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May 07, 2018 9 Comments
5 MASTER STEPS FOR TEACHING AT LIBERTY - BY DON JESSOP
Because so many of my readers have been asking about this, I've created a video to show you the 5 Master Steps for Teaching at Liberty.
But... remember this: these are not techniques. Techniques can be interchanged. These are not rules. Rules can be altered or bent. These 5 MASTER STEPS to liberty training, are STEPS. That is all. Every master horseman uses these steps, even if they don't know it. They use these steps to master liberty with, or without a round pen. I'm talking about true liberty. The kind where you don't even use ropes for preparation or support.
Not that using tools to prepare for liberty isn't a good idea. It is! But what does it take to train liberty, without the round pen, or ropes. I'm talking about teaching at liberty, without ever haltering your horse. How do you keep a horses attention? How do you keep them off the grass? How do you get them to engage with you?
Take a look at the video below. You'll see how well my horse does in one space and how horrible he does in a new, grassy area. See the process. See the progression. See the mistakes and how I recover. See how I prioritize the steps to reinforce and continue the progression in new spaces, where things start falling apart and all he wants to do is eat grass.
I want you to memorize these steps because I guarantee, if you do, and put them into practice, you too can become masterful with liberty. Because liberty is not about footwork, or the horse respecting you, or any of that technical stuff! Liberty is about connection! It's about creating the desire in the horse to "want" to be with you and interact with you. Watch the video below and learn the master steps.
WARNING: I use treats. If you're the kind of person that avoids using treats because you think liberty is only about respect, consider reading this article: read here. What you see me doing in this video may cause you to think that you have to use tons of treats. You don't. But don't be afraid to begin with tons of treats, just like me, then as your horses attention to you grows, you're ability to do higher levels tasks in new environments without treats, will also grow.
Watch this video (about 27 minutes). I left it unedited for a specific reason, and that reason is this: Edited videos can give you a false impression of process and progress. I also want to be authentic with you.Here are the steps you saw in the video, in order. Commit them to memory. and watch the video to reinforce their significance. If mastery is your goal, join me on the journey!
1.Look at me (face me)
2.Follow me (walk with or behind me everywhere)
3.Catch me (draw and come quickly)
4.Interact with me (engage with obstacles and speed control)
5.Progress with me (invite new challenges up to the highest levels)
Click here to take the mastery courses! Available today!
Comment below, ask me anything, see you soon
April 09, 2020
I watched this video last night and it makes perfect sense! I have in the past two weeks started to focus on liberty work with my horse.
I kept loosing her focus and couldn’t figure out how to get it back. Well tonight I put your techniques into place and tah da 😊 made it up to step 3 with no ropes in a round pen.
Practice makes perfect 👍
Thank you!
May 28, 2018
Great video Don! The way you discribed and demonstrated the 5 steps have totally clarified Liberty. I can now plug holes I have struggled with. Thanks for sharing these gems!
May 08, 2018
I have actually been doing that with my horses and believe in it greatly! I just never knew what it was called. I have a great partnership with my horses because I took the respect and care of utilizing a good way to connect. Thank you Don for this great video!!
May 08, 2018
Thank you so much Don. This video was great! I love the way you break it down into steps that are easy to remember. Can’t wait to get out there with Partner and do some liberty!
May 08, 2018
Thank you. Don. We are following the principles of Natural Lifemanship with our Equine therapy program for Veterans. This is perfectly aligned with those principles and reinforcing of the round pen work that Natural LIfemanship does. We are always looking for new, different and more progressive ways to work with the Veterans. This is perfect as another perspective and another STEP.
May 08, 2018
Great video! Easy steps to remember. Thank you for breaking it down so simply. Fun, fun, fun!
May 08, 2018
Thank you again. This was an awesome demonstration. I like the fact that things went wrong or normal. So going back to steps one and two over and over helped me see that I was on the right path. Also having the steps spelled out is very helpful and then watching you do it was great for me to see.
May 08, 2018
Thanks Don – this couldn’t have been more timely for getting liberty going with my mini. He’s going to be fun!
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Tina
May 04, 2021
Thanks Don, great video now I know I can go try this in my arena and then field.