How my ex BULLFIGHTING HORSE is going… 

The way that you handle Gaio (and all your horses) is just so inspiring. The whole "punishment when you do something I don't want" thing has always rubbed me the wrong way, and that's obviously what he's used to. To watch him blossom under your patience and positive reinforcement is a beautiful thing. You spread such bright light around the world. Thank you for sharing it!

“I’m also trying to teach him that it’s not a problem if you don’t understand” … gold!! 💗💗

"You may have to check your morals a little bit...". Ha! I couldn't agree more. And Gaio's friskiness with you is so lovely, such a clear sign of happiness.

I hope Jesse knows how perfect his "unperfect" approach is. Prioritising the joy of things over a means to an end.

“To learn that when you are happy, that’s a good thing” This. This should be the baseline of working with horses

This was so amazing to see! Most people would be very scared of a horse like this and give up on him, but you are very calm and understanding of him even when he is very expressive! This horse found the most perfect person for him, truly. I'd love to see more, wonderful video!!

I don't agree with bull fighting either and I'm Portuguese, it's a DISGUSTING act of CRUELTY to horses & bulls!! Thank you for loving on Gaio, Jesse!! 💚

Oh this horse had lots of NEGATIVE reinforcement!! You are a godsend to this horse.☺️💕💕

I would feel SO overwhelmed by a horse acting like this! I am used to very gentle/lazy horses that you often have to put energy in, so this nice lusitano would feel out of control for me. I'm impressed by your calm, confidence and trust, you surely are the right fit for him!

He is absolutely stunning & I love how you work with him.

He is such a beautiful horse, clearly likes working and playing with you. He seems spirited and super smart

I don't have a horse but love watching people working with them. Out of all the people I have watched, I think you're the kindest and work with them the way I love most. You're always making sure the horses are happy when they do the tasks you ask of them. That, to me, is one of the most important things. Everyone else seems to make efforts to understand the horse and use that to make them do what they want from them. You want the horse to be happy, that's what makes me like you so much.

strongly against bullfighting... thank you for caring for Gaio!... he's so handsome!

Hi Jesse! I'm living in Spain and what you've told about him is absolutely right. They normally (and unfortunately) teach horses stuff like the spanish walk, piaffe etc. too fast, with negative reinforcement instead of positive reinforcement. Horses usually are scared of the whip, and here they see these methods as "the horse respecting you" when they're actually just scared. I've seen horses reacting the same way as Gaio when he bows down, and all the "reacting in a fast way" and "now knowing how to enjoy themselves". The bridle you describe is a Pelham with Serreta, metal spikes that go on their noses to "control" or "stop" them more, and they leave permanent scars. In spanish riding, they usually ride with big spurs, assembling the western ones. That's were the scars come from, especially in bull fighting or "spanish dressage" spurs are heavily used here. I'm absolutely disgusted by bull fighting and I don't like the Spanish riding (Doma vaquera) either. From the outside, for me it just looks like a lot of pulling in their mouth and a lot of using spurs. Unfortunately like Gaio there's millions of horses, and thank god he's found the right home where he can start to learn what it is to be a horse and be happy again. I really hope he can enjoy himself very soon. This sadly is the reality of many of those beautiful horses. Maybe Matt has seen some of those "spanish training techniques" as he went to Spain, but maybe he didn't because they hide it. Anyways thank you for doing the work you do! Gaio is a beautiful horse and the owner chose right to leave him in your hands. xx

Thank you so much for the update on Gaio. I felt so bad for him when you described his injuries from his past. But so happy for where he lives now and his relationship with you! You are the best most kind person and trainer. Love your way with horses and love your videos.

He’s gorgeous and doing so well. I understand exactly what you mean about him being stressed. He’s desperate to please you. ❤️

Thank you ❤️ for addressing the horrors of bullfighting. What a wonderful human you are for caring. It’s a stunning facility you have there, Gaio is a truly special horse with a clear connection to you.

You and Matt are such wonderful examples if how people should be around horses!

Gaio is very lucky to have you teaching him how to play and have fun. Your attitude with horses is inspiring and lovely to watch.

