By Karine Vandenborre
5 Common Mistakes in Liberty with your horse (and How to Avoid Them)
Working in liberty with your horse is one of the most beautiful things there is, but there are 5 common mistakes in liberty that I see often. Because of these common mistakes, liberty doesn’t always turn out positive... You move closer, your horse walks away. You want your horse to walk with you, but your horse walks the other direction. You try something, but it just doesn’t flow…
What’s going on?
In this blog, I’ll share five common mistakes in liberty that are easy to fall into (I’ve made them too), but once you see them, everything starts to shift. You’ll feel more harmony, more clarity, and most of all… more connection.
#1: Not connecting with yourself first
If you’re not connected to yourself, your horse will feel it. Horses are so sensitive, they immediately sense when your mind is full, your body is tense, or your energy is scattered.
What to do instead?
Come into the here and now. Close your eyes. Feel your feet on the ground. Connect with your breath. Be aware of your body and the surrounding space. Connect with yourself first, so your horse feels drawn to you.
#2: Immediate action
Many people are so used to starting a session with a goal: “today we’ll work on this,” or “I want to do that.” But horses don’t like that, they need to feel ready first.
If you begin right away with activity or exercises, your horse might feel pressure instead of peace. That’s because you pop up in your horse’s day, and you think: "let’s do this!" But, most horses need time, to get into the “activity-mode’ with their human.
What to do instead?
Pause. Breathe. Sit in the field for a while. Stand together. Simply be with your horse for a while before you move into anything else. Let connection come before action.
#3: Using food rewards
Giving treats can look like motivation, and when you do “liberty training”, it can be a good idea. However, you can’t do any form of training, if the connection is not 100% yet (well, yes, you can, but I don't recommend it).
That’s why you better first start with what I call “Liberty Connection Work”. Here we don’t “train” the horse, but we focus on communication and natural connection.
And, during Liberty Connection Work, treats easily becomes a distraction. The horse might come to you for food, not for connection. And once the treats are gone, the interest often disappears too… Read more about this here
What to do instead?
Be the reward yourself. Let your horse enjoy your calm presence, your softness, your energy. Your voice, breath, and touch can be more powerful than any treat, if they come from the heart.
Horses connect naturally without needing food treats, because they are wired for connection!
And, once the connection is established in the most natural way, of course you can give your horse a treat.
#4: Working in a space that’s too small
True Liberty means freedom to choose. But when you work in a small arena, round pen, or paddock, your horse may not actually have that choice. He might stay with you… because he has nowhere else to go. Many horses feel pressured when there is not enough space and if they can’t take enough distance when they need that.
What to do instead?
Choose a space where your horse can leave if he wants to. That kind of freedom can feel uncomfortable at first, because your horse will show you exactly how he feels about being with you. Yes, he might take distance if he doesn’t feel like connecting. But that’s not a rejection… it’s valuable information.
When you know how to work with space and distance (yes, I teach this in my Liberty Connection Work approach!)
you’ll never want to go back to round pens or small arenas. It’s so rewarding (and fun!) to give your horse the space he needs. This is where you finally learn how to TRULY communicate with horses.
Not through pressure and unnatural round penning, but through freedom, choice, and natural communication
#5: Asking Too Much, Waiting Too Little
It’s so easy to fall into “asking” mode: "walk here, stop there, come to me." But in Liberty Connection Work, it’s not about asking all the time. It’s about finding the balance between asking/inviting & waiting/receiving.
What to do instead?
Allow space for your horse to express himself. Invite him… and then let him respond in his own time. Connection is built through freedom and communication, not through the "control and command" mindset.
Liberty Connection work is a communication and relationship practice
Liberty Connection Work isn’t about techniques or training steps. It’s a communication and a relationship practice. It’s about a patiently and gently building a 2-way communication and a deep bond and connection.
Would you love to learn more about Liberty Connection Work? yes
In June I’m launching my new group coaching program for horsewomen who want to build deep trust, clear communication, and a natural connection with their horse, at TRUE liberty.
This program brings together:
✨ Liberty Connection Work – connecting and communicatin without treats, tricks or pressure
✨ Beyond Horse Training – learning to connect and train with feel, energy, intuition & awareness
Join the Inner Circle List (no strings attached) for early access , a special invitation, and exclusive bonuses.
💌 You can join here 💌