Free Rein Part 1 - Bellator’s Voice

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"Bellator was the perfect horse for the first segment. He was huge, friendly, and well trained. I applaud Vicki for taking the initiative to work through this minor dilemma in order to develop a stronger working relationship with her horse. She's a very experienced horsewoman, and she had already taken Bellator to several shows and competitions with great success over the years. Vicki's challenge with his biting seemed to develop over time with his training, so I was confident that we could undo the behavior. I'll admit I was a bit nervous about how long it would take to get to the source of the biting and change the habit. This gelding was very sensitive to the extra energy of the crew, and his behavioral challenges were heightened on film days. At times I found myself wondering if we were going to capture the immense improvement that he and Vicki had made in such a short time. I have worked with horses who bite in the past, but Bellator was different. He would grab at halters out of playfulness, and also grab at anything or anyone when he was nervous or frustrated. His playful goofiness would flip to biting in seconds when he felt too much pressure. We had to place the crew very strategically (and only the people absolutely necessary to get the shot) in order to respect Bellator and Vicki's space as they got to the source of his biting. I've worked with Vicki and Bellator since then, and I can honestly say that his biting is behind them, and they are both much happier to move on to other challenges." - Jessica Fobert