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These Challenges are meant as a fun way to progress with Liberty work but can also be done Online or Ridden for more challenges ;)
The tasks are not meant to be drilled to perfection but done more as a monthly process of learning new tasks, progressing known tasks and finding a harmonious, fluid connection with your horse more and more as you and your horse bond.
Have fun with these tasks, you don't have to do them in the order I set and use your common sense with things. If you horse doesn't know, is frightened or can't do something then use your imagination to either find something similar to do or take time out to help your horse figure other things out. If you horse can't jump then just go over a pole. If your horse is worried by plastic then take time to allow him/her to get used to it and find a good place to stop each day. Progress can only be achieved by kindness, retreat and reapproaching and through body/arm/voice cues that are consistent.
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CHALLENGE 1
(horse on your right throughout)
1) Walk a circle together with your horse to the left
2) Walk a circle together with your horse to the right
3) Halt for 5 seconds
4) Walk through a narrow corridor (2 poles)
5) Weave together with your horse around 4 cones
6) Place 1 or 2 feet in a hulahoop (you decide how many and which foot/feet)
7) Go over a small jump together (either jump with your horse or walk beside the jump)
8) Walk over a tarpaulin
9) Walk over a pole (without horse touching it)
10) Halt and back horse until back feet near or touch pole
One way to do tasks ;)
LC1: Me and Solly (High Level Horse)
LC1: Mark and Holly (Medium Level Horse)
LC1: Me and Tara, Liberty Riding (High Level Older Horse)
CHALLENGE 2
(Horse on Left or Right of you....test both)
(Horse on Left or Right of you....test both)
1) 2 feet in something: hula hoop, bicycle tyre, bucket (or one foot if not confident about two feet)
2) Weave through 4-6 cones. (Handler stays on one side of cone line, horse weaves ;)
3) Horse walks through pole 'L' shape. (Handler outside shape)
4) Small jump
5) Horse walks through scary corner. (Handler stays outside corridor)
6) Transitions: walk, halt, walk, halt, walk, halt ;)
7) Familiarisation with a flag or piece of cloth
8) Sideways along a fence line
9) Horse walks onto tarp, stops in middle for couple of seconds, walks off
10) Halt horse and pick up feet ;)
One way to set up obstacles:
LC2: Me and Solly (High Level Horse)
LC2: Me and Stormy (Medium Level Horse)
CHALLENGE 3
(Horse on your left throughout - trot as much as possible)
(You can make them shorter and wider apart for those horses new to these challenges. For newbies also you could come forward and then back through two obstacles. For those that are good at liberty set your barrels upright and close together)
2) Trot over a bottle bank.
(A bottle bank is a small or large area set upwith 4 poles made into a square. Put as many (or as few if new to this) walked on plastic bottles as you can into that area. As you progress you can fill it up a LOT...for newbies walk through this or if horse frightened then YOU walk through it and horse around it! Build it up over the month to where you can walk or trot horse through bank)
3) Trot tight weave - handler to stay on one side of the cones, horse to weave.
(Put cones or obstacles about 4-5 paces between each, 4-6 obstacles if possible. If new to this then walk you and your horse through the pattern. If good at liberty then trot through them and make it slightly harder than the normal wider apart obstacles but don't make it impossible for your horse to achieve some success with this..again build up the level of weave during the month)
4) Trot horse between two flags - handler to walk outside obstacles.
(For newbies just ask your horse to walk through the flags and make flags a big distance apart. For those good at liberty challenge you and your horse to trotting through flags only 1 large pace apart)
5) Trot fig 8.
(Horse to do the fig 8, handler to stand just outside the pattern. For newbies you may want to walk the fig 8 with your horse by your side first and build it up gradually)
6) Familiarisation with small tarp.
(Horse to stand still whilst you play with small tarp around and on horse...start small and open up as you go. For newbies you may want to use just a small plastic bag)
7) Transitions: walk/trot/halt/backup/walk/
(Looking for sharp connection in the up and downward trans. Newbies don't have to do backup or trot but try it all month to see if you can get another transition in your repetoire)
8) Carry two pillowcases for 10' in walk or trot.
