How to work with your horse at liberty
There are two ways to work with horses at liberty. One is by training them. The other is a natural dance between human & horse. We’re going to talk about both.
Working, or dancing, at liberty with my horses is one of my favorite things to do! It’s raw and real. It’s where their greatest expression shines through with such beauty! At the core of liberty work is one thing: the truth. Does my horse truly want to be with me? Do we understand each other? Are we connected beyond a rope?
Liberty work can be a hit for our human ego when our horse disconnects, simply not wanting to follow our suggestion or desire to do something. They give BIG. But they also aren’t just here to please all of our desires & if nothing is really in it for them, they will walk away - breaking hearts & shattering egos.
Can you meet the truth of your relationship? Are you willing to listen to your horse’s authentic expression?
THE 2 WAYS TO WORK/PLAY AT LIBERTY
I’m going to share my perspective and experience having spent over 15 years doing groundwork online & at liberty. I started off just playing around as a teenager, moving my pony around, he was 9 years old at the time with a pretty rebellious character, so we defininetly had some fun. But I’m not quite sure how long the connection lasted before he would have rather done something else.
TRAINING AT LIBERTY
Not long after I began immersing myself in the world of Pat Parelli. Lots of practicing on the ground to refine our communication so that horses would respond to my suggestions at phase 1 or 2 (which is often where the rope has not yet applied any pressure), meaning that once we took it off, we already had a strong communication going with the need for it. This approach works great!
However, when your horse runs away from you how do you re-install that connection? Often the idea of using comfort and discomfort would come into play here. If your horse ran away, show him that it’s not better by asking them to trot/canter/work more when away from you. Then when they reconnect with you or come back to you, drop the pressure, let them rest with you (creating comfort in contrast). This does teach the horse that the best place to be is by your side, and over time, they will think twice before following the urge to disconnect from you.
But to me, this misses the point and causes extra mental & emotional pressure on your horse. If your horse is thinking about disconnecting from you, it’s because there is a reason. Are you asking for too much? Is the horse confused? Are you boring them? Are they simply not in the mood?
So yes, you can train your horse to stay close to you. And if you use carrots, you will enhance their desire to be with you (the food) but that will not help you create a more natural connection that is available. I still highly recommend that this approach be developed as it really helps us develop and refine our communication skills, is still a fun way of working with our horses, and is a great way to give our horses a great education.
DANCING AT LIBERTY
In my experience and eyes, this way of being at liberty with horses is a true art-form. This way is a natural evolution from connection, communication, feeling for each other & movement.
Dancing at liberty requires no training. Yes the dance gets more refined as you “practice”/play together, but it is a natural consequence of two beings interacting together in harmony. When you have established a connection with your horse, already at liberty. Through your energy & body language you can begin to speak to the horse. Through your response to them, the horse grasps that you understand them too! Once you have the complete attention & willingness of your horse to be with you, this is where the fun begins. Your energy & body can begin to make suggestions in the most subtle way and your horse will try something, offer and idea in response. Movement begins.
If you are well aware of how to position your energy and body language to imitate the language of horses, combined with your idea/intention, and know how to apply and when to release pressure. Your communication will be understood by your horse. Because it is natural to them.
When you bring up your energy, so will they. They are natural followers & love to learn through mirroring. When you bring it down, they will to. When you change your direction, they will too. If you suggest they go on a circle with the appropriate body language they will do so & remain on a circle because of their CONNECTION to you - not because they have trained to run in circles around you.
When you have this kind of mental and energetic connection with you horse, their expression is wild and free. Their movements are healthy, more balanced, full of emotion. They are fully engaged in the dance. Mind, body & spirit.
But this cannot be trained or taught. This is the natural consequence of an excellent horsewoman. It requires a profound capacity to read one’s horse, to intentionally use one’s energy and body language precisely, and to know how to create that initial connection with horses and hold it - yet knowing that it is but a gift from these majestic horses that we cannot control, only be blessed with.