats when I ask Douwe to halt (he is a food-oriented fellow). I use my voice in the rolling r noise and he halts and gets a treat. This method is similar to clicker training except I am using my voice for the cue.

4. Bitless or Halter: See if you can ride in a bitless bridle or just a halter before you take the bridle off completely. Take as much time as you need to feel comfortable with these other options.

What techniques can you use?

I have learned a few different ways to ride a horse bridleless. You will probably know right away which method will work for your horse depending on his individual reactions.

Whip Steering: This is the method I used with Douwe. He seems most responsive having a visual guide for the turns. I have been using two whips and recently dropped down to just one. This technique will not work if your horse is scared/nervous of whips. Here is a video of Douwe performing bridleless in our "Wings of Isis" routine. You can see how I use the wings to help him steer. I was so pleased with his overall performance! He was a good boy!

Neckrope

You can teach your horse to "whoa" from the pressure of a neck rope, also referred to as a “cordeo”. I have begun riding Rovandio bridleless using a neckrope because he needs more input from me to help with his balance. Douwe would prefer that I just left him alone and not use anything related to pressure. To begin with, I rode Rovandio with a neckrope at the same time I was riding with the bridle. I incorporated halts from my voice/seat with some pressure on the neckrope. Once he halted, I released the pressure and gave him a treat. You can use a variety of different "ropes", some horses react better to a stiffer rope and others something softer. Click here to watch an inspiring example of bridleless riding with a neckrope with Alizee Froment and Mistral. She starts off with a bitless bridle and then takes it off and does all the Grand Prix movements bridleless! Scroll down for examples of neckropes and where to buy them online.

Hand Signals

If you have an exceptionally obedient, sensitive horse you can teach them to move away from hand pressure. For example, you would rub/push your right hand forward onto the right side of the neck to ask him to turn left and vice versa. If your horse easily moves away from pressure this can be a good cue. Click here to watch Karen Rolf and her horse Monty use hand signals while riding bridleless. You will enjoy watching this video because it shows the horse doing the same movements at liberty, under saddle and bridleless.

Seat & Leg

If your horse is completely tuned into your seat and legs you can use these cues, along with your voice if needed. Some horses turn beautifully off the leg and weight aids, especially if they are well-balanced and highly trained. It will help you stay very mindful and consistent with your aids. It is important to have a clear reinback cue to help balance your horse off the forehand. Many of the western riders will use the legs towards the shoulders for reinback and that can translate into a half halt while you are in motion as well. Click here to watch an awesome video of Stacy Westfall riding bareback and bridleless using just her seat and leg. She performs their reining freestyle bareback and bridleless! Awesome job!

My neck rope is a simple cotton rope from the hardware store that I spray painted black to match Douwe’s coat. Photo Credit: Kimberly Chason

Where to Buy a Neckrope

Here are different examples of neckropes, also known as a “cordeo”, that you can use with your horse. You can also use a stirrup leather or simple rope from the hardware store to get started. I buy plain cotton rope from the hardware store and then spray it black to blend in with my horse’s coat.

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Leather Cordeo made by ChromaCrafts

Custom Leather Cordeo

This elegant cordeo is handmade in Denmark by Frida Josephine Nielsen. Not only is the center stone beautiful, it also keeps the cordeo centered on your horse by adding some additional weight. She has a variety of stones you can choose from.

Frida includes an adjustable strap and finishes it off with a square, Spanish cortezia buckle. You can choose whether you would prefer silver or brass for your buckles.

Riding with leather will give you a similar feel to your leather reins and it is also easy to keep clean. Her unique designs would be easy to incorporate with a costume.

Click here to view the different leather options from ChromaCrafts.

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Custom Yarn Cordeo made by EQEquineArt

Yarn Neckrope with Adornments

If you prefer a soft and flexible feel, then yarn might be a good choice for you. Yarn has a subtle texture for the perfect grip and just a touch of give to ensure comfort against the skin. These are handmade by EQEquineArt on Etsy. She is also an equine bodyworker and incorporates crystals and gemstones to help your horse improve relaxation or energy.

These neckropes are also reminiscent of a mala; which is a wearable reflection of a personal journey, often used in mantra meditation they are a reminder of the connection to a deeper source. When you hold the cordeo (neckrope) to communicate with your horse you will be reminded of this sacred connection and privilege.

Click here to view more themes such as Boho, Winter, Autumn Equinox, and Starry Night to name a few.

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Braided Cord Neckrope made by Beaux Equestrian

Braided Cord Neckrope

If you want something simple, strong, and durable, check out these braided cord neckropes made by Beaux Equestrian. They are braided with 9-strands for thickness and added strength. She makes them in a wide variety of bright, vibrant, and unique colors so you are sure to stand out!

She also has a wide variety of sizes available ranging from Shetland/Pony to Full/XFull. They take extra pride in reusing and recycling their packaging to have less impact on the environment. If you follow them on Instagram (@beaux_equestrian) you can see some beautiful photos of their neckropes in action.

Click here to view their full range of size and color options on Etsy.

I hope you are able to enjoy a wonderful partnership and connection with your horse riding without a bridle. I also have a blog post about riding bareback if you would like to learn more and see my recommendations for bareback pads. Email me at beginthedance@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments.

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Bareback Dressage, Safety Tips To Get Started and My Top Bareback Pad Choices

Sandra & Rovandio. Photo Credit: Kimberly Chason

I have many people ask me how they can start to incorporate bareback riding into their dressage work. I wanted to share some of my advice for getting started, including safety tips and also bareback pads to try.

