Liberty horsemanship is a form of horsemanship in which the horse and rider are viewed as equal, in a sense, of course not allowing the horse to take control. Liberty horsemanship is performed without whips, crops, bits, or spurs; even saddles are not recommended, and other such measures of force. This form of horsemanship takes time, but it will result in a strong, true and free bond with your horse.
Steps
Part 1
Part 1 of 3:
Getting Started
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Spend time getting to know your horse. Find out what your horse seems to take interest in doing. Spend time without riding, just loving on and grooming, and walking with your horse.
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Turn your horse out into a large enclosed arena or pasture and watch his movements. Send good and happy messages to your horse.
- Try sitting on the ground a good distance from your horse and wait for him or her to come over to you.
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Talk to your horse. In particular, talk in your "happy voice". Horses can sense human emotions and recognize how humans feel by viewing the body language. This is why it's so important to always angle yourself so as to avoid giving the impression of predatory behavior.
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Understand when your horse wants space, and make sure your horse understands your boundaries.
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Make sure your horse is aware of the fact that you call the shots. This doesn't mean using a whip or yelling when your horse does something wrong. It means using a firm voice to say "no" and asking the horse to try again.
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Teach basic commands. The horse needs to understand such commands as: Come here, stop, turn away, and focus. Most importantly, the horse needs to understand how to move his or her feet on command.Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 3:
Beginning Work at Liberty
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Don't jump straight into riding. Instead, interact in other fruitful ways. At all times, make sure your horse is comfortable before you try new things, as it can be very scary for the horse.
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Try teaching the horse some easy tricks. This is fun for the horse and can be a nice mix of from the usual routine. Some fun tricks include: kiss, paw, bow, smile, etc.
- Always start with small tricks. Don't attempt harder tricks until you are positive that the horse can handle it and has absolute trust in you.
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Work on leading your horse with a neck rope or a loose rope halter.
- Don't force the horse to walk but don't let the horse not do it.
- Bring treats as a reward, but don't make it so the horse is working for treats. This means using them sparingly, if at all.
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Once you have accomplished getting the horse to lead with you at your side, without you needing to pull or constantly ask, take off the rope and start working with him without the rope. It may take time to get to this point so just keep working and the horse will learn. Just work at a walk, so you are not throwing too many things at the horse at once.
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When you feel you are connected with your horse more, try riding again. Just do light riding and learn how to feel and move with your horse. Riding bareback is a physical connection for the rider and horse.
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Try having the horse walk with you around cones and over poles. You could even try trotting and cantering with him. After you have been doing liberty with you horse for a year or more, it's likely that you'll both be comfortable playing tag and chasing each other around!Advertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 3:
Achieving liberty
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Notice the change over time. There is no certain point in which your horse is at liberty with you. Similar to many religions, this is a spiritual level. Your horse needs to be at one with you.
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When you feel you are comfortable with where you are with your horse, stretch the boundaries, to achieve more. You can never be fully finished working with your horse. There are always new possibilities.
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Continue striving to make a good bond. The whole goal here is to achieve a strong bond with your horse; the goal is not to worry what other people think about it. This is about growing a spiritual, physical, and mental connection with your horse.
- You need to understand that you won't ever be doing this the wrong way; it is your decision and there is no strict way to do it.
- Give the horse enough time outside their stalls. A horse is a herd animal and a herbivore and should have enough space to move so their digestive system can work properly. So that the joints in their legs, everything they need to feel comfortable, are supported. The more they move, the happier they are.
- Take care of your horse's stomach. Look for a good feed. Have your veterinarian look at the diet and assess if there might be a need for an ulcer treatment. Often they develop ulcers or pre-ulcer conditions because they are locked in a box and fed high-calorie feed.
- Spend time with the horse and get to know them. Communicate well with the trainer and let them know the daily, monthly, and weekly plans for your horse and riding.
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Tips
- Approaching working with the horse "firmly" and "angrily" are not the same thing. "Firmly" means letting the horse know that you are not going to accept this sort of behavior. "Angrily" means that you are mad, which you should never be, at the horse. At no point should you ever be angry with your horse.Thanks
- The number one rule: Never force the horse to do anything; equally, don't allow him to not accomplish something.Thanks
- Give frequent breaks, to avoid boredom and to avoid the possibility of the horse not wanting to continue. This is extremely important because the horse needs to know he can't stop whenever, and he has to complete the task before he can stop.Thanks
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Warnings
- Liberty is a commitment so make sure it is what you want before beginning.Thanks
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References
- Wear a helmet without fail. It doesn't make you any cooler to not wear a helmet. Helmets help prevent so many injuries.
- Liberty horsemanship gives the horse more power than in traditional horsemanship, so be careful and understand how to control the horse without to much force.
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"This is really cool! I tried it with my pony who usually has a mind of his own and is kind of skittish, and it had really good results! He can now neck rein and bow with me on him, which is way more than he was ever able to do before."
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