Gaio is beautiful Jesse, l don’t like bullfighting either, it’s barbaric and cruel to the animals involved, it should be banned, l’ve seen some buckskin horses that have zebra stripes on their legs, gorgeous markings, l love how you play and train your horses, you are such a kind gentle soul, you’ve done an amazing job with Gaio too, tfs x Julie 🇬🇧

Jesse, he looks so much more comfortable and happy than in your earlier videos when you first started with him. It's obvious he trusts you. I hope you and your Gaio are proud of all you've accomplished together. His owner must know you well - she realized your calm and sweet energy was just what Gaio needed. Best wishes from Canada

Watching you two is something special gaio is like a big teenager injoying his new freedom the very fact he feels he can be cheeky around you shows how much he trusts you most people would try and correct the cheeky or naughty behaviour but you allow him to be himself and this is amazing I hope you do get to own him outright your perfect for each other and yes please to more videos of you both

We are all lucky to have animals in our lives, but Jesse is one of the truly kind people that animals are lucky to have in return. This was such a heartwarming video, I really enjoyed it!

Something occurred to me whilst I was listening to you explaining the history and about this beautiful horse. He would have been in fight mode constantly and so what I saw you do was lots of fun for him and positive teachings which is an art itself and a gift. You have this and I think you will go a long way with this horse Jesse Drent. So wonderful to see and Thank You for sharing. There is hope for other horses that have been through this. I have been to Spain and refused to see the bull fight I was very young but I fail to see how two magnificent animals like a bull and a horse should be forced to fight to the end. On the positive you have just shown how horses can be reshaped with kindness and patience which you definately have, well done Jesse, now that deserves respect.

Lovely to see an intelligent animal, being treated as such! I’m impressed!

Aww... at 13:51 Gaio has kisses for Jesse.😊♥ Gaio has such grace and athleticism! Jesse, you are a wonder! Love watching your process to encourage Gaio's natural playfulness.

Oh just came across your channel and I'm obsessed with your horsemanship, I could watch you all day, im now going to binge watch your channel your such a caring gentle soul love this 😀 ❤

I truly hope you can own Gaio,one day, sooner rather than later! He loves you,and trusts you! I think he will make an awesome addition to your "horse family". Much Love from Donna, USA.😊😘❤👏🐎

Monica better keep him forever or sell him to you. Gaio's had enough trauma in his life. He needs a solid foundation and familiarity, what he have today. Let that be his safe haven til the day he walks among the stars.

As a Portuguese citizen, I can confirm that bullfighting is cruel to all the animals involved. The horses get super stressed and are forced to run towards the bull by means of sharp spurs and spikes under the noseband. The bulls get forcibly taken from their pastures, they’re forced to run through the streets, and when they get to the arena’s facilities (curros) the tips of their horns are sawn off. Right before entering the arena itself, the bulls get stabbed with a small flag at the base of the neck to rile them up. Upon entering the arena, the first thing the terrified bulls try to do is find an exit, but there is no way out and the arena is round so there are no corners in which to take refuge. So the bull is forced to fight because flight is not an option. The bull is then forced to keep running and attacking the bullfighter, only to get stabbed each time. The iron spikes are shaped like harpoons and dangle from the bull’s neck, cutting a little more with each step the bull takes. The loud music and cheers from the crowd help mask the bull’s screams of pain and terror. Eventually, when the bull gets tired from running and bleeding a lot, it’s time for the forcados, a group of idiots who think they’re very brave because one of them will take the bull’s attack and grab it by the horns while the rest of the group gangs up on the poor animal, pulls his tail and immobilizes him. Afterwards the bull gets taken away. The iron spikes are cut away with a knife in cold blood, and the bull is left to wait in agony the entire night to be killed at the slaughter house the next day. If he is unlucky enough to catch a holiday on Friday (bullfights are usually held on thursdays), the bull will only be slaughtered on Monday. So yeah, Jesse. You say you’re not really sure what happens in bullfights but you think It’s not nice for the animals - now you know. It’s torture masked as culture, and only sadists like it.

