Teaching a Very Forward Eventer to Slow Off Your Seat with No Bridle

Lately in videos I've been on about only asking your horse "yes' questions, only asking things that your horse can say "yes, I can do that" to.
In this video I show footage from a clinic in England in 2015 where in the space of 2 days, I helped a young lady with an eventer who tends to be very forward get him to the point where we take off the bridle, and ride him at a walk, trot and canter AND slow to a stop from her seat at the canter, the first time we try it. This video illustrates how finding a good starting point, or creating one, and ensuring the basics work perfectly, is the key to success with any endeavor with horses.
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[@KingsMom831]

Warwick Schiller, the people whisper😂🙏🏼💜

[@myhillslife27]

hahahaha

[@epona9166]

Lately every video I watch (which is as new ones are posted) seems like the best one ever. So Warwick definitely isn't running out of steam, when it comes to material! Also, I've noticed that he seems to get some really wonderful riders going to his clinics, people with tangible problems that are actually solvable. You feel so happy for them!!

[@elizabethblackwell6242]

Agreed. His latest in the ground work is the best in the world.

[@idabrinck-lund8755]

Epona i feel the same! Its coning together for me in these examples. So great

[@sharondrudy1369]

This was the 1st or 2nd video I ever watched of yours. It completely blew my mind! To take a forward horse and turn it into a calm respectful safe ride without crazy bits and punishment?!?!? That is what I was raised around. I decided to become a better, more educated horse owner and learn more natural horsemanship. I even started taking lessons again at 37! Thank you for these videos you have not only opened my eyes but helped me be a better horse person and teacher. My horses thank you! #journeyon20

[@WarwickSchiller]

G'day Sharon, thanks for your response! You have won yourself a free months subscription! Just send me an email with your information and I'll get you sorted. [e-mail]

[@sharondrudy1369]

@@WarwickSchiller Wow!!! Thank you so much!😍

[@kathrynwhite8482]

Not only does this video help me to transition my horses' energies, but to transition mine too. Thank you!

[@evaaddkison400]

This is so simple, BUT, ITS SO COOL!

[@Galemor1]

So many times it's the riders expectations of what the horse is going to do, which ruins it for the horse. Like wanting to pick up the reins for being able to control the horse. When all they need, is to go back to start, and also trust themselves in the situation.

[@brucelee142]

Gee Warwick.Brilliant video.Following your training has changed my life not only as a horseman but as a person.The other huge plus is it changes my horses lives.Interesting if I follow your guide to training the difficult stuff becomes achievable as long as I don't take shortcuts.Forever grateful.

[@WarwickSchiller]

Thanks Bruce, I hope you are well

[@ninabasta5111]

Just wanted to thank you SO much for this video. This is exactly what I needed! 🙏🏻

[@evelynbagnasco7293]

Looking forward to train myself to that. Thank you Warwick.

[@agathaurness2464]

I’ve been using tips from many of your videos for a while now and what a change it’s created in my horses! Thanks for the free videos you put out. They are so valuable and helpful 😀

[@TheTeapotte]

I love going bridleless. It really helps to show where the holes are in your training

[@Mjaetee]

The best video on all subjects I’ve seen in a long time! Great clinician and great rider! Thanx again Warwick!

[@alicecohen4726]

Well done! Love the rider skill and balance. No handlebars for her! Best relaxation action to begin and end a session is ride on the buckle and breathe out. Love the horse in his capacity to respond and learn new skills xox

[@imba.hjaltalin]

I love you man! So happy to have found your channel. I am using your methods for young icelandic gated horses, and it works even with them. Even if there are some personal tweaks, but the basic ideas. Thank you. This little video reminded me to not give up on that one thing I want to fix with my young gelding. He is not getting the head bend. He will do it when he is relaxed, but stiffens up and wants to take off, well you know the deal. Their neck turns into rock, kind off and he goes wayyyyy too fast...Ha ha and I need to bend him again which gets him enraged and wants to grab my reins and bolt. So what I have been doing lately is just doing endless bends in the arena, so he never even gets to go fast except occasionally so I can relax myself, its hard work riding in small circles. So he hates it, and I dont enjoy it either, but I am seeing progress. Woke up this morning thinking, "I need to give him a break and we go for a ride, let him have some fun". But actually I was reminded of yesterday, he may not have liked our exercises initially but there was a magical moment close to the end where he was listening to my every touch and my seat. It was amazing, I hugged and kissed him after, and I sensed he was quite happy with himself. Aslo followed me to the stables with his face in my hand pretty much and did not once scream at the direction of "his" mare (he thinks he is a stallion). So perhaps we will start in the arena at least and see where it goes. Having a bolting horse after all is dangerous and I only have one life.... Working on one thing at a time is OKAY. hallelujah

