The Essence of Liberty Podcast

In this episode, we’re diving into a topic that all R+ trainers face at some point: frustration. But here’s the twist—you don’t need to fear it. I’m sharing five powerful ways to reduce frustration in your training sessions and help your horse build emotional resilience. Whether you have a highly food-motivated horse or you’re just starting out with positive reinforcement, these strategies will help you create calmer, more...

Ever dreamed of seeing your horse piaffe at liberty? Not because you trained it like a trick—but because your horse felt it, owned it, and offered it from a place of strength, play, and confidence?

In this episode of The Essence of Liberty Podcast, I’m diving into 8 elements that go into creating collected movements at liberty—without tack, without pressure, and without drilling. From emotional energy to biomechani...

In this episode, we explore the crucial differences between horse and human brains and how these differences profoundly affect communication, connection, and behavior interpretation with your horse. You'll discover why horses aren't deliberately misbehaving and learn how adopting a feeling-centered approach in training can significantly deepen your bond and improve your training outcomes.

Dive into this ...

Training your horse in the field, surrounded by their friends, has so many benefits! Not only is it easier for you (no trips to the arena 🙌), but your horse feels safest near their herd.
 That sense of safety opens the door to connection, curiosity, learning, and play—all the best ingredients for liberty training! 🥰✨

But when food rewards enter the mix, issues like resource guarding can pop up. 😬

👉🏼 If y...

Have you ever wondered if embracing liberty horsemanship means giving up riding or other activities with your horse?

Maybe you have wondered if starting liberty means that your horse *always* needs to be at liberty, no matter what you are doing with them…

Or if involving food rewards into training means that you need to use food rewards ALL. THE. TIME….

You're not alone—these are some of the most common questions I hear!

I...

Do you ever feel like your horse is glued to you, making it tricky to ask him to give you more distance?

Or do you worry that your horse will disconnect from you the moment you ask him to increase the distance?

If so, this episode is for you!

When your horse can give you distance and still remain connected, there is SO much more you can do together! This creates opportunities to work with playful energy safely, allowing yo...

In this episode, I reveal a simple yet powerful practice that I never skip at the beginning of any liberty session—whether I'm working with a horse new to liberty or my own experienced horses.

Taking a moment to do this will influence your entire session. It helps you understand your horse’s mindset, structure the session with intention, and create a positive, enjoyable experience for both of you.

By incorp...

In this episode, we dive into the often misunderstood behavior of so-called 'lazy' or unmotivated horses. I share a simple yet powerful technique that can spark genuine motivation, allowing your horse to engage willingly rather than feeling pressured. If you’ve ever wondered how to inspire more interest and enthusiasm in your training, this episode is for you!

If you love this podcast, you will also love the free ma...

There are SO many beautiful benefits of incorporating liberty into the time you spend with your horse. Not only does it do wonders for your relationship in many ways, it also helps you learn how to listen to your horse and how to communicate back in a gentle and force free way.

However, one of my absolute favourite benefits of liberty is its ability to EMPOWER horses and boost their confidence, curiosity, and playf...

I'm sure you have experienced this before:

You want to do liberty with your horse. You want to grow your relationship together, and you want him to WANT to participate in the training!

You start by giving your horse the choice to participate or not and his choice is... to graze.

Well... that's fun 🙄 Now what??

In this podcast episode, we dive into the reasons why your horse chooses to ...

"Yes" means nothing unless "No" is an option.

One of the most beautiful aspects of liberty is that your horse has the freedom to choose—whether to participate or not. When your horse says “yes,” you can trust that it’s a genuine, authentic response. They’re not just tolerating the session—they’re truly engaged and willing!

In this episode, we’ll explore:
🌸 What a “no” can look like from your horse
...

In this episode, I share with you my main way of communicating with my horses at liberty. Gentle guidance begins with your mental image and inner feeling, followed by your intention and energy and then slow and gentle body language. Gentle guidance requires you to be aware of your body so that you can communicate clearly yet quietly. It does not involve threatening with escalating pressure or punishment, but rather allows ...

When you're training your horse with positive reinforcement, using a bridge signal is key to creating clear and consistent communication. A bridge signal acts as a marker, letting your horse know exactly when they've done something right, which speeds up learning and reduces frustration.

In this episode, we explore the science behind the bridge signal and why it’s such a vital part of successful liberty and positiv...

Whether you are intentionally training your horse or not, your horse is constantly learning. Understanding this important concept will improve all aspects of your horsemanship and equestrian lifestyle! In this episode, we dive into operant conditioning and how it can be applied tactfully to train your horse, and we also look at how you may be using it accidentally and unintentionally teaching your horse something completel...

True liberty is about giving your horse the choice to participate. Therefore, setting your horse up for success is more important than ever, because if you ask him a question that he has to say no to… then he is going to leave! So, setting your horse up for success is an art in itself in this type of training. In this episode, I walk your through 5 major ways to set your horse up for success.

If you enjoy this epis...

In this episode, we discuss the difference between true liberty and obedience, and 6 ways to tell the difference. I share with you a little bit about my story and what shaped the methods that I use today.

If you enjoyed this episode, you will also enjoy the free masterclass “Launch into Liberty: Where and How To Begin”. You can access it on the link below: https://www.nadin...