An Olympic rider participating in a Pat Parelli demonstration in 2002 surprised some (and angered others), but it was not a case of a sudden conversion to "natural horsemanship."

David O'Connor, the son of equestrian writer Sally O'Connor, had some serious hours in the saddle, not all of them English. Not only did he complete a 3,000 mile ride from Maryland to Oregon with his mother and brother at the age of 11, but he spent his summers working on cattle ranches in Wyoming. As a top-level Eventing rider, he gave credit to Gene Lewis, an Idaho cowboy who turned to show jumping in the sixties and seventies, for passing along round penning and other "cowboy"techniques he himself had learned from Ray Hunt.

His mount here, Giltedge, known as Tex at the barn. Tex is also an Olympic veteran from the silver medal winning U.S. team in Atlanta and winner of Rolex in 2001. He was never supposed to be the star, but as other supposedly more talented horses failed to deliver, Tex always did his job, and became one of David O'Connor's famous mounts. He enjoys a working retirement at the O'Connor's Stonehall Farm, where he gives lessons and does demos.

The idea of jumping bridleless has been around for quite a while, and not just in America, either. However, an Olympic horse and rider team performing over a typical show jumping course with tight turns and striding is a little bit more impressive than the usual demonstration.

David O'Connor is no longer doing clinics and demos with the Parellis. However, this video remains in circulation as a demonstration that it is the relationship with the horse, not a collection of tack and gadgets, that create a really topnotch performance - that and a deep knowledge and lifelong pursuit of your chosen discipline.

David O'Connor has retired from competition and is now the President of the USET. While Karen O'Connor, the other rider in this demo, is on the short list for the Olympic eventing team, although her top mount, celebrity pony Theodore 'Connor, was the victim of a recent tragic barn accident.

The final announcement of the Eventing Team is expected tomorrow from the Chef d'Equipe Captain Mark Phillips, following the completion of vet checks after the compulsory horse trials at the Forks in North Carolina.