important

       I guess I see if differently. The key difference in klaus' work is not the 'free' or tack-less element. It is the SEEING the horse ....... differently. I used to think this seeing had something to do with the character types in "What Horses Revel". And that seeing would lead me to a new way with the horse. If I knew my character type my relationship would change. It would change everything ...... how I relate to the horse, what I did with the horse, and we (both horse and myself) would "look" different.
       My understanding has grown a little bit. "It is not what I do (see) but HOW I do (see) what I do (see)." I must COMPLETELY see the horse differently. I must not see them as my servant, child, possession, student, patient, soul mate, or even therapist. This then eliminates the need to use,  control, train, nurture, heal, or mother. THAT will change everything. The relationship now starts anew with all the responsibility (ability to respond) at MY OWN feet. My response to what I SEE and not my response to what I SAY (to the horse).
      When we keep ANY of the old 'visions' in our seeing of the horse we have changed Klaus' teaching. And cannot "claim" that we are following his path. This 'vision' cannot be altered "in the name of safety", "for the horses' own good", or to "prove a point". Any "doing" will not 'create' the "seeing".  Smokey mirrors.
      I also believe in the Quaker process to consensus and "a way will come". And I know that Klaus does not OWN this "teaching". He just happens to be the only one out there demonstrating it. The mustang video is NOT it and neither is the Parelli games.

backs

http://www.equibooks.com/heuschmann.html

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDQQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.schleese.com%2Fdocuments%2FHow%2520the%2520Horse%2527s%2520Back%2520Works.pdf&ei=xb-GUNHLIbSO2QX11IDYAQ&usg=AFQjCNGwHb-M7WMFHsiKUIxn0yfGzZKHqw&sig2=vU8gVn7wYaGELXgDIwy9Pw


The way I see it ........ there are two issues with this bareback and galloping discussion.
1) the horses' longissimus muscle runs horizontal to our weight and therefore has no "strength" upwards to carry us. Only with the 'bridge' dynamics can the muscle rise 'up'. In other words, when the muscle is long, relaxed, NOT contracted. So we are really talking about the psoas and nuchal muscles working to stretch the longissimus muscles. That is created in the gallop or the trot in the suspension phase. So yes, they can better carry us IN MOTION. As the expression goes we must learn to ride the MOVEMENT of the horse. Never be a passenger to be "packed" around by the horse. Remember we Dance WITH our horses.
2) is the issue of posture. Emphatically the horse must learn good posture and develop this 'bridge' dynamic before we even think about getting on. This must be done at liberty because the horse must learn it experientially and not be put into a frame that "looks like" self carriage.  The next (most important) part is WE must have good riding posture and impeccable self carriage - while on the horses' back. The ONLY way to do no harm. Because of this lack of self carriage on our part extreme damage is done to horses' back - with or without - the saddle.
Image what is possible ........ that we never ask our horses to "carry" us and we too can become as beautiful and powerful as they are ......... by JOINING them in the dance!

.... before three or four years ....

No matter how one looks at it "taking responsibility" is still "taking".

There is a discussion (disagreement) about "handling" horses before three or four years of age.  I know the "problem" is around the "responsibility" concept. More specifically, how that responsibility is carried out.

Let us take the hoof trimming as an example. I handle and eventually pick up all my horses' feet, loose, free, in the herd with no halter and no second person. I have no trouble. From the first time. The only thing the foal needs to learn is a) What I 'want' when I ask him/her to pick up their hoof and b) how to keep their balance on three legs while they hold their foot up. My 'holding' of the hoof is only to stabilize anything I do to the hoof itself. In other words, I only 'cradle' the hoof in my open hand if I am only 'looking' or brushing off dirt. If I have to "dig" dirt out (or in the case of the farrier - rasp against the hoof wall) I will hold the hoof more firmly -AGAINST MY OWN PRESSURE. I stay in my own balance. In my own space, grounded to the earth with my own readiness to move MY OWN FEET if the need arises. I do not ask or ever hint that I might "take away" the horse's "ability to respond". Furthermore, I KEEP my 'ability to respond' very alert to anything the horse does that would require me to respond. To stay responsible for keeping MYSELF safe. I do not "give" that responsibility to the "trainer" of the horse  (if I were the farrier). If I do not have a farrier that can BE this way with my young horses, then they are either 'self trimmed' or reduced to what I can do with a rasp. :)
Notice the "subject" "object" in notes a) and b)
a) I ask the horse to pick up their own foot. I do not say I pick up the hoof. I am VERY careful with "the voice in my head" when I do this - because I learned from a horse named Pleasure - horses can hear the voice in my head! If I am thinking - "I am going to pick up your foot" then the horse will either let ME pick up the hoof ....... or not. Or worse "Give me your hoof". You can imagine how a young horse would hear that!  I have seen many a knowledgeable horse person actually try to push the horse off balance to allow them (the person) to pick up the hoof!!
b) horse must learn to keep their OWN balance on three legs. I will not lean on them and they will not lean on me. If they need to move to keep their balance they are allowed - even encouraged (when there are hints of leaning).

