So, what is liberty horse training? Liberty describes a type of training where the handler does not have a physical connection with the horse. Liberty horses have freedom of movement and expression, while interacting with a human trainer who is using vocal and body language cues.
Liberty horse training is often misunderstood on two ends of the spectrum. Some people think that liberty horses are cooperating out of fear. Other people think that some people just have the gift of “horse whispering” and that they could never achieve it with their horse. Neither of these is true. Successful liberty training actually comes from building a unique language with your horse – and the good news is this is totally something you can learn.
The language of liberty begins with simple cues – the words that make up the sentences. The steps that make up the dance.
The best part is… this is YOUR liberty language. Yours will not look or sound exactly like anyone else’s. No one is quite like you, and no horse is quite like your horse.
Along your liberty training journey, you will have the opportunity to craft your own communication style step-by-step. These steps, once mastered, will evolve into pieces of choreography that eventually create the unique dance that only you and your horse can achieve.
WHY LIBERTY TRAINING
Liberty Horse Training is a beautiful expression of the relationship between horse and human.
Just a few things you can gain through liberty training…
- a closer bond between you and your horse
- a more refined connection than you have previously experienced
- a better understanding of both positive reinforcement and how horses naturally respond to pressure
- precise timing (which is EVERYTHING in horse training!)
- a deep understanding of how your energy affects your horse
- seeing your horse’s full expression come to life
- a way to connect with your horse on the ground in any environment (and even without equipment)
- joyful movements and tricks that will make everyone in the arena smile!
Would you like some help getting started?
I want to share with you the first exercises I do when starting a horse at liberty. Teaching these concepts, cues, and movements help me tune in with each horse as an individual. As I learn their energy and movement style, they also learn mine. These foundational concepts and exercises help us meet in the middle and arrive at a place where we can build language together.
In my Foundations of Liberty Horse Training Starter Course, you will have access to lessons including mirroring, precise transitions, liberty circles, recall, and more (for less than the average cost of a one hour face to face lesson!)
Here’s a bit of what you will learn:
- Positive Reinforcement, Pressure Training, & How to Use Them Effectively
- Prerequisites of Liberty Training
- Mirroring & Matching Steps
- The “Follow Me” Exercise
- Halts, Pauses, & Back Ups
- Intro to Liberty Circles
- Recall Your Horse
- Differentiating Vocal Cues
- The Refocusing Cue
- And More… (see course for detailed lesson plan)
I break these down into ~5 minute lessons of easy-to-achieve building blocks that will add up to your liberty language.
This skillset is accessible to nearly every equestrian and their horse, and I’m available to answer your questions as you go along!
Introductory pricing is open now – you can start your training today!