NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP AND BITLESS RIDING
Welcome to
When Horses
Choose
I developed my training method, "When Horses Choose," based on my work with wild horses. This method has since taken me across various countries, cultures, and continents, sharing my passion and expertise.
In my early twenties, I worked on a California ranch with more than 300 Icelandic horses free-roaming 1,000 acres. Every day I was walking the land, finding and connecting with each horse to ensure their well-being. This immersive experience allowed me to observe and learn from the natural behavior of individual horses and herds.
I often observed other trainers working with a wild horse, preparing it for a new owner, but one day, the ranch owner entrusted me with a new horse:
"You will train this horse, Mia. Forget how you saw other trainers work. Train it the way the wild horses taught you."
This changed everything - it gave me the confidence to trust what I had learned from the horses themselves. Horse language is universal, not just behaviorally, but also energetically. Each horse has a unique story, of course, but the method remains the same.
Thousands of horses across the world have shown me the same truth: When the horse chooses you, the bond is real, lasting, and transforms the connection forever. It becomes easy to ride and handle your horse without any hard equipment at all.
WHC is based in Denmark, US and Brazil. We offer clinics, courses and camps for both adults, and youth. In clinics or camps, we all ride bitless.
Explore current activities in each country in the menu above or learn more about my work below. Whether you're here for your horse, yourself, or both, I hope my journey inspires yours...
Mia Lykke Nielsen
Founder of When Horses Choose
NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP TRAINING AND BITLESS RIDING
Welcome to
When Horses Choose
I developed my training method, "When Horses Choose," based on my work with wild horses. This method has since taken me across various countries, cultures, and continents, sharing my passion and expertise.
IFrom the age of 17 and for several years onward, I lived on a California ranch with more than 300 Icelandic horses free-roaming across 1,000 acres. Every day I was walking the land, finding and connecting with each horse to ensure their well-being. This immersive experience allowed me to observe and learn from the natural behavior of individual horses and herds.
I often watched trainers working with a wild horse, preparing it for a new owner, but one day, the ranch owner entrusted me with a new horse:
"You will train this horse, Mia. Forget how you saw other trainers work. Train it the way the wild horses taught you."
This changed everything - it gave me the confidence to trust what I had learned from the horses themselves. Horse language is universal, not just behaviorally, but also energetically. Each horse has a unique story, of course, but the method remains the same.
Thousands of horses across the world have shown me the same truth: When the horse chooses you, the bond is real, lasting, and transforms the connection forever. It becomes easy to ride and handle your horse without any hard equipment at all.
WHC has ongoing activities in Denmark, US and Brazil. We offer clinics, courses and camps for both adults, and youth. In clinics or camps, we all ride bitless.
Explore current activities in each country in the menu above or learn more about my work below. Whether you're here for your horse, yourself, or both, I hope my journey inspires yours...
Mia Lykke Nielsen
Founder of When Horses Choose
"WHC is guided by a hope — that together, we can create a shift in how we relate to horses"
When horses are free to choose, transformation begins — and there is a shift in their breath, posture, and especially their eyes. Tension gives way to trust. Resistance becomes relationship. This is the heart of When Horses Choose.
I teach clinics and courses in Denmark, the US, Brazil — and sometimes in other places like Iceland or China. I often welcome guests from many other countries in my stables I Denmark - just as I do one-one-one online video trainings with owners and horses all over the world.
Each year, I host youth camps in Denmark and Brazil. These are about much more than riding — they also focus on personal leadership and emotional awareness through connecting with horses.
Beyond training, I work to protect wild horses, especially American mustangs. I follow and document herds in the US and Brazil. They inspire everything I do.
Whether I’m working with a family horse, a wild stallion, or a young rider, the message is the same: When we listen more and connect better, the horse shows us the way...
Use the top menu to see WHC's current activities in either Denmark, US or Brazil - in each place we have different events through out the year.