(Have two pillowcases or sacks or plastic bags if your horse is not frightened by them, fill them with something soft like scrunched up newespaper, hay, straw or even old teddy bears, tie them at the tops and tie them together so that there is a cord or rope between them so that they can go over the horses back safely. For newbies make sure your horse is happy with the unfamiliar item, play with it a LOT before trying it at walk, keep your hand on the bag nearest you so that you can take it off if necessary)
9) 2 or 4 feet on a pedestal.
(If no pedestal just put something strange or unusual for the horse to put 2 or 4 feet on (not a tarp though), something like an old carpet, old towel, piece of flat wood, rubber mat etc?)
10) Off pedestal and ask horse to stand still whilst you skip around him/her.
(You can keep one hand on horse whilst gently walking around him, you can trot around him or you can skip, whatever you and your horses level)
Pic of course:
LC3: Me and Solly
LC3: Me and Tara
CHALLENGE 4
(trot as much as possible)
1) Go through gateway - aim is to stop horse before gate, you open gate and go through without horse moving and then at your request ask horse to come through and turn to face gate whilst you close it. (either use gate to arena or field if safe to do so, or make a gate out of two electric polyposts and a bit of white tape or rope).
2) Put back feet and front feet into hula hoops so that all four feet are in two hoops - aim is to have a relaxed horse moving into them without worrying. (Remember that it's not about the task, it's about keeping your relationship with your horse and so do what you can and progress in your own time...it doesn't need to be done NOW for this challenge, it's just a challenge that can take as short or as long as it takes!)
3) Horse to trot through a narrow corridor - aim is for horse to be calm, relaxed and happy.(Make corridor as long and as high up as your horse can deal with or that you can make. If horse not happy about it then make it shorter and lower so that you don't worry horse...progress during year to help horse to find this challenge easier)
4) Trot over pole and halt with pole under belly (ie. front feet over only), wait 5 seconds then back horse off pole any way you want - aim is to have clarity on the stop and wait and a clean back up without hitting pole.(Refined way of on/off this task is for handler to stay beside the horse but you can come to front of horse and ask back from there if you want, refine it so that you can eventually stay by horses side when backing up)
5) Horse trots through a scary corner, handler on outside - making sure he is calm and not rushing this. Make your corner as scary as only your horse can take it, flapping flags, bags, bunting, scary masks...what ever you have or you can make. (Remember again this is about getting this task better and better but start really small and do NOT frighten your horse)
6) Stand in front of horse and ask horse to sideways around you whilst you turn around. (Aim is for horse to be as straight as possible whilst doing this, he will have to move his hq's more than his forehand on this one. GO slowly with this, if a hard task then only ask for a couple of steps, it doesn't have to be a full circle, ONLY what you and your horse can do but challenge yourself during the year to make it better)
7) Elongated weave with you at horses side - put 4 poles down parallel to each other about 3-4' apart and go up and around each one in turn (see picture).(Main aim of this is to show that horse can follow you when you do left turns and away from you when you do right turns without getting upset)
8) Small jump - size only for what your horse can jump
(Aim is that horse does not rush jump or runs away afterwards, that he stays calmly with you throughout jump)
9) Go through a curtain - do whatever you can for this, I know curtains aren't something everyone has...if no curtain then tarp over horse whilst standing still is good. If you have a curtain and horse is worried, tie back the strands on both sides and work up to just one side down and then both sides down. (If you don't know what a curtain is then wait until mid May and I will have my own video done and will be able to show you).
10) Park horse (stand still) - walk away from him/her for between 10-20' and then walk back.
(Aim is for horse to relax and stand still...Walk straight away from his/her face and back)
One way of putting it together:
Shelley and Solly's LC4
Mark and Stormy's LC4
Shelley and Tara's LC4
CHALLENGE 5
(as much trot as possible)
1) Hula Hoop over horses head
(take this slowly, make sure you can put a hoop of rope over first, this can be quite scary to some horses!)
2) Trot through 2 poles on the ground, halt after poles, back up through poles and then trot through again
3) Horse to fig 8 around 2 barrels - handler to stand one side
(or any two obstacles, barrels are just bigger but cones, electric posts, tyres, cola bottles...whatever you have...this task is all about equality of draw/drive)
4) Horse to trot through some form of arch, decorated if possible to represent tree branches
(if you happen to have two trees close together with branches then fab, if not then try using some old water/drainage pipe with wood in the sides OR whatever you used for a curtain last month would be good but with maybe soft tree branches or plastic flowers around the edges! be creative but keep it safe)
5) Horse to push a ball 10'
(Horse can use front feet or nose, any size ball from a large tennis ball to a NH ball...your choice) ;)6) Small jump and halt within 2 strides after jump(Try to just use your energy/breathing for this task, see if your horse and you are connected!)
7) Horse to circle around you in walk or trot
(this goes sort of with task 8....circle inside the cone circle then go to task 8 afterwards)
8) Horse to weave around cones put out in a circle around you - walk or trot
(6 cones works well. Again this is about connection, draw and drive in equal doses)
9) Walk through a labyrinth of poles
(Takes 6 poles, keep them a good distance apart and work over the year on making those distances smaller)
10) Horse trot to halt and then familiarisation with an umbrella
(You may only be able to walk around horse with umbrella closed. You may be able to work on opening/closing umbrella by horses side. Ultimately you want to be able to open/close umbrella pretty close to horse whilst walking around him/her) ;)
HAVE FUN with it
Pic of course:
LC5 w/Solly
2) Trot through 2 poles on the ground, halt after poles, back up through poles and then trot through again
3) Horse to fig 8 around 2 barrels - handler to stand one side
(or any two obstacles, barrels are just bigger but cones, electric posts, tyres, cola bottles...whatever you have...this task is all about equality of draw/drive)
4) Horse to trot through some form of arch, decorated if possible to represent tree branches
(if you happen to have two trees close together with branches then fab, if not then try using some old water/drainage pipe with wood in the sides OR whatever you used for a curtain last month would be good but with maybe soft tree branches or plastic flowers around the edges! be creative but keep it safe)
5) Horse to push a ball 10'
(Horse can use front feet or nose, any size ball from a large tennis ball to a NH ball...your choice) ;)6) Small jump and halt within 2 strides after jump(Try to just use your energy/breathing for this task, see if your horse and you are connected!)
7) Horse to circle around you in walk or trot
(this goes sort of with task 8....circle inside the cone circle then go to task 8 afterwards)
8) Horse to weave around cones put out in a circle around you - walk or trot
(6 cones works well. Again this is about connection, draw and drive in equal doses)
9) Walk through a labyrinth of poles
(Takes 6 poles, keep them a good distance apart and work over the year on making those distances smaller)
10) Horse trot to halt and then familiarisation with an umbrella
(You may only be able to walk around horse with umbrella closed. You may be able to work on opening/closing umbrella by horses side. Ultimately you want to be able to open/close umbrella pretty close to horse whilst walking around him/her) ;)
HAVE FUN with it
Pic of course:
LC5 w/Solly
CHALLENGE 6
1) Trot to a hula hoop, transition down to a walk and put hind feet into hula hoop
2) Walk to gate together, open gate then back horse through gateway, close gate and walk off.
3) Transitions: walk forward 3 steps. halt. walk back 3 steps. halt. walk sideways (towards or away) 3 steps. halt. walk off.
4) Front feet on a pedestal. halt. Move hindquarters around the pedestal keeping front feet on pedestal 360*
5) Weave at a trot through 4-6 cones.
6) Trot through scary corner (including some balloons) but halt before leaving it. Back all the way through SC and then trot forwards out of it again ;)
7) Halt horse inside a square made of posts and then walk around horse familiarising to some noise, either extreme friendly game with stick/string or swishing of flag or pebbles in a can etc...you find what you horse is okay with and use that ;)
8) Trot over a bottle bank (crushed bottles put inside a square made of poles). Try to make it so that horse doesn't jump it and actually touches/crushes some bottles.
9) Fig 8's x 2, using jumps.
