Programs at Liberty Stables |
Camp Season |
Horseplay Horses |
Weekend Workshops
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Riding Your Horse According
to His Personality
Come to understand who your horse is in a weekend workshop. How does
he view his world and you? Are you his partner and if so what does
he need from his partner? If you are not, the weekend will help you
find some tools to help you build a language that can create that partnership.
In the opening session, horse and rider will be introduced and the
group of participants will try to figure out each horse’s
personality.
The horse will play at liberty, while we interact with them and see
how they display their personality traits. From this information we
will set a game plan for the weekend.
Each day will start with ground work, so that riders and horses can
get connected. The first objective is balancing respect and trust.
As each rider works through the ground exercises, we will begin to
see where the imbalance lies and then how to go about changing that
to help bring more clarity to the relationship.
The riders are then broken down into small groups of similar riding
level. The first session is on how to ride the Dominant and Submissive
horses differently, giving the riders exercises for each type. The
second session will cover the energetic differences in horses. How
to motivate the Lazy horse and how to help the Energy horse disengage
and release some of their emotion and need to drive forward. The third
traits of the personality, the Curious and Afraid are where we do most
of our training. Learn the rules that apply to each type. The last
two traits are Friendly and Aloof – what motivates your horse. This
is where you will find out if your horse needs a job and then what
type of activities will constitute a job in the horse’s mind.
We try to end the workshop with some type of play, either an obstacle
course or free jumping. This is an excellent place to see how listening
to your horse has helped them open up in their world, to be more expressive,
to feel more safe, to be more brave, and to want to play with you.
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Horseplay Programs at Liberty Stables
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Introduction to Horses from the Ground Up
This brand new program takes a child or adult through a progression that will equip both the horse and rider for a potentially fabulous experience. Built on a foundation of intuitive listening, feel, good communication, trust and respect, it all begins with a language you both can understand. You can do this program with your own horse or you can work with one of the horses at Liberty Stables.
Start by learning how to approach a horse in the herd. Observe herd behavior firsthand. How do you tell if a horse is safe to approach? How do you tell one horse from the other? How do you handle a strange horse approaching you? How do horses communicate with each other? Grooming, feeding, foot care and more are covered. Get to know each other on the ground, at liberty. Develop trust and respect through ground exercises such as the Shed, Friendly Game, Approach and Retreat, and moving the horse around through Pressure and Release. Get on and off safely. Ride for the first time with “Feel” (being led, no saddle, no reins). Breathe, relax, move with the horse. Now add the saddle and a rope halter and start riding safely and with confidence. Navigate the barrels, a pole course, some obstacles.
Lessons are 1 ½ to 2 hours at a time. Catching and grooming your horse is part of the lesson. You can learn something new every time you go out into the herd. Progress at your own pace.
This program is unique and most of all, fun!
Cost: $35 to $50/lesson
Horseplay
Embark on a journey of self-discovery through horses. Enjoy a wonderful day in the country. Horseplay is about playing or interacting with horses in a safe environment. Along the way, we learn about ourselves and about how we relate to others. We become aware of a number of tools that can be utilized in our day-to-day interactions with people to build trust and respect, the cornerstones of effective communication and good leadership. The Horseplay Day consists of a morning of playing with horses, a wonderful country-style lunch followed by an afternoon of creative reflection and experiencing horses in their natural, outdoor environment.
This program is designed for groups of people who work or play together.
Cost: $150/person (Minimum 4 people, maximum 12 people)
Horseplay Apprentice
Spend the week with Dessa and Cathy at Liberty Stables. Stay at a local bed and breakfast in the beautiful foothills of southern Alberta. During the day, explore in a hands-on way the many facets of being in relationship with horses and how to facilitate safe, intuitive, reflective and insightful encounters between people and horses. As Dessa says, “the more we’re around these amazing animals, the less we think we know!” They cause us to peel away the layers to our most authentic selves. Spend each morning with the horses. Journal, play, interact, listen. Spend the afternoons riding, observing, reflecting. Share your experiences with us!