It is in this way horses are kept "free" until they are three to five years of age.

imprinting

Now you have opened a can of worms!
I used to (regrettably) do some form of imprinting on my new foals. And like the experiences shared here - unpredictable "results". I'm not sure what I was expecting. I had worked at a breeding stable for years and after assisting the mare - stepped out and let the mare do the imprinting. When I had my own foals the imprinting was part of my own personal need to 'hug and hold'. Now I understand it to be trauma! At the "cellular" level! These imprinted foals are actually trauma victims at a very early age and become  "dead" horses as adults.
Harmon - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-TLrFq9gXg&list=PLFF54166AEFB805D0&index=33&feature=plpp_video
Now I don't halter "break", tie or even lead until they are at least three or even four. I can still 'move' them and absolutely have the "dominance' that KFH speaks of (how I hate that word!). Now they can be the real teachers they are meant to be.
Listen (or listen again if you have already heard them) the interviews with KFH  (and Linda Kohanov) from the Path of the Horse and Horse Conscious series.

Continued

The most important lesson of the story of Pleasure  getting caught (or the 'catching' story) is still unfolding. He was understanding the word "catch" as I 'said' it. His "experience" of being caught was quite different than I intended. Good intentions are not enough. All of our behavior (shoes/barefoot - herds/stalls - saddles/bareback -  bits/bitless - riding/groundwork) has only the best intentions at heart. (at least within this group lol)
Pleasure was telling me "catch" was the WRONG word. Even the WRONG behavior! What I really want to do is invite myself INTO HIS WORLD. What I was really doing was dragging him into mine! My work (as KFH says) is to become 'worthy' (responsible for myself) of this invitation! ALL of KFH encounters with the horse leaves the horse "intact". He "takes" nothing and yet the horse "gives" everything.
 I could list enumerable 'stories' of what this "looks like".
Starts with - "It is not your hoof!"

How arrogant we are to think (assume) that our words are heard (received) in the way we intend.

How arrogant we are to think (assume) that our words are heard (received) in the way we intend.

Pleasure was difficult to catch. Every time by anyone. So, he trained his people to always "feed" him in  a small area. Once there he had absolutely no resistance to being caught. Putting the halter on and going with the human to do whatever. No resistance to the "doing" in the relationship. 
The "problem" was getting caught.
Operative word 'caught'.
Traditionally, when humans come upon a "problem" we "problem solve" and come up with strategies to reach our goal. And I had a list of strategies that I shared with my student to reach her goal. Catch her horse. She followed them to the letter with barely noticeable results. Often resorting to enticing him to a small area where "catching" was no longer necessary. My student felt hurt that the horse didn't want to be with her. Yet, my observations were the horse dearly wanted the relationship with his new human! I could tell the struggle with being caught was a fear within this horse. His own struggle.
So I went to catch him. My intentions were clear. I wanted to catch him. No sneaking up on him. No tricking him into a trap. Honest open congruent intentions. Then the conversation began. I found a very very sensitive horse. To the very smallest 'movements' from me. Invisible to observer. In the end my "doing" was to meet him where he was in the pasture. Stay with him where ever he went - energetically and with my "honorable" intentions. Until he followed me into the smaller space and to his human. Who had the halter and "good intentions" for a respectful relationship. 
I already knew this horse was a high ranking individual in a bachelor herd. He established this instantly and quietly with no damage done. The old gelding in the herd that was the leader before did not question his authority (as he had with other additions to this herd). 
Later I found out his story. Pleasure was raised naturally in a large family herd until he was two or threes years of age. He was then ROPED and brought in to be BROKE to ride. 
Bottom line is: Pleasure's "experience" with the capture word was quite different than my intention with the word!