[@amandak3198]

I appreciate that you explain why you asked her to stop her horse when you did (he wasn't ready to stop previously), instead of you seeing the change, telling her to stop him, and having it be all about the sensationalism of stopping a horse without a bridle. I've taught this principle to clients for a long time, they are not only amazed, but they are able to use the information in a practical way for years to come. It becomes about what THEY are teaching the horse instead of "send your money to this clinician because when I was there they were able to emanate their skill into my horse and stop them with no bridle!".

[@sidilicious11]

Brilliant! That was a wonderful accomplishment! Bridleless riding is a true test of the relationship between horse and rider. I’m inspired to head for that with my young gelding.

[@tillyme1940]

Just what I needed to see.... Thank you 🥰

[@lisafoster4468]

Beautiful work.

[@warmbloodsx2129]

This is golden, thank you for sharing ❤️

[@carmenslee6234]

Fantastic lesson!

[@jadeallan7564]

This video helped me gain a lot of knowledge about new ways to approach my two very coward and anxious mares (As have many of your videos). I ride both western and English and own 4 horses of my own, since watching your videos and using your techniques Ive see a recognizable difference in not only how my horses ride but how happy they are and willing. Thankyou. Your training has given me faith when I felt like I was at a road block. I aspire to go to one of your clinics and see it in person one day. #journeyon20

[@janemenshawi5803]

Forever inspiration!

[@JessicaJameson]

This video helped me so much! I have a very forward and anxious horse that I want to trail ride on a loose rein. This gave us some focus and I'm shocked at how quickly it's worked! He completely understood very quickly.

[@WarwickSchiller]

Great work

[@traceymeek1238]

Well done!

[@imdemauri]

Thank you!!! I'm so happy to have found you!.

[@pearshapedbananas413]

This video confirms I"m doing okay with teaching my horse. Thank you so much.

[@kidstuff44555]

So many people really don't understand that horses can only relax if their heads are free and there is no pressure on the bit. People expect horses to stop and slow down, but with "contact". Well, contact just maintains stress on a horse. For me, contact means "we're about to do something, I need you to be up and alert". When you're trying to get a horse to relax and wind down, you have to let him have his head and not keep any pressure on

[@elizabethblackwell6242]

That's true. One of the difficulties is also that we don't have an agreed definition of "contact". Is contact 200 grams in each hand? 150 grams for walk, 100 grams for canter? 125 grams for half halt? USydney and Equismart in Holland (Bert Lam) are now developing a scale for measuring and defining collection. I think that might help.

[@alicecohen4726]

On the buckle riding takes the rider to trust their skill and balance. No handlebars😊 SRSchool style also begin and end on the buckle. We all need to relax and breathe x

[@pon1952leod]

Priceless information 👍

[@sidilicious11]

Wyld Wood yes, breaking it down to accomplishable steps.

[@peopleddiagram2920]

Very impressive.

[@teresawort9124]

Great ! Working on this today.

[@ridgeviewwalkers1]

Thank you! This is great!!!

[@МаксимСушков-ь8х]

Thank you !

[@sarahyeates6991]

This video really excited me because it started to reinforce the idea that I would be able to maintain our connection, communication and relationship right out onto the cross country course, and I was wondering if that was going to be possible. I stepped away from the traditional world to focus on relationship and connection, but wondered if I could ever bring the two together. This video helped me understand that I could 🥳 thank you Warwick 🙏 #journeyon20

[@carmenslee6234]

That was just super!

[@shortybaker2668]

This is so good

[@taylordockter837]

I'd love to see some content done around horses who have been taught these foundation pieces with tension so they will laterally flex all day long but with hard eyes, shallow breathing, and a tense face. The longer it is done, the more they mentally disengage and go into a state of learned helplessness.