Hello Jesse - I also have a buckskin gelding (of unknown breed) that we purchased at an auction last November, We asked an eventer to come out and ride him to get an idea for what he knew. She thought he might be an Iberian horse (Lusitano perhaps?) because of his high energy, conformation, and long, bouncy strides. He appeared to know all of his gait transitions and cues already. At the auction, the seller said he was used as a cow horse, but it's impossible to know a horse's true history from these places. There's a herd of longhorns that roam through our neighborhood, and he's interested in them at times but always seperated by a fence. He looks and acts much like Gaio, with high energy and a similar demeanor towards people. I keep him in an open pasture of 17 acres (8 are cleared and 9 are forest). He and his buddy, a jenny mule, have a large walk in loafing stall if they need it and plenty of large oak trees for shade, but they like being in the open. I will enjoy seeing the future progress you make with Gaio and hope he'll go to more competitions. BTW, we lived in the Hague for 4 years from '09-'13, and that's where I learned to ride. I was only on lesson horses that we rode in a covered arena and then onto the beach each week, weather permitting. When we returned to the states, I wanted to buy a Lusitano or Andalusian, but I couldn't find one that was affordable, so I bought a registered QH sorrel gelding. He was a fanstastic horse that our family loved, taking him riding through the mountains of West TX and on the forest trails of north Houston. He was my best friend until his untimely death last October. That's why we bought our buckskin so he could be a buddy for the poor mule who was left alone. Our buckskin is one of the nicest horses I've been around, I can't understand why he would be put into auction. I'm impressed with your way of handling horses using positive re-enforcement, and it appears you develop a good relationships with the horses. I look forward to learn more from your training.

I absolutely adore this boy... I really hope you get to buy him at some stage. He clearly needs you in his life. Thanks for this video, I really wanted to know more about him.

Thank you SO much for playing with him and also posting it. Having fun together on the ground is the most valuable experience you and your horse can have! It is so refreshing to see this, other than just training and riding. That's how you become soul mates. Much Love. ❤

it makes me so happy to see how well you two work together!! he truly trusts and respects you and I could only imagine how thankful he is to you for saving him from bullfighting. god bless you and how kind and passionate you are about these wonderful animals! keep up the lovely work and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Jesse, I watched yr video called, "Riding a Difficult Course With Gaio", about 1 year ago. Toward the end he spooked & bolted 👹 😧! and your ability to keep him under control was totally amazing!!!! 😀👍🥰 ! You are quite an exceptional horseman!!! Thank God he wasn't able to throw or buck you off!!! If you ever get hurt or injured I'm quite sure all your loving fans will try to book the fastest flight to come to your aid & help nurse you back to health! 😆😍 I know I would!!!!! I love the fine gentleman you are. Don't let anyone who doesn't love & cherish you get in your way. Keep on shinning your 1000 watt smile! 😁❤️

Love your work and how clear and fair you are in communication with him. Even if he is a little bit tense sometimes you always stay calm.

Jesse, I so appreciate your patience and understanding with Gaio. Just a suggestion ... I bought a Friesian Sport Horse who was traumatized and depressed after relocating from a home he had known all his life. He is very stoic, and after trying for a year to make him comfortable, I hired an energy worker. She worked on his body, and Mr. Stoic became a wet noodle. She helped him to release the trauma and wow, within 24-48 hours after processing the work, I had a new horse! He will never be a "pocket pony" but we are now best friends. I hope that someday Gaio will be yours. ♥

Wow - very similar to the palomino Lusitano I ride, originally from Brazil under professional riding. Beautiful, ADHD, sensitive, intense with other horses, hot/fiery, and can get tense trying to please under saddle. Also old marks on nose and chest too. Love how you explain Gaio's personality and how you work with him. I've found as well that being calm, no negative punishment (positive only), and keeping variety in the work with light contact, hand walking, etc. has excelled him and strengthened our relationship and trust with each other. :) Lustianos are a special breed and need very understanding people around them. They are becoming more popular in the US but not every person can or should handle them, due to their sensitivity that is different from most other horse breeds. Good job with Gaio!

omg this was so lovely to watch! He did such an amazing job, you could see he was learning and enjoying himself! Please do more of these vids with him. Made me smile and awww the whole video with him

A dream horse. So beautiful and even his personality is wonderful. Jesse you are the right therapist for him.

