Last week I posted a video that showed riders competing bareback in a Puissance jumping class.

In the same vein, here is an example of a rider that has trained his horses to perform many of the movements of the Spanish Riding School without using a bit, bridle or saddle! I will not bicker with Alexander Nevzorov’s definition of Haute Ecole; in my opinion much of what he shows on the video falls under the category of tricks, but it is still an impressive achievement and shows how a trainer can achieve a partnership with a horse without the use of a bit or bridle.

Nevzorov is a controversial figure in the equine world because of his stance that using a bit of any kind is an act of cruelty. I have purposefully included a video that does not show that part of his story. If you are interested, there are others that you can find on YouTube or on his website.

In another discipline, reining, is an equally impressive equestrian, Stacy Westfall. What I particularly like about the videos I’ve where she is riding is that her horse looks completely relaxed and attuned to her.