Cost: $1200/person (includes accommodation)
Cathy Thomas and Dessa Hockley, Facilitators
Cathy and Dessa combine their lifetimes of learning and experiences with horses and people alike to these innovative programs.
Cathy, recently “retired” from over 22 years with the Calgary Humane Society developing programs and working with people to better the treatment of animals, brings her extensive experience as a leader and a life coach and her love of animals, specifically horses, to the Horseplay programs. Dessa, owner of Liberty Stables and author of Is Your Horse a Rock Star? Understanding Your Horse’s Personality, has 30 plus years of experience working with horses and teaching riding and horsemanship in a variety of disciplines. Her insatiable curiosity and ingenuity has taken us places we never knew we could go!
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Read about "our take" on the events and camps, workshops and programs and all things we had a part in at Liberty News & Views
Send us your ideas and impressions to Horse Personalities Inc.
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Tony the Pony
Tony is a Welsh Cobb. He's an unlikely character to sign up for Horseplay!
He came with lots of anger fueled by fear. But he's mellowed with time. And no, he's not a Rock Star, though he's featured on the cover of Dessa
Hockley's book, "Is Your Horse a Rock Star"!
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Sam
Sam is a friendly, gentle soul. He really, really wants to trust people and
so he's a wonderful candidate for Horseplay. Since he is a Missouri Trotter, riding him is like riding a big, soft, rolly-polly teddy bear - if you find
that comfortable!
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Sid
Sid, short for Siddhartha, is an introspective, serious horse. The character
Siddhartha, from the book of the same name, leaves home in search of
enlightenment. He goes through a series of changes and realizations on his journey. This is very much Sid's story!
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Spike
Spike is Sid's half brother. Like brothers in most families, they have
little in common - other than a somewhat mysterious quality that may come
from their aloofness. Spike has many talents. Though in mid-life, he prefers to keep a low profile!
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Diva
Diva is a beautiful goddess princess and the only mare to sign up for
Horseplay. Her expressiveness and her ability to communicate what she wants make her an honest, and to her credit, somewhat pampered and noteworthy mare with humans as well as other horses.
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Ulysses
Ulysses is the largest of the horses in our herd (18 hh)! His life's journey
has been about feeling safe and feeling good about himself. He is a Swiss
Warmblood who has learned through the herd who he can be - confident and even playful!
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Liberty Stables Camp Season 2010 |
Its Not Too Early to Sign Up! |
Beautiful and rustic Liberty Stables is located 10 minutes west of Millarville, 15 minutes south of the town of Bragg Creek and just minutes from Kananaskis Country
Camps are facilitated by Dessa Hockley, writer and lifelong horse woman, and Cathy Thomas, life coach and lifelong animal lover. |
The Magic of Horses -
July 12th to 16th |
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For kids who don’t have their own horses -This is a fabulous opportunity for kids who want to get started with horses. The theme for this week-long day camp is magic, inspired somewhat by Harry Potter! Some of the Liberty Stables horses will be signing up to work with kids who want to learn everything about horses from the ground - or hoof - up. We’ll be doing magical activities with the horses including learning a common magical language (horsetongue), and magical crafts and hikes and other fun stuff.
Cost is $525. including GST |
The Magic of Horses -
August 9th to 13th |
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For kids who have their own horses -This is a fabulous opportunity for kids who want to deepen their relationship and understanding of their horses and to spend a fun week playing with them! The theme for this week-long day camp is magic, inspired somewhat by Harry Potter! We’ll be doing magical activities with the horses including learning more horsetongue (a magical language), and magical crafts and hikes and other fun stuff.
Cost is $525. including GST
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Trail Riding and Camping at Mesa Butte August 23 to 25
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Come camp and ride with us in beautiful Kananaskis Country. This is a great opportunity to introduce your horse to trail riