**Juliette and the boys at the WA State Horse Expo**

Dancing with Friesians

Building a solid relationship with your equine partner is the goal of every horse owner. Liberty training is a method of groundwork with horses that builds trust, connection, and communication without using force or tack to control your horse's movements. Instead, body language and voice commands replace lead ropes, bits, and a rider's leg.

The horse or horses choose to connect and respond, which is a powerful bond. The horse shows the ultimate respect and trust in following commands when he can walk or trot away.

Watching my boys train their liberty act, I think of them dancing with their trainer Juliette.

They have a routine with many distinct moves. They will circle in the same direction, circle in opposite directions, weave in and out in a line, and perform a few tricks, such as bowing and placing their heads over each other's backs. Their favorite trick is giving a big smile and showing their teeth.

Each complex movement in the routine starts in smaller pieces, and even the tiniest effort in the right direction is reinforced and rewarded. For example, I use little pieces of mini carrots as a reward. What a 1600 lb horse will do for the smallest piece of a carrot is incredible.

Galahad is our lead horse and has the most experience doing liberty. Eros was added second, and Zeus is the team's newest member.

It makes a problematic session if we don't have Galahad's head in the game. Eros and Zeus rely so much on Galahad and follow his lead. The boys have days where they are entirely focused, and they also have days where they would prefer to roll and run around the arena playing. No matter how often I see my boys do their liberty work, it is never something I take for granted. I may be biased, but I think they are truly majestic, and watching them "dance" with Juliette still gives me chills.

I am beyond blessed to be able to share my amazing boys with so many people through their liberty performances. If you have ever wanted to see three stunning black horses dance with their trainer, you will want to check out our events page to see their next demonstration.

The boys doing circles in opposite directions.