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‘It feels like the start of something very exciting’: HOYS-bound showjumper on her first bridleless competition

Eleanor Jones Eleanor Jones

    • A showjumper who competed, and went clear, over a 1.20m track at the first British Bridleless Competition told H&H this “feels like the start of something very exciting”.

    Serena Kullich and Silas VTS, who have qualified for the Talent Seekers final at Horse of the Year Show 2026, were among the +20 combinations at the event organised by Mia Riodley of The Heart of Horsemanship at Merrist Wood on 31 May.

    H&H reported that the event had had a huge and positive response, and Serena said she was delighted to be part of it.

    “It was so exciting to see so many people competing bridleless,” she said. “I know quite a few of them and we play about bridleless, but actually to see everyone in a competition was just so inspiring.”

    Serena said she had been fascinated with riding bridleless since she had childhood dreams of riding along the beach without one, but there were not the online resources available that there are now.

    Then a few years ago, she was riding Benji at home, the horse with whom she has contested the prestigious London International Horse Show under-25s final.

    “I was playing around and realised I could steer him quite well with my legs and back off with the neck rope, and that I could ride him bridleless, which was really exciting,” she said.

    “Then I started doing it with Silas. At that point I knew Mia a tiny bit, but I now know her really well; a lot of this is down to her, she’s inspired me to do a lot of the things I’ve done.”

    Many riders have said that riding bridleless has improved their horses’ way of going; not the riding itself but the fact that to get to a point at which riding without a bridle works, by definition the horse-human relationship is harmonious and working together.

    Bridleless showjumping: the benefits

    “What’s been interesting with Silas is that he’s a slightly tense, introverted horse,” she said. “He’s one of those who it’s easy to kind of tell them what to do, even if they’re not completely happy about it. His thing is that he doesn’t like the edges of the arena.”

    Mia said with a bridle on, these fences were not a problem but without, she realised he was not as happy taking these on.

    “I’ve spent more time getting him truly relaxed and confident,” she said. “I think it’s not been kind of one specific thing, it’s the whole connection I’ve now got with him, to be able to do everything I can do, has transferred to the jumping. He has always been a willing horse but now he really tries, he has he so much more trust in me.”

    Serena said she rides some of her younger horses with bridles, some without, but she applies all she has learned from working without, to their benefit.

    “I use all the principles that I use with Silas bridleless, like my steering from my seat, teaching them to have rhythm and relaxation on a long rein,” she said. “Teaching a four-year-old all that, I find, makes such a difference, because then when you jump them when they’re a bit older, they’ve got that foundation and are confident and relaxed.

    “So many older showjumpers I get are hard in the mouth; I now go about teaching them the contact slowly and carefully. The fundamental of jumping round a course is that you need them with you and listening and if they’re just running off on their own, it’s not easy!”

    Adjusting the stride

    Serena and Silas’s round was foot-perfect; she explained that she has put a lot of work in without the bridle, on adjusting the canter stride on the flat, so she knows the gears are there on a course when she needs them.

    “He always feels completely with me,” she said. “But then I wouldn’t jump round a course bridleless if I didn’t feel he was completely with me. So I’ve always set him up perfectly for success, whereas in a bridle you can slightly skip things. So with all my jumpers I try my best to always have that feeling of the bridleless, even when I’m riding with a bridle.”

    Serena said her main goal is to show people what can be possible.

    “It feels like the start of something very exciting,” she said. “The fact Mia’s looking to hold more shows, the reach it’s got across social media is exciting, and so many people are keen to do more of it.

    “It’s that feeling of freedom. As well now for me, I love the preciseness, the collection and the ability to adjust a stride jumping but as a kid, it was that feeling of freedom I loved.”

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    Eleanor Jones
    Eleanor Jones

    H&H news editor
    Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
    Eleanor Jones

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