Below I will share some of my more recent blog posts highlighting key aspects of how we work with horses — and why it matters
Visiting the mustang rescue 'Return to Freedom' in California
Visiting the mustang rescue 'Return to Freedom', where the real horse 'Spirit' resides. Beautiful place where amazing work is done for the Mustangs. Magic experience. I met the foal (now 12 years old)... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•3 min read
Epic's Story
Epic with her two freeze marks from being captured twice. One on her neck and one on her back. First time she ended up being a brutally abused rodeo horse, next time she ended up in an illegal slaught... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•2 min read
Visiting Florida Wild Horse Rescue in 2011
DescriptionIn the years leading up to 2011 I was following all the information about the federal round-ups of the mustangs. Many ugly stories and footage from the captures were available online and I ... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•4 min read
Galaxy - The Mustang with the blue eyes
Galaxy is one of the wild Mustangs captured in one of the federal round-ups in the wild dessert and now (luckily) ended up at the Mustang rescue 'Return Freedom'. He will have good life and freedom fo... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•2 min read
New Jersey: Moonlight - 18 years old gelding and had never been ridden
I was working with Moonlight for a few days in a NJ Clinic. He was already 18 years old and the owner would like to be able to ride him. ...more
Clinics US
August 12, 2025•1 min read
Philadelphia: Riesling - 3 year old sports horse
Riesling is a sweet and beautiful 3 years old mare. She lives in a stall most of the day, every day - besides a few hours alone in a paddock. ...more
Clinics US
August 12, 2025•2 min read
The future is bitless...
…and I encourage all my students and clients to go bitless. There is really no difference once you try – and your horse will likely appreciate it. It’s not just a trend — it’s a shift toward greater awareness and connection with our horses.
We now have solid scientific research showing that traditional bits can cause harm to sensitive structures in the horse’s mouth, including the teeth, jaw, tongue, and the delicate hyoid (tongue) bone. In addition, the bit exerts pressure against the hard palate and the underlying cranial bones, which can contribute to microtrauma within the skull itself. Equally important, the bit is in direct contact with the distribution area of the trigeminal nerve.
Repeated irritation of this nerve is believed to play a role in trigeminal neuralgia — the neurological condition underlying most cases of equine “headshaking syndrome.” This syndrome involves neuropathic sensitization of the trigeminal nerve, resulting in chronic pain responses and hypersensitivity in the facial region.
In all my clinics or camps around the world, I haven't met one rider that wasn't able to ride bitless after just 1–2 days of training with my method — most of them never going back to riding with a bit again. Even riders who are hesitant at first are surprised at how natural and intuitive it feels.
In my webshop you will find bitless bridles of my own design and production, all padded with a memory foam layer on all pressure points. And cordeos in all colors and styles. My bitless bridles come in a traditional vegan leather version and a new braided cord version. You can find my webshop in the top menu above.
If you're curious, I invite you to explore — and experience what happens when we listen more and connect better...
See my video about using bidless bridles
See my video about riding with a bitless bridle
See my video about riding with a cordeo
The future is bitless...
...and I encourage all my students and clients to go bitless. There is really no difference once you try and your horse will most likely appreciate it. We know from various studies that bits can damage the horses teeth, jaws, tongue bone etc.
In all my clinics or camps around the world, I haven't met one rider that wasn't able to ride bitless so after just 1-2 days of training - many never going back to riding with a bit again.
In my webshop you will find bitless bridles of my own design and production, all padded with a memory foam layer on all pressure points. And cordeos in all colors and styles.
My bitless bridles comes in a traditional vegan leather version and a new braided cord version. You'll find my webshop in the top menu above.
See my video about using bidless bridles in general
See my video about riding with a bitless bridle
See my video about riding with a cordeo
Beyond Methods:
The Magic of Working Together in Horsemanship
Visiting the horsemanship star and true horse artist, Christophe Chaussy, in France
I always seek to collaborate with other horsemanship trainers – or skilled horse trainers in general. To me, it is not essential that we agree on every single detail or come from the exact same background.
What truly matters is that we all share the same purpose: improving horses’ welfare and health. And that we bring with us curiosity, knowledge, and a genuine interest in practicing and showcasing softer approaches — liberty, light equipment, and a no-force philosophy. I am always happy to invite other trainers – from both Denmark and abroad – to collaborate with me at events or in other contexts where it makes sense.
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit – in my eyes – one of the very best riders and horse trainers in the world, Christophe Chaussy in France. In my opinion, he is among a very small handful of the absolute top trainers worldwide. His skill is nothing short of extraordinary.
Visiting him at his place in France only confirmed to me how exceptionally talented he truly is. Although he has not previously explored or realised that it is possible to also ride dressage bitless he always had a wish to do so - he just didn't know it was actually possible. He is without doubt a horsemanship star through and through.
Watching him train his horses moved me deeply, and it was immediately clear that, to him, his horses are an essential part of the family. That shines through in every aspect of his work and life.
I couldn’t be more proud — seeing Christophe Chaussy ride in my bitless bridle. And once again it proves to me that if he could make this transition in just one week, then perhaps the transition to riding bitless is easier than many riders might imagine.