[@WarwickSchiller]

Watch my videos on creating connection, thats where id start. Starting under saddle would not be a good idea.

[@EmilySmith-hz1ko]

I was taught to imagine that your horse a fish bowl on a springboard. The lighter your seat the more the bowl bounces, causing the water to be rough and the fish swimming fast around. When I sit deep in the saddle, I’m sitting on the top of the fish bowl meaning the springboard to depressed and the bowl can’t bounce around as much. That makes the waters calmer and the fish slower and calmer. It worked pretty well for me.

[@mohdalisyed]

I feel like I hit a gold mine with this video. This is my problem exactly!

[@donnakinsey9703]

YES!

[@shynn5827]

This is amazing!

[@myhillslife27]

Brilliant

[@centaur923]

Very cool! x

[@geoffjowett3532]

absolutely brilliant

[@sarahbaumann7690]

How would you go about increasing a horses esponsiveness if they tend to be more relaxed? I have worked alot on relaxation and connection, but would love to increase my horses forward motion and responsiveness!

[@respectfulhorsemanship]

So I just have to say…holy cow. I have a horse that pretty much has a racehorse mentality due to bring a trick riding horse for so long (run fast in a circle). As a result, we often got in a tugging ear where I was pulling on his mouth because he wouldn’t slow down and then he was mad about me pulling on him so we just went around and around like that. May 2020 I started him completely over do I could teach him to relax his mind. He is leaps and bounds better than before but still struggles to want to go fast more than I’d like. I’d looked at a lot of different approaches in the past but none were really right for him. I watched this video this morning and tried it with him this afternoon and I was blown away. In just the one session, he was trotting on a completely loose rein, even over trot poles, and responding just to my seat and legs. Sometimes I would feel him start to speed up but then he would censor himself, sometimes without me having to do anything at all. I know it will take time to build consistency and once we get out of the round pen, we’ll likely have to go through it again, but this worked for him in one day and I could feel the change in him. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!

[@WarwickSchiller]

Great work !!

[@conniekempf4050]

THIS. Thanks. My Andalusian/QH mare is the rushinest rusher in the world. Very responsive. Shoot you can sneeze and be in the next county. Not a spook, just a rusher. Ok, kind of a spook. 😜

[@imba.hjaltalin]

I had one like that, he was very old but if you let go of one hand he would take off, sometimes I would try to fooll him, like in freezing cold I would try to zip up the jacket after getting on a slow walk after a long run. Try to keep both reins in one hand and pretend like nothing. Nope he sensed it, sensed my focus had shifted, or if I was real stupid heard the zipper and would FLY!!!!!!!!!! it was like he forced himself, even if he was completely worn out. Crazy thing. I was also not much of a horse trainer back then so I had no good methods apart from wearing him out.

[@kendellshakespeare7812]

Love this video, exactly what I was looking for! Please could you explain what you mean when you asked Emily to 'sit' to slow her horse down? Thankyou

[@WarwickSchiller]

Stop moving her seat in rhythm with the horse, and tighten her core and hold it still.

[@kendellshakespeare7812]

​@WarwickSchiller Thankyou. I started having a play around with this the other day in the school and my mare got it pretty quick. She doesn't stay as relaxed in open spaces though,would the process be the same to improve this? Thanks

[@WarwickSchiller]

@@kendellshakespeare7812 Dont use your seat if its not going to work, save it fo when it will work.

[@kendellshakespeare7812]

​@WarwickSchiller OK, thank you. So if she's not ready to listen to the seat, should I keep using the turning technique you explain in the video until she's ready?

[@WarwickSchiller]

@@kendellshakespeare7812 yes, get her to where she is infuencable

[@jeffdunn9865]

Hi Warwick great video. Do you incorporate this when training colts?

[@WarwickSchiller]

Yes, I do this from that start.

[@jeffdunn9865]

WarwickSchiller I have basically restarting a very reactive warm blood mare. Two weeks consistent ground work with a focus on relaxation. Have now ridden her five times with this technique. It really is amazing how she is looking to relax herself after she goes “up”. Thank you so much for your insights.

[@idabrinck-lund8755]

Super super great. Would love to see that the other way round. A horse that doesnt go forward.,,

[@LoveYourLife723]

This is beautiful! Just to clarify, the bending to slow or stop on a loose rein cue is opening inside rein without shortening it?

