
January 9th, 2014
By Karine Vandenborre
Spontaneous Circling
Connection Exercise #7, Spontaneous Circling, requires a strong
connection with your horse that you can obtain by doing the first 6 connection exercises.
If it happens spontaneously, you notice
that the horse walks or trots around you (or maybe even canters) while
you walk in a small circle or maybe just rotate around your axis. Your
horse is active, looks at you, wants to move and still be around you.
Maybe he is challenging you to play: head high, tail in the air,
snorting through his nostrils…
Or maybe your horse is actually very
relaxed, shows a round topline, correct lateral bending, tail
moving along with the rhythm of the trot.

What's the goal of Spontaneous Circling?
First of all, it's a lot of fun. When it happens you feel deeply connected to the horse, especially if it happens spontaneously.
However,
you can also work towards it and invite the horse to circle around you.
During Spontaneous Cirling you learn a lot about body language and subtle communication with your horse.
Because to be able to ask your horse to keep moving, while it stays around you, you need to be very aware of your energy, your own movements and your own position on the circle.
Spontaneous Circling you do... together!
The word “together” is key: moving together and circling together. You too move in a circle. “Being together” in everything you do at liberty is very important and especially when inviting the horse to circle around you.
The “technique” of putting pressure on the horse when it leaves the circle, until he returns - which is
used in some training methods - has nothing to do with Horsefulness Liberty Connection Training. Pressuring your horse in such a way has nothing to do with communication, but everything with fear and intimidation. This is not what you want.
If you want
to build trust between you and your horse, fear and intimidation is not
the way to go. Putting pressure on your horse when he decides to go away from can make your horse feel anxious and
distrustful. Some horses eventually do what is expected but suffer
inside, or will start to behave more like a robot than a horse…
So never, ever chase a horse that wants to go away from you.Let Spontaneous Circling arise from free choice, communication, trust and the intention of “being together”. In this way, a
connection can arise from the heart instead of the head (= force and control).
Have you seen our Liberty Connection Program?
If want to learn exactly how to communicate with horses in liberty, and create the wonderful and heartfelt relationship
you've always envisioned, our Liberty Connection Program is what you need. It shows you how to get to that deeper level
of communication so you can finally have that connection with your horse you've been dreaming of.
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