During my visit, I gave Christophe a few of my own bitless bridles. He told me that he would train with them the following week, leading up to a major horse show in France the next weekend. His plan was to train bitless all week – and then perform at the show in a bitless bridle.
I was very curious to see how it would turn out, especially considering the number of horses he usually rides at the same time in the arena. But of course, it went beautifully. The following week, Christophe performed his horse show both in a bitless bridle and even with cordeo.
I had sent a photographer to capture clips from the show and to get a comment from Christophe afterwards. Seeing it all come together filled me with nothing but admiration – for his great skill, his horsemanship talent, and the depth of his entire body of work.
We have already agreed to explore exciting ways of working together in the future, and several good ideas are already in motion. You will definitely hear more about this collaboration. I can hardly wait...
If other trainers out there is interested in collaboration, mail me at [email protected].
See clips from Christophe's show in France below. In a bitless bridle and in a cordeo. I am not surprised, but I am impressed!
Beyond Methods:
The Magic of Working Together in Horsemanship
Visiting the horsemanship star and true horse artist, Christophe Chaussy, in France
I always seek to collaborate with other horsemanship trainers – or skilled horse trainers in general. To me, it is not essential that we agree on every single detail or come from the exact same background.
What truly matters is that we all share the same purpose: improving horses’ welfare and health. And that we bring with us curiosity, knowledge, and a genuine interest in practicing and showcasing softer approaches — liberty, light equipment, and a no-force philosophy. I am always happy to invite other trainers – from both Denmark and abroad – to collaborate with me at events or in other contexts where it makes sense.
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit – in my eyes – one of the very best riders and horse trainers in the world, Christophe Chaussy in France. In my opinion, he is among a very small handful of the absolute top trainers worldwide. His skill is nothing short of extraordinary.
Visiting him at his place in France only confirmed to me how exceptionally talented he truly is. Although he has not previously explored or realised that it is possible to also ride dressage bitless he always had a wish to do so - he just didn't know it was actually possible. He is without doubt a horsemanship star through and through.
Watching him train his horses moved me deeply, and it was immediately clear that, to him, his horses are an essential part of the family. That shines through in every aspect of his work and life.
I couldn’t be more proud — seeing Christophe Chaussy ride in my bitless bridle. And once again it proves to me that if he could make this transition in just one week, then perhaps the transition to riding bitless is easier than many riders might imagine.
During my visit, I gave Christophe a few of my own bitless bridles. He told me that he would train with them the following week, leading up to a major horse show in France the next weekend. His plan was to train bitless all week – and then perform at the show in a bitless bridle.
I was very curious to see how it would turn out, especially considering the number of horses he usually rides at the same time in the arena. But of course, it went beautifully. The following week, Christophe performed his horse show both in a bitless bridle and even with cordeo.
I had sent a photographer to capture clips from the show and to get a comment from Christophe afterwards. Seeing it all come together filled me with nothing but admiration – for his great skill, his horsemanship talent, and the depth of his entire body of work.
We have already agreed to explore exciting ways of working together in the future, and several good ideas are already in motion. You will definitely hear more about this collaboration. I can hardly wait...
If other trainers out there is interested in collaboration, mail me at [email protected].
See clips from Christophe's show in France below. In a bitless bridle and in a cordeo. I am not surprised, but I am impressed!
WHC is driven by a vision —
that together, we can create a shift in how we relate to horses
The heart of When Horses Choose is knowing that when horses are free to choose, transformation begins — and there is a sudden shift in their breath, posture, and especially their eyes. At the very center of this transformation is love — a universal energy that every living being recognizes and responds to, creating immediate trust and safety.
At WHC, we also look at all aspects of the horse’s life and well-being — its physical condition, living environment, herd and social needs, turnout opportunities, feeding and daily care. True connection can only grow when the horse’s basic needs for health and welfare are respected.
I teach clinics and courses in Denmark and abroad. I often welcome guests from many other countries in my stables I Denmark - just as I do one-one-one online video trainings with owners and horses all over the world.
Each year, I host youth and teens camps in Denmark and Brazil. The camps are about much more than riding — they also focus on personal leadership, emotional awareness and social intelligence through connecting with horses.
Beyond training, I am engaged in protecting wild horses, especially the American mustangs. I follow and document herds in the US and Brazil. They inspire everything I do.
Whether I’m working with a family horse, a wild stallion, or a young rider, the message is the same: When we listen more and connect better, the horse shows us the way...
