07/11/2026
We've just finished off our first ever FIVE day intensive training course at Big Heart --learning all about LIBERTY ❤️
This week wasn't just about teaching our lesson horses something "new". It was about teaching these students how to become better communicators, stronger leaders, more aware of themselves, their energy and regulating their emotions.
Liberty is one of the most fascinating and liberating training practices in the equestrian world. It's not really a discipline but more of a subset. It's also one of the most niche. When you take away the lead rope, reins, and physical control, you're left with ....your ability to truly connect & communicate without using force.
Throughout the week we explored how horses and humans learn, why timing and consistency matters, and how our own emotions directly influence the horse in front of us. Horses don't just respond to what we do or don't do - they respond to exactly who we are in that moment. If we're anxious, frustrated, rushed, or unclear, they feel it. When we learn to regulate our own energy, breathe, stay consistent, and become intentional with our body language, our horses naturally begin to mirror that calmness and confidence. When we don't read into their nervous energy or anxious look outside of the ring, side step, tail swish, etc..but instead stay grounded and ask them to come back down to where we are and be together, the partnership and performance thrives.
The girls learned they could ask a horse to move, stop, change direction, connect, and stay with them without relying on force or constant pressure. Instead of controlling with their hands, they learned to communicate through energy, intention, posture, and thoughtful release. We talked a lot about how horses with different personalities learn And what types of training fits them best. They learned how to recognize and reward a "try" and the warning signs/signals their horse would give when they asked too much and created "overload".
We also spent time talking about personal space and how incredibly important space is to horses. The girls played games to learn to feel and change their energy - without using words. They played a game where they had to communicate with only body language and get their partner to follow their lead. They played a game to learn about space and their own "personal bubbles " and compared how they each had a different distance for each person that got close to them and how comfortable or uncomfortable they felt when their bubble was respected or not respected. We discussed how to communicate boundaries with their horse both respectfully and clearly, how people learn differently, and how understanding the individual in front of you...whether horse or human, is the key to successful communication.
This was an intense week. Liberty requires patience, observation, emotional awareness, consistency, and a willingness to adjust yourself before asking the horse to adjust. Those are big concepts ( even for adults ) yet these girls embraced every challenge with open minds and determination. They learned to ride with neck ropes and practiced using both their bodies and mind in a more precise and balanced way to communicate what they wanted their horses to do.
What I love most about horses is that they are never just teaching us about riding/horsemanship. They teach us many life lessons and this week were just a few...how to have confidence under pressure, resilience when things don't go as planned, patience through frustration, and the importance of being clear instead of reactive. They remind us that leadership isn't about being louder or stronger...it's about being trustworthy. How staying grounded is important, and how to stay mindful and in the moment.
As an instructor, I couldn't be prouder to introduce these incredible young horsewomen to such a high level of horsemanship. I'm both exhausted & elated. These students showed up every day ready to learn, listened to their horses, helped their friends, celebrated the small wins, worked through the hard moments, and grew in ways that reached far beyond the arena. They finished the week with an incredible showcase of all they learned. The girls ( with my insight ) - choreographed their own liberty performances to music with their horses. They also inspired me with their vision boards and I had to make my own!! ✂️
The horses may have been the real teachers this week, but these girls proved they were exceptional students. I'm so proud of every single one of them, and I can't wait to see where this incredible foundation takes them next. ❤️🐴 ❤️