Your so wonderful with Gaio, I'm so glad he has you in his life . He deserves a great life!

Lovely to see your progress with Gaio, Jesse. I agree with you that buckskin colour is one of the nicest and Gaio's deep gold colour is the nicest I've seen. He is a real beauty and is so nice to see him learning to relax and enjoy himself. :)

You are such a joy to watch! And you are so right about this horse: he needs to know that he IS a good horse, he's not a disobedient problem horse. Sadly, he is ready and waiting to be punished because that's what he was used to, so his mind is stuck there. As you said, he was trained/controlled using fear and punishment and doing that to any creature is wrong, but it is very bad when they are smart and have a big personality like Gaio... It can destroy them. So playing with him and having fun and giving him affection will really help him. (loved the kisses, I just wanted to hug him!) . And he really seems to like you .You are amazing Jesse and very funny (petting the invisible horse made me LOL all by myself!). Please bring us more of your time spent with this beautiful horse- and for the record, bull fighting is barbaric. I don't see the fun or sport in hurting animals and cheering for more blood! Sick! Kisses to Gaio😗🐴🥕🌻

I'm always amazed at the way you and Matt handle these horses. They turn into overgrown, playful children in your hands. Amazing!

Thank you, Jesse! I always love your videos. You have the best demeanor! No wonder why all of the animals love you! Much love from North Carolina. 🤍💙

Love seeing him! I so appreciate your philosophy and process. Happy and relaxed is what we should all strive for with our horses. The partnership and trust is incredibly rewarding. Thank you for sharing!

Gaio is such a handsome boy. His early training to shape him into a bullfighting horse must have been quite hellish for him to be so high strung after years of more gentle work. I'm glad his owner has left you to do with him as you please, because you always train with the horse's interests and comfort as the main goal. You will be the best therapist for Gaio, to calm his mind and keep his body active.

Love watching this horse' movements when he's having fun. The liberty work seems to bring him joy. Thanks!

Jesse, what a joyful video; just watching this heartwarming interaction. Gaio is such a special boy and you are an amazing trainer! Thank you for shining your light and being true to yourself.

Yes....check your morals...for sure! I love your attitude towards all the horses in your care! So calm, caring and knowledgeable so such a young man! You are my favourite horsemanship video maker! Well done Jesse.

Hi Jesse 😊 Gaio is a absolutely beautiful! So wonderful he was rescued from that horrible life. I also hate bullfighting. I love the feelings you have for animals and I believe if anyone can help him, it's you. Kudos to his owner for buying him and choosing you and just wanting him to be happy. 👍

He is truly a gorgeous boy! It's heartbreaking that he is terrified to fail. How horrific his life must have been. 😭 And he clearly didn't want to even hear the word Bullfighting, as he walked away from you every time you said the word! There is most definitely trauma there. I have always thought that Bullfighting should be banned for the sake of the bulls, it's barbaric, and here we see that it also is seriously traumatizing for the horses too! But I have complete faith that you will be the best influence on him with your sweet and loving nature. We can feel how much you care right through our screens! ❤️

Jesse you are a blessing for Gallo. The respect and love you show horses in your care is so touching.

Gaio is a very lucky horse to have you by his side. Thank you for a great video.

I always enjoy your videos. You have so much empathy towards your four footed 'co-workers', so relaxed and so much understanding. A real pleasure to spend time watching. So after watching this I decided to see what Port. 'Bloodless' bullfighting was about: It is not bloodless, it is barbaric and torture and I can now fully comprehend why Gaio is the way he is/was. It would not surprise me if he has nightmares of the old days. Bless you and his owner for rescuing him from that life and giving him a better future.

Absolutely lovely video, thank you. It is so lovely to see Gaio’s progress, you can already see you both have such a lovely bond. I hope that his owner will sell him to you one day, I believe you are meant to be together. ❤️🇩🇰

Beautiful work Jesse. So glad this horse is with you now. Can't wait to see him calm down more. Hard to switch off that heightened state when they have been trained to be in it for so long. He trusts you it will come. And yes check your morals, bull fighting and bull fighting with horses is not sport or entertainmen just cruelty! Love your work always and thanks for sharing it.