[@WarwickSchiller]

It would be opening and shprtening, our arms arent long enough to just open it when its been loose.

[@LoveYourLife723]

Thank you!

[@lazygardens]

With horses such as that huge grey Andalusian at your stables for you to train, how long is each training session and how many sessions a week?

[@WarwickSchiller]

Usually about an hour a day, 6 times a week.

[@lazygardens]

@@WarwickSchiller You mean it takes time and regular effort? :::sigh::: I knew there was a catch to your method. :-)

[@RommeleRanch]

Great vid, but who wrote the subtitles? (Rungs, truck, cannon = reins, trot, canter) 😂🤣

[@WarwickSchiller]

Its an automatic progam.

[@RommeleRanch]

@@WarwickSchiller - Ah, I see 🤠👍

[@anabella1727]

need to work on this with my boy. he loves to canter and i always feel like i have to shorten my reins to maintain control....

[@WarwickSchiller]

This girl in the video had short reins for years ...

[@veronicatuesday3944]

The subtitles are hilarious

[@AyeZimbra]

I wish that you showed it all from the start.

[@WarwickSchiller]

I dont have it all from the start, the clips I showed are ones the riders parents took.

[@steselector5643]

My instructor always tell me to shorten up my reins to have 'constant contact' otherwise the horse will stumble (apparently). I don't really buy into it but otherwise I'll get yelled at so I ride with short-ish reins (but only when they're watching). There's a term 'washing line' that reins are drooping and apparently that's incorrect in English riding. I feel sorry for the horse cos your vid showing horses can do all transitions without yanking in their mouth with short reins.

[@Telindra]

Sad to hear that hasn't changed. 20 years ago I got complained at or yelled at to constantly shorten up my reins. Having longer reins has always felt more natural to me, and pulling in the horse's head and neck all the time like you tend to to in English riding has always felt too controlling for my taste. It's like you are acting like a dictator over the horse for no good reason, and I don't believe horses wants that type of relationship with their rider. As Warwick shows with his teachings, horses are fantastic team players that wants to work together with us.

[@steselector5643]

@@Telindra >too controlling Agreed! Sometimes I was told to shorten up rein to half the horse's neck and pull up the horse's head. I know my (school horse) can do it but not the most comfortable thing to happen to it and the horse will start pulling down the head or irritated if I kept short rein for long, so I always get back to droopy rein as soon as my horse did what I asked for. English riding tradition may look neat on photo and I believe top riders can do it without bothering their horse but for everyday rider borrowing school horse, lots of standard teaching feel not in horse's (or even for rider's) best interest imho.

[@JuliaN-fi9zw]

I agree but you should also consider that’s how those horses are trained and it’s their normal. I learned to ride Western and then switched to English so I get where you are coming from. I find it likely they wanted a tighter rein so that you could get your horse into frame/proper bends and all that.

[@HavvahartKL]

I’m curious if this also works with green horses-my girl is VERY forward at trot/canter but i feel adamantly about training her on a loose rein!

[@WarwickSchiller]

This is the first ride outside on a warmblood mare kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5rYk2hvqr97Z6M

[@Asp47999]

This is a great way to begin training horses for seat and leg aids. They have to know pressure/release and yielding on the ground to pressure. Very crucial part of their foundation! Warwick Schiller's videos helped me train my horse the right way from the ground first at 2yo. She's a shining example of a happy, confident, yet controlled horse through all disciplines. Highly recommend his approach!

[@JuliaN-fi9zw]

Could this be used with a horse that tends to rush off after jumps? The horse I’m looking into buying rushes immediately after the jump, doesn’t want to stop, tossing his head, and is just wanting to make it to the next one.

[@WarwickSchiller]

Yes, but Id get it good before attempting any jumping

[@JuliaN-fi9zw]

@@WarwickSchiller thank you! I’m definitely on the fence with this horse but knowing his issues can be dealt with just leaves personality

[@AyeZimbra]

Why not show that "first afternoon"?

[@elizabethblackwell6242]

Science: Rider Biomechanics: Using Sensors to See How the Rider Influences the Horse kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6TXk5aYabN3asU

[@KarenInCalif]

Beautiful work.