Before You Begin

How Is Your Balance?
Before you try riding bareback you should be able to comfortably, and confidently, ride in a saddle without reins or stirrups at the walk, trot and canter! Do you have independent balance from the reins? If you ever catch your balance with the reins, it is not a good idea to try riding bareback.

Does your horse have a good "WHOA"?
If you have a horse that is hard to stop, rushes, or is resistant or disobedient, I do not recommend riding bareback. Make sure to refresh your horse's response to your "whoa", on the lunge line or on the ground, before you ride bareback.

Has your horse been ridden bareback before?
Some horses have sensitive backs and may react the first time they are ridden bareback. Do not assume that your horse will behave the same as he does with a saddle. Have an experienced rider test out your horse if this is your first time. You may also want a person on the ground to hold your horse when you mount and to lead him in the beginning.

Things You Might Need

• Full Seat Breeches: I recommend wearing full seat breeches to help you "stick". Horsehair can be slippery so you may feel more secure wearing full seat breeches.

• Mounting block: Unless you are super flexible and have the ability to leap onto the horse from the ground, then you will need a mounting block. Try a three-step for extra height. You need to have good balance and confidence to mount a horse bareback.

• A helper. Make sure you have someone with you to hold the horse when you first get on. They could even lead you around at the walk to see how it feels and to help keep the horse relaxed and slow.

• A helmet. If you don’t normally ride with a helmet I would recommend wearing one when you are riding bareback.

• Enclosed riding area. PLEASE do not attempt riding bareback for the first time in an open field or arena with no walls. The best place to start is in a small indoor arena or a round pen.

• A bareback pad. A good bareback pad helps with padding and "stick". Having a bareback pad works well for horses that have pronounced withers. Usually the material on the underside has some stick to it, like a synthetic rubber. Be careful with the all fleece pads because they may slide around on a well-groomed horse. Do not use a bareback pad that has stirrups! The tree of a saddle distributes the stirrup pressure and without it you will be placing all of your weight into one spot on the horse's back.

My Favorite Bareback Pads

ThinLine Bareback Pad

ThinLine Bareback Pad:

I currently use the ThinLine bareback pad. It has a rubbery material on the underside of the pad and the girth to keep it from sliding. It is simple and elegant with enough padding to be comfortable but not so much that you lose the bareback feel.

I have been using this pad for my Art on Horseback performances with Rovandio for many years. This pad is currently only available in Black. You can purchase this pad from my sponsors Adams Horse Supplies. Click here for more details.

Sheepskin Bareback Pad

Sheepskin Bareback Pads:
Sheepskin will be a lot softer for the rider than any other bareback pad options. This particular brand (Engel) uses 100% Merino Wool Sheepskin. The saddle seat area is removable so that it is easy to wash the cotton quilted pad. Sheepskin is temperature compensating and reduces skin irritation.

This particular brand also comes in an English style pad as well. Colors include Black, Brown, Charcoal, and Natural. It also has a handy grab strap. You can find top-of-the-line sheepskin bareback pads on Amazon. Click here for more details.

HILASON Suede Leather Pad

HILASON Suede Leather Bareback Pad:
I like the shape and look of this bareback pad and it has the same non-slip surface on the underside that my ThinLine pad has. This pad would work well for a performance routine because it comes in a variety of colors such as Purple, Black, Tan, and Turquoise (shown). It also has a handy strap to help you carry the pad to and fro.

You can use your own girth with this pad which may be a plus or a minus depending on what you prefer. You can purchase this beautiful bareback pad on Amazon. Click here to see all the color options.

Benefits of Riding Bareback

Improve Balance:

Riding bareback will help improve your balance and reveal weaknesses in your riding that can be hidden by the saddle. The horse's spine will help you feel when you are sitting centered or not. I love to feel the horse's back muscles and check that I am sitting evenly on my seat bones. You may also notice if your pad tends to slide to one side or the other, indicating that you also lean or shift too much to one side.

Riding bareback is a great way to loosen your hips, as you allow your legs to relax and drape around your horse the movement of the horse’s back will gently open your hips more and more. This is similar to riding without stirrups in a saddle except that you will also feel the muscles working underneath you.

Improve Transitions:

When you are riding bareback you will feel when the horse is lifting his back. This is particularly helpful for upward and downward transitions. Even if you just practice at the walk, incorporate transitions into the halt and see if you can feel whether the back stays lifted. If the horse starts to drop his back that will cause him to come against the hand, above the bit, and lose connection. You can improve your ability to feel the moment your horse loses his balance and help correct him/her before it becomes a problem.

Improve Steering & Lateral Work:

Practice riding serpentines, circles, and lateral movements to improve your ability to move your horse with your body and not your reins. See if you can get your horse to turn just by looking with your eyes and turning your body so that the horse feels your shoulders, hips, and legs guiding him in a new direction. If your horse does not turn or he actually goes the wrong direction then you will know there is a missing piece to your aids. Perhaps your outside leg is coming off the horse? Perhaps you are turning your shoulders but your hips are stiff and they are not allowing the turn.

In your lateral work try to notice if you slide to the wrong side of the horse or any spots of tension that crop up when you change movements.

In Conclusion

Be mindful of whether your horse is enjoying the bareback experience as you are going along. Some horses are overly sensitive and can get “cold-backed” being ridden bareback. If your horse has back problems such as kissing spine, alignment issues, is underweight, has skin problem like rain rot, or doesn’t like to be brushed, these are reasons you should probably not ride him/her bareback. When you are riding bareback you will be sitting directly on the spine so you want to be sure that your horse is comfortable.

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below or email me at beginthedance@gmail.com. Be safe and have fun!

Sandra and Rovandio working on an Art on Horseback painting together. Click here to learn more. Photo Credit: Kimberly Chason

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