Jesse your adorable and kind and the love you have for your horses comes from your heart and Soul ! Your a wonderful young horseman 🐎💕👏😊

Thank you. The horse looks so magnificent in motion. I can't imagine anyone better for the challenge than Jesse. Thanks also for the Great camera work,, this was a pleasure to watch.

Jesse, Gaio is gorgeous. My Lusitano was a bay. He did anything I asked him to and was a natural on working cattle. I lost him at 29 and still miss him. I love that you are doing videos now.

What a lovely spirited horse he is!! Yes, please continue to show the work you do with him, it is so wonderful to see you work in partnership with this special horse.

I love this! Gaio reminds me of my dog that only wants to pleas and learn🙂 People like you Jesse really warms my heart. And your face when Gaio walked away😂twice. So supriced and like come on I'm bragging about you and this is how you respond😆 Priceless.

You are definetly the right person for this slightly troubled horse💕💕💕

He looks relaxed and happy, as though the 2 of you were playing!

I can't wait for the day Jesse posts a video to tell us about his new horse, I just love these two together.

Jesse you are a natural horse psychologist and so loving to all living things. I agree with you on the bullfighting! “Check your morals” if you are ok with torturing innocent animals for human entertainment. I hope one day Gaio becomes yours for good. Best wishes to you, sir!

He looks nicely proportioned to me! This is my first intro to you and him so thank you for the extra background. I love buckskin too! I always care about the colour, but I am only a casual rider. 😆 Very cool that he responded so well to being in front of a crowd. Perhaps that is as close to positive reinforcement that he got in his previous life. And now he knows that the work you do with him might lead to more showing off. Does he get to spend some time with other horses in the field?

Awww I thought he was gone/ sold. So glad he's still with you.

Wow Jesse he really likes you and is having fun. You are definitely a gentle spirit and he can feel you. Nice to see you both have some fun. ❤

I'm reading all the comments Jesse and there really isn't anything that I can add that other commenters haven't already. Except for one thing; I am just so proud of 'You'! You are an amazing human being with an amazingly deep "animal" insight!

Wow Jesse you are wonderful with Gaio he’s beautiful you certainly have the magic touch and I love watching you work with your horses. I’d love to see you riding him again I just love seeing you ride.tfs😎🏇😎

omg this is beautiful seeing your understanding of Gaio and his true personality being shown through your work with him

He is absolutely gorgeous inside and out. Hopefully he can find his pride and peace but I think he's in the exact right spot to do that with you!

He does look like Spirt. What a handsome fellow! I too like the buckskin color. He is so lucky you came into his life. I wish you two the best for your learning together.

So very proud of the progress that you have made with Gaio. He has come along way. His color is one of my favorites, hopefully in the future you will be able to acquire him. It would be a good thing for you and him. As he definitely needs someone to take the time to understand what he has been through. With your love and guidance he will continue to be a wonderful companion.

What an intriguing and enlightened manner in which you work with this very emotional horse. Only someone who knows the body language of this horse would have the confidence to let him be himself. Impressive. Bull fighting is a sad thing for both animals to have to endure. Bravo (to his owner) for removing him from that scene.

Gaio is so cute!!! He is lucky to have come to you. I look forward to follow his development and his training.

He is a beautiful horse and it is so obvious that he wants to please. I am glad he no longer is expected to be part of that inhumane bull fighting abuse. You can tell that he is trying to change his whole mind set and you will help him achieve it! Lots of love to you both.

Superb, the connection and understanding, his thought process natural presence and headflicks, beautiful to watch, I look forward to your future together 👏👏

Jesse I love that you have this partnership with Gaio

I love that he knows exactly how gorgeous he is! I’m glad he’s found such an understanding and compassionate human to work with him and show him how worth it he is.

I absolutely love your videos. Love Gaio. Love the way you always think of the well being of the horse. If I were still riding I would love to have you work with my horses. I would have to move from USA but I would do it. I agree with your sentiment about bull fighting and running of the bulls etc. Gaio is doing beautifully with you. You are a gift to the horse world and to the world in general. A kind soul and do not degrade yourself, you are great.

I think you guys get along very well! Would love to see more of him!!

