Agree! You can achieve softness and light cues without big bits. Also no tight nose bands. He's way lighter then what's in this video. He was under a bit of stage freight. All he has is a Myler comfort snaffle. I ride all my horses in this set up.

@@MoonlitRhythm You do amazing horsemanship! Also I highly agree with the nosebands being to tight! The set up you have now is great! I'm aiming to get in a bosal 💜

Thank you! ♥️ That's a great goal! 🙌 My favorite is to ride in my rope halters. I do a lot of groundwork with my horses and getting them soft off the halter. Once you establish the softness in the halter it will correlate over to your riding. ♥️

So right!

@@user-cx5le4gj7z we don't want our horses on the bit that's our goal of soft feel. Once you ride and feel the difference you won't want to ride a horse on the bit. A horse on the bit usually is a form of tension. A soft feel or even no contact will look soft, relaxed and no tension between the horses mouth, riders hands and body. I remember before I learned to teach my horses softness all the tension in my arms and shoulders that led down my back from having horses that are heavy on the hands and in the mouth. That leads to tension from rider and the horse. When I go through the process of teaching a horse soft feel once they get everything changes in there body.

Elizabeth Ferguson thank you so much! Such a fun class. 👍🏻🤩

I have watched this a half dozen times. I had to play and replay to catch your cues. So subtle...I can see the hundreds of hours you two have spent together. You are a remarkable rider, and I assume, a better than average trainer. Excellent fun to watch you both. Thank you. Oh, where did you place? Looked like a perfect pattern. I sure hope you captured the rosette.

@@elizabethferguson7002 Thank you! ♥️ For some reason I never saw this until now. Yes he has been in training with me for over 5 years at the time. I ended up taking Top 6. 😍 If he hadn't had the little stage fright coming in and look at the bush. Was a little more forward we have placed higher. This was his and I's only second show together. And only my second time showing in Cowboy dressage. I was more than happy on how we both did. Loping over the poles we only started that 3 or 4 months before this show. We had such a connection and relationship that's why we were able to pull it off so quickly.

Elizabeth Ferguson yep all her cues where excellent and the hose was moving really nicely

@@sweetas_sugar5673 I saw this 2 years ago. Because of your response I got to rewatch it What a treat, eye candy. Thank you A Chvatal I whole heartedly agree 💖

Thank you! 😍❤️

Agree! It's for all levels! Starting to professional. ♥️ Also, great for your reining horses to do something else. I know of a few that do both and excel well in both. 👌🏼

I won't get into reining anymore. Alot of abuse to win the ribbons. Like western pleasure and big lick. I been there and seen 4 years getting hock injections at the professional level. Or horses put under such stress to compete they get ulcers or gone bananas in their stall form hours spent in them. Sadly showing has become so vein in the heart and the horse stuffers. These new show types are bring back what was lost but in time money will over take again.

Reining is definitely a discipline that's hard on a horse's body, but there are still reiners out there that do right by the horse and know when a horse should be retired. But of course every show circuit has it's bad apples that only care about winning and reining is no exception

@@caitlinsoup34 True. I seen more bad owners then the of good owners. If you wanna win you gotta play it their way. That means the horse is after the ribbon. If you just wanna pay into their game and care about your horse then you will always lose. None those big winners put the horse first. None.

@@brittnyhawk8633 thank you so much for saying this, my last horse had to be put down because reigning past, and most people don’t realize anything is wrong with reining

This is Cowboy dressage for the western horse. This is the Challenge court class. The poles are laid out within the court. It is great to teach beginners and intermediates the lay out of the court. Its set up at your 10m and 20m marks along with your lines of the court. They have classes without the poles as well. I absolutely love the challenge court it just adds more to the class.

Yes 2 hands or one handed is acceptable doesn't matter the age of the horse. 😊

This is Cowboy Dressage on the challenge court class. The challenge court is one of my favorites. 💞 The class I am competing in is in your top hand division but they have this same test in other divisions as well. I believe this is the Challenge court test #2.

equineA.skeeter Edits thank you! ❤️

As of right now you do not need to qualify for the world finals. I only went to one show and three clinics last year before finals. One of the founding members urged me to come try it out. It was a blast and very supportive community. I have a friend that lives in the Pacific Northwest that could help you with getting started in CD. She showed this year at the world finals as well.

I am going to be boarding and taking lessons from M&M Training and Consulting (Marcia Moore Harrison & Davalee Minden) and I hope to start working on Cowboy Dressage with my new horse. I love low-key show environments and this seems like just the event for that! What do normal shows cost do you know? I am very excited to start participating with this program.

That is awesome congrats! She will be able to help you with all your questions. Hopefully I will run into you at the CD finals next time. You can see horse show costs on the cowboy dressage website. 🐴

Did you do a grand prix dressage level?

Its a choice to have a caller or not. This was my only second show ever in the Cowboy dressage and with all the nerves I wanted some direction if I blanked. I felt very supported that you could have that option available. I had it memorized as well and could have done it myself but was happy with my choice. I believe its in this video where the caller stated the wrong direction I think on turning on the forehand? And because I had it memorized I was already going the direction I needed too. Then the caller corrected themselves. But this is what I love about this support is the choices and support when learning a new discipline. I had only been practicing Cowboy Dressage maybe 5 months total?

Yes I practiced and memorized the test before competeing. All the test can be found on the Cowboy dressage world website. I don't remember if it was this test or another class I did the caller accidently called out the wrong direction but since I had it memorized I continued what I had remembered.

I would be curious on what the riding errors would be? He had stage freight coming into the class. I stayed within his comfort zone and supported him at level where he felt safe without pushing more forward. He was able to make it through the class without creating more stress if I asked for more forward motion.

He's a paint horse. If I remember correctly his sire is AQHA and is dam is APHA. He is owned by my client that's been with me for 12 years now. He's still in my care and in pasture now with my two horses. Hes still being ridden hes 24 now. He's 18 in this video. 🙂

Ksksjjs not like western pleasure horses today. I use to show in western pleasure years ago and got out of showing because the way the horses are moving. Usually this guy is a little more forward but he was having some stage freight. :) I let him pick his speed where he was comfortable to build his confidence. You can see through the video his confidence building. 💞 there is another video on my RSPH page showing at the LA equestrian and you can see where he is a little more forward and that's where we want him to be. I put him first. ;) this was only our second show together.

Don’t worry. The saddles are horribly heavy!!!

Contact Steve Young in Wales. He rides western and presents clinics at his ranch/farm

I wouldn't say it's better. English riding, if done correctly, can be even helpful for horses. For example dressage can be used as physiotherapy but it must be done correctly.

You can ride one or two handed in Cowboy dressage. Another reason why I love this discipline is you don't have to rush a horse to a shanked bit or one handed. I prefer snaffle bits and achieving soft feel and lightness. I only go up to a shanked bit if I have too in competition. I also feel more balanced and connected through my body riding two handed. Your shoulders stay in alighnement and connected down to your hips and legs.