Use the top menu to see WHC's current activities in either Denmark, US or Brazil - in each place we have different events through out the year.
To the right I will share some of my more recent blog posts highlighting key aspects of our work with horses — and why it matters...
Visiting the mustang rescue 'Return to Freedom' in California
Visiting the mustang rescue 'Return to Freedom', where the real horse 'Spirit' resides. Beautiful place where amazing work is done for the Mustangs. Magic experience. I met the foal (now 12 years old)... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•3 min read
Epic's Story
Epic with her two freeze marks from being captured twice. One on her neck and one on her back. First time she ended up being a brutally abused rodeo horse, next time she ended up in an illegal slaught... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•2 min read
Visiting Florida Wild Horse Rescue in 2011
DescriptionIn the years leading up to 2011 I was following all the information about the federal round-ups of the mustangs. Many ugly stories and footage from the captures were available online and I ... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•4 min read
Galaxy - The Mustang with the blue eyes
Galaxy is one of the wild Mustangs captured in one of the federal round-ups in the wild dessert and now (luckily) ended up at the Mustang rescue 'Return Freedom'. He will have good life and freedom fo... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•2 min read
WHC is driven by a vision — that together, we can create a shift in how we relate to horses
When horses are free to choose, transformation begins — and there is a shift in their breath, posture, and especially their eyes. Tension gives way to trust. Resistance becomes relationship. This is the heart of When Horses Choose.
I teach clinics and courses in Denmark, the US, Brazil — and sometimes in other places like Iceland or China. I often welcome guests from many other countries in my stables I Denmark - just as I do one-one-one online video trainings with owners and horses all over the world.
Each year, I host youth camps in Denmark and Brazil. These are about much more than riding — they also focus on personal leadership and emotional awareness through connecting with horses.
Beyond training, I work to protect wild horses, especially American mustangs. I follow and document herds in the US and Brazil. They inspire everything I do.
Whether I’m working with a family horse, a wild stallion, or a young rider, the message is the same: When we listen more and connect better, the horse shows us the way...
Use the top menu to see WHC's current activities in either Denmark, US or Brazil - in each place we have different events through out the year.
Below I will share some of my more recent blog posts highlighting key aspects of how we work with horses — and why it matters
The heart of When Horses Choose is knowing that when horses are free to choose, transformation begins — and there is a sudden shift in their breath, posture, and especially their eyes. At the very center of this transformation is love — a universal energy that every living being recognizes and responds to, creating immediate trust and safety.
At WHC, we also look at all aspects of the horse’s life and well-being — its physical condition, living environment, herd and social needs, turnout opportunities, feeding and daily care. True connection can only grow when the horse’s basic needs for health and welfare are respected.
I teach clinics and courses in Denmark and abroad. I often welcome guests from many other countries in my stables I Denmark - just as I do one-one-one online video trainings with owners and horses all over the world.
Each year, I host youth and teens camps in Denmark and Brazil. The camps are about much more than riding — they also focus on personal leadership, emotional awareness and social intelligence through connecting with horses.
Beyond training, I am engaged in protecting wild horses, especially the American mustangs. I follow and document herds in the US and Brazil. They inspire everything I do.
Whether I’m working with a family horse, a wild stallion, or a young rider, the message is the same: When we listen more and connect better, the horse shows us the way...
Use the top menu to see WHC's current activities in either Denmark, US or Brazil - in each place we have different events through out the year.
Below I will share some of my more recent blog posts highlighting key aspects of our work with horses — and why it matters...
Visiting the mustang rescue 'Return to Freedom' in California
Visiting the mustang rescue 'Return to Freedom', where the real horse 'Spirit' resides. Beautiful place where amazing work is done for the Mustangs. Magic experience. I met the foal (now 12 years old)... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•3 min read
Epic's Story
Epic with her two freeze marks from being captured twice. One on her neck and one on her back. First time she ended up being a brutally abused rodeo horse, next time she ended up in an illegal slaught... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•2 min read
Visiting Florida Wild Horse Rescue in 2011
DescriptionIn the years leading up to 2011 I was following all the information about the federal round-ups of the mustangs. Many ugly stories and footage from the captures were available online and I ... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•4 min read
Galaxy - The Mustang with the blue eyes
Galaxy is one of the wild Mustangs captured in one of the federal round-ups in the wild dessert and now (luckily) ended up at the Mustang rescue 'Return Freedom'. He will have good life and freedom fo... ...more
Mustang, WIld horses, USA ,Mustangs, Wild horses, USA
August 19, 2025•2 min read
