Back with pics of Nela (Percheron/Belgian)

I bought Nela at the beginning of the summer, and am having a WONDERFUL time with her! She is such a good teacher, and a reliable mount on the trail. She is a Belgian/Percheron draft cross.

Notice our Bitless Bridle. She does very well without a bit. Probably she is more responsive to my cues without any intimation or pain from metal bouncing in her mouth. My hands aren't really soft yet, so this is the perfect learning tool for both of us. :)

Enjoy!

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...ip/Nela018.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...trailride2.jpg

A beautiful horse with a proud rider!! Gorgeousness!!

I'm looking for 2 Percherons for the ranch, but am having a devil of time finding them close to Oregon. Any hints?

I'm glad to see you not using a bit. I would also not use a bit- heck, I don't even use a saddle when I ride :P

Awesome pictures and I'm so glad you're having fun!

Hey, Rachel! Long time no see. :)

She is absolutely gorgeous! I only wish I could drive so I could come up and see her in person. :) Sounds like you're doing some great stuff with her.

Oh wow! She's gorgeous!!! I wouldn't mind something like that at all!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by starmom

A beautiful horse with a proud rider!! Gorgeousness!!

I'm looking for 2 Percherons for the ranch, but am having a devil of time finding them close to Oregon. Any hints?

I'm glad to see you not using a bit. I would also not use a bit- heck, I don't even use a saddle when I ride :P

Awesome pictures and I'm so glad you're having fun!

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I would look on dreamhorse.com, and also there are a few good draft horse classifieds online that I like.

LOL, I love riding bareback. Hopefully here soon she will be responsive enough to leg for the bridle to come off too. I hope to ride tackless within the year! :)

Thanks for the link tip!! Good luck with the bonding! I'm sure that all will go really well.

For me, I just figure that if I don't have the relationship with my horse that enables the horse to allow me to ride bareback, then I don't really have the right to coerce the horse to carry me places.

However, this is just me and my unconventional ways!!! :P

Gorgeous much? D:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by starmom

Thanks for the link tip!! Good luck with the bonding! I'm sure that all will go really well.

For me, I just figure that if I don't have the relationship with my horse that enables the horse to allow me to ride bareback, then I don't really have the right to coerce the horse to carry me places.

However, this is just me and my unconventional ways!!! :P

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:)
I agree with the thought behind this.... BUT! Sometimes it isn't the relationship or the trust that precludes riding bareback. Some bouncy trots are not fun at ALL to ride bareback! I love riding my horse without the saddle. It's really really good for my seat and my development as a rider. But it can be darn hard to sit his trot sometimes. I have stiff hips and I am getting older. ;) Cantering bareback was a hurdle for me too. I wasn't sure I could sit the transitions. Now we are fine in canter and in all the transitions, and we can even handle a little bit of spooking and leaping around bareback. But riding bareback is as much about the rider's physical ability as about trust. In fact I find it to be more about physical ability than trust. Give me a nice QH or a drafty horse and I can sit all the live long day bareback, but on a large gaited bouncy horse, well, I think twice and I only do it when I am feeling strong. :D

Your new horse is beautiful, btw. I hope you have tons of fun riding her, clippityclop.