10) Trailer load or simulate trailer load. Either squeeze horse in from outside or lead in normally, horse must be relaxed and rope must be in a nice 'smile' (slightly loose). Halt then back up any way you want ;)
Enjoy
How I laid out the course:
LC6 w/Solly
CHALLENGE 7
Well I've upped the stakes this month and not only can you do this months challenge at Liberty but also Ridden (either bitless or bridleless).
If you are just starting Liberty work you can play around with these tasks online. All tasks are changeable and do what is best for your horse and your abilities. If something is too hard then do something similar that can be done and then progress to the harder tasks as you practice over time.
Hope you have fun with it ;)
1) Liberty: Open gate, squeeze horse through any way you want, close gate.
Ridden: Same
NB. Only do this task ridden if you have a gate that is easy to open/close
2) Liberty: Trot through narrow gap, halt just before end and back up through gap. Trot on out of gap.
Ridden: Same
NB. If just beginning these challenges do it in walk first
3) Liberty: Trot weave around 6 cones in a straight line with flags (or something flappy) in them. Horse to weave, handler to stay on one side and direct horse in weave.
Ridden: Either trot weave or weave using leg yields in walk
4) Liberty: Horse jump small jump, handler to run alongside.
Ridden: Ride small jump
NB. If rider does not jump or doesn't wish to jump then put up one or two trotting poles or something similar ;)
5) Liberty: Drag an object for 10', you and horse side by side, and then turn horse and yourself to drag with you and horse backing up together.
Ridden: Same
6) Liberty: Trot onto tarp and halt then turn the horse 180* any way and trot off again.
Ridden: Trot onto tarp, halt then 180* turn on the forehand (ie. turn the horses hindquarters and pivot forehand)
7) Liberty: Ask horse to follow you around a Labyrinth pattern
Ridden: Same
8) Liberty: Trot your horse through some sort of 'washing line' with clothes hanging of it.
Ridden: Same (or if you and horse not used to going under things then go to washing line, take one item off the line and ride with it around the line where you put it back up on the line without horse worrying)
9) Liberty: Trot fig 8's twice around two barrels or large obstacles. Obstacles close, about 5-6 paces apart.
Ridden: Same
NB. Large obstacles could be 3-4 tyres stacked on each other or a tall jump wing!
10) Liberty: Sidle over a largish pole, left feet on one side, right feet on the other side. (Try to use a pole thicker than the average jump pole)
Ridden: Same
NB. If cannot sidle one side of horse over then do 2-4 feet over then back up over it.
11) Liberty: Get a flag and wave it about whilst walking around your horse.
Ridden: Wave flag whilst sitting on horse.
HAVE FUN :)
Map of how I put the obstacles out in my large rectangular arena:
LC7 w/Solly at Liberty
LC 7 w/Solly ridden bitless
LC7 w/Solly with neck rope (bridleless) first time we've ever tried this!!!
CHALLENGE 8
Well here is the next Liberty Challenge. Hope you enjoy it ;)
Remember to do it at you and your own horses level, if you need to do it in walk online then do so but also remember to test your connection and try to progress as much as possible and practice it over the whole month to see improvements ;)
1) Ball Push
Liberty / Push a ball through two raised poles
Ridden / same as above
2) Trot Poles
Liberty / 4 x trotting poles (any spacing you think best for your horse)
Ridden / same as above
3) Canter Corridor
Liberty / Canter down a bunting corridor (handler to stay outside corridor)
Ridden / same as above
4) Turn on Forehand
Liberty / Turn on the forehand (front feet pivot whilst hindquarters turn 360*)
Ridden / same as above
5) Trot Cloverleaf
Liberty / Trot a clover leaf pattern around cones (will explain this more below)
Ridden / same as above
6) Half Jump
Liberty / Half jump/halt/sidepass off jump (if you do not know this move or don't wish to teach it then jump and halt straight after jump)
Ridden / Jump whole/halt/sidepass after jump or do as above if you can
7) Transitions
Liberty / Transitions (whatever 2 or 3 transitions you are good at)
Ridden / same as above
8) Square Trans
Liberty / Use cones to ride the outside of a square....forwards / sidepass / backwards / sidepass
Ridden / same as above
9) Friendly
Liberty / Friendly game on the move with an object (try at walk but trot if you can, moving object as much as you can
Ridden / same as above
10) Water Tray
Liberty / walk into/halt/walk off a water tray of some sort (or a foot in a bucket with water in it!)
