REFINEMENT

Duration: 90 day min

Horses recommend Age: 5-7 years

Course Description:

This course is all about developing a horse to be ridden as a unit. It's easy to fall into the trap of micro managing and riding individual body parts and never getting a horse truly finished. We will work to develop straightness, responsibility, honesty, and self carriage one-handed in the bridle during this course.

Focus Skills:

• Must be proficient at criteria specified in performance 101 and 102 in a snaffle, traditional hackamore, or transition bit

• Developing understanding and expectations for straightness, guide, rate, handle, etc one handed

• Use in practical real working ranch or competition scenarios whenever possible

• Perform practical working task associated with ranch or competition

• Developing all the tasks and skills taught in performance 101 and 102 one handed in the bridle.

Training Philosophy:

By developing responsibility and honesty we mean training a horse that is confident and understands the training well enough to truly be a real partner to a competent rider. A rider shouldn't be expected to manage the head, neck, shoulders, rib cage, and/or hips individually 100% of the time on a finished horse. Yes, these parts are isolated in early stages so we can solidify understanding but they must be put back together as a complete unit on a finished product. When there is a job or task at hand a truly finished horse will stay between the reins and legs of a skilled rider. A true bridle horse should be just as proficient one-handed as they would be with two.

Equipment Philosophy:

Quality pads and well-fitted saddles are normal for all of our courses. Coming out of a transition style bit used in Performance 102, we will move to more solid bits. Various solid mouthpieces with loose cheeks (not independent) are common. Various cheek designes and specific ports are chosen based on a horses sensetivity and understanding. A solid, well prepared, and seasoned horse can earn a solid traditional Spanish type bridle with romel reins (the crown of a noble and well trained mount).

Completion Standard:

Bridle Course graduates should be well prepared to be utilized one handed. They should be operating on more of a signal then a pull. Individual body parts work together as a unit through all performance manuevers and tasks. That doesn't mean that individual parts won't need a reminder or tune ups depending on frequency of use and/or rider ability. Horses should have the ability to navigate complex ranch trail courses, reining patterns, cattle work, or any typical ranch oriented tasks one-handed in the bridle.