I think you are the best match for this special soul. He needs a calm understanding partner to learn he can be himself and don’t have to worry about doing things wrong. He is so so beautiful also, wow! I hope he will be yours some day ❤️

Completely against Bullfighting, Gaio has really blossomed. (i rememberthe 1st video where he popped up) I feel sorry for how Lustino horses are treated so poorly, they're so intelligent and gentle. I'm glad Gaio has you, he really needs attention and a lot of loving

Oh this warms my heart. The connection you have with the horses. ❤️ Truly beautiful 😍

Jesse I think you should be a real estate agent you paint such a beautiful picture of the horses environment. 🤩🇦🇺🇦🇺

Thank you so much for this video. Your bond with him is very special

Jesse you are great. Your love of horses is so evident. They will do anything to make you happy. Love your videos!!!!

I don’t stand for any form of animal abuse and when people say “but it’s our tradition” oh it really irks me. Just because something is tradition, doesn’t make it right and we should be learning from our past,esp when it comes to things that are morally questionable! 💕

I love seeing you work with your horses, you do such a good job and it's a joy to watch! 😍

Thank you Jesse for sharing your love of this horse with us ❤️

He seems like a super sweet and playful horse. He’s more mouthy than i like but he looks to have a energetic & fun personality ☺️ especially considering the abusive methods & “job” he had in the past. Its not easy fixing another trainers/persons mistakes!

This was a lovely video to watch, and I look forward to watching you progress with him. It would be great to hear from you what signals you are looking from him for both a positive and negative way. He looks like a fast learner and very quick to respond so how do you slow him down? Can't wait to see more.

he says your attention is not on him so he will not pay attention to you. Lovely fellow, both of you! Thanks for sharing him!

"You might have to check your morals." Yes, absolutely, do that!

So glad you are working with Galo. You really have his best interests and getting him to discover himself!!

Jesse, he is outstandingly beautiful. I pray that one day you end up with him, you have exactly the knowledge, patience, love and you are what he needs. Poor fella, he is so nice and sad he had horrible owners in his past. "BUY HIM" I SEE A FOREVER HORSE IN YOUR FUTURE😏🤩🤞🙏🙏🙏🙏

Beautiful! I just had your channel show up in my feed. I haven't had enough time to stream them yet, that's next! I had to comment on this one (the first one was you and Macho showing, so sweet and he's adorable!) because of my experience training my horribly abused ex barrel racer who was terribly head shy and would absolutely bolt under saddle. She would bite when her girth was tightened and took a literal chunk out of my back that needed emergency attention and hundreds of stitches. But after riding on the lunge line with no stirrups or reins for a year I was able to bring her head down and move her hind end forward and she wound up as my eventing horse who I took to the USA National Championships in show jumping (since dressage wasn't her strong suit, sadly we weren't chosen for combined training, because she absolutely LOVED cross country, as did I). We did very well taking home an individual first place and our team took fifth due to heavy rain and deep slippery muddy grass causing accidents left and right. We don't get much rain in Colorado but we trained in the mud just before we left which helped us desperately and she did great! That was 20 years ago. I can't ride anymore due to a medical condition. Watching these videos of people using such soft and gentle training no matter how long it take or how far the horse can go in the time they have after coming from an abusive situation, it has been a beautiful thing to watch. I am disgusted and so sad that Portugal uses horses in bull fighting. I only know about the kind with the bull fighter running around with the red sheet then (I'll get monetized if I say what I know they do to hurt and then end the bull's life...is my understanding). To know Gaio came from such a horrific background and to see his playful trust in you and your patience and understanding with him, your empathy and compassion is so heartwarming. You have a wonderful way with this beautiful animal and I look forward to seeing more of your work with him. Now I'm off to stream more videos after writing a novel here. I miss the horses beyond measure and would do anything to be back in my boots with a horse to bury my face in and breathe in their lovely smell. Mistreating these animals who could and should absolutely end a person using abuse to get them "trained" is the worst kind of cruelty. Animals are more precious than we humans are we destroy everything we touch. It's just awesome to see people doing things right by these magnificent creatures. Thank you Jesse.

He's so quirky and sweet. You both look like your having so much fun. Great video 👍