Ridden / same as above (I have a plastic jump water tray I will be using...you could also put an intact tarp on the ground and roll up the edges around jump poles to make a pool and put some water in it!)
I hope you enjoy this months tasks, I've been trying to 'up the stakes' throughout the year to help you find your imaginations and progression buttons ;)
ENJOY
NB...CLOVERLEAF PATTERN: this is making a shape like a 4 leaf clover. First set up 4 cones at equal distances from each other in a square. To walk at liberty or ride it you need to then choose to either just do left or right turns around the pattern...you shouldn't do both unless you do the pattern twice!The first move is to walk/trot straight through the centre, then turn left (I will choose left turns throughout) and do a left circle around 1st cone back to the middle and straight through the centre, circle left around 2nd cone, back to middle and straight through centre then circle left around 3rd cone, straight through centre and then circle left around 4th cone and then onto next task.
To do the cloverleaf outside this challenge I usually always start and stop in the centre of the square of cones so that the horse is always searching for X at the centre ;) Hope that helps How I set up my Agility arena for the challenges ;)
LC8 w/Solly
LC8 w/Solly Ridden ;)
CHALLENGE 9
SO....for this months late
Challenge there are only 5 items but they can be done in any way you
want to do them. Start slow in a small area and work up to a higher gait
in a bigger area. The main thing with the Challenges is to actually
CHALLENGE YOURSELF to progressive, positive changes so that you and your
horse figure out how to take those small steps to being more connected
in all things together.
Here are the challenges:
1) Weave around cones on a circle.Use as many cones as you like, 5 is the minimum on a circle. Make the circle large or small depending on your skill and your horses flexibility. Start in walk together and build up to trot and more distance between you and your horse. To make it even harder do the weave with you on the OUTSIDE of the circle!
2) Stick 2 Me Transitions.
Use as many transitions as possible, be on the left and right of your horse and see how straight you are together.
3) Jumps.
Big or small jumps, as many or as few as you wish and done how you like, either one and stop, turn and jump again OR as a small liberty course...it's up to you to know you and your horses abilities but remember to build up to more difficult jumps as you go.
4) Spins.
To left and right and even spins whilst leading your horse, see what you can do.
5) Back from behind horse.
Use cue from tail or any other cue you may have, do a least 6 steps and more if you and your horse are up for it.
I will be doing these 5 Challenges in our 10 acre field with the other herd members grazing around us. I test my horses connection to me by working in this area as they have the freedom to run off if they want or to stay with me. I cannot run as fast as they can but have a good draw back to me if they go faster than me ;)
How connected to you is your horse in a big field?
Me and Solly
Here are the challenges:
1) Weave around cones on a circle.Use as many cones as you like, 5 is the minimum on a circle. Make the circle large or small depending on your skill and your horses flexibility. Start in walk together and build up to trot and more distance between you and your horse. To make it even harder do the weave with you on the OUTSIDE of the circle!
2) Stick 2 Me Transitions.
Use as many transitions as possible, be on the left and right of your horse and see how straight you are together.
3) Jumps.
Big or small jumps, as many or as few as you wish and done how you like, either one and stop, turn and jump again OR as a small liberty course...it's up to you to know you and your horses abilities but remember to build up to more difficult jumps as you go.
4) Spins.
To left and right and even spins whilst leading your horse, see what you can do.
5) Back from behind horse.
Use cue from tail or any other cue you may have, do a least 6 steps and more if you and your horse are up for it.
I will be doing these 5 Challenges in our 10 acre field with the other herd members grazing around us. I test my horses connection to me by working in this area as they have the freedom to run off if they want or to stay with me. I cannot run as fast as they can but have a good draw back to me if they go faster than me ;)
How connected to you is your horse in a big field?
Me and Solly
