Liberty Horse Training
Just like how a house needs a strong foundation to stand, the relationship between horse and trainer needs a strong foundation.
Liberty training is controlling a horse with nothing but a bond. When a horse is at liberty they are not being controlled by a rope, they are controlled by voice commands or body movement. When training a horse at liberty the trainer and the horse build a special bond that connects the two of them. The horse trusts the trainer enough to do as they say without question.
The trainer works with the horse's natural instincts, not against them. Liberty training was used by many Native Americans when they were training their horses. Native Americans used liberty training because they found an ally in horses, inspiring and useful in times of peace and fearless in times of war.
Liberty training is not something that can be achieved overnight; it takes time and patience. One of the most important parts is that the horse has to want to be with the trainer; they cannot force the horse to stay with them. It is the horse's choice whether to stay or go. To achieve this the trainer has to keep the horse's attention so the horse does not get distracted by something going on somewhere else.
When a trainer is teaching a horse liberty, they use games to make the learning process fun. Horses are naturally curious animals, so they enjoy learning new things and playing games. One game that can be used to help when liberty training is boomerang in which the trainer sends the horse away galloping and then the trainer invites the horse to come back just like throwing a boomerang. To successfully play this game a big enough space is needed so the horse does not feel that it is being aggressively chased because it could potentially break the bond between horse and trainer.
When liberty training, a bridle or halter may not be needed but there are some things that make the training go smoother. Some equipment is strictly to personal preference but a very important part of liberty training is having a whip (training stick) as an extension to the arm. A horse is a big animal and having a whip to be able to help control the horse is very helpful. Another piece of equipment that can be helpful is the cavesson which is a bitless bridle. This allows the trainer to ride the horse without the control of the bit, when a horse is ridden with a bit it controls the horse but without a bit they horse has a little more control.
Liberty training connects horse and trainer mentally. When a horse is at liberty, they get to make the choice. Trainers may train a horse that has trust issues using liberty. This allows them to create a bond with the horse so the horse trusts them and learns that all people aren't bad. Liberty training is a beautiful and magic thing not only to watch, but experience. Horses are beautiful creatures, but they are even more beautiful when they can act in their normal behavior.
