A healthy relationship is definitely a two-way street. As you travel down this street, having a fluid "give and take" mindset will generate the best possible outcome for your relationship. The ability to view a situation through the eyes of your partner is a great skill and is necessary for achieving a lasting bond. Being at liberty with horses will most certainly enhance your ability to "read" a horse because you will be open to your horse's thoughts and feelings "in the moment" as you witness his actions and behavior. Being at Liberty allows your horse to be in full expression of himself on an equal playing field. He can chose to interact with you or not. Best of all, he doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to do. When your horse choses to interact and play with you, it is a genuine compliment to the relationship you share. Your horse has an innate ability to bond. Finding a method to train your horse while increasing the bond makes for a delicious relationship and a thrilling journey. Reading your horse allows many opportunities to adjust your interactions so you and your horse can be in accord. Your horse has a voice and is not required to "submit". Liberty allows for a real relationship where the opinions and feelings of both parties matter.

We all know that children are naturals at reading the energy. As a child, my parents rarely argued in front of me but I could always sense the tension if I walked into the room when my parents were having a serious conversation. As we leave childhood behind, we become less acute at reading energy. Working horses at liberty has enhanced my ability to feel the energy of horses just as I did as a child. One of the many gifts horses give to us by allowing us to receive simply by tuning into the nonverbal communication that they use so naturally!

The beauty of interacting with your horse at liberty is that it holds many unforeseen gifts. It is super satisfying to me and to my horses to know they can express their feelings (both positive and negative) with me. What a joyful experience it is to realize that when given a choice, your horse truly WANTS to be with YOU. He has no choice when we use tack or restraints. The power of choice strengthens the bond we share with our equine friends and serves to empower us all.

Have a great rest of the week and have some fun with your horse at liberty!

Linda & The Herd

THE BEAUTY OF LIBERTY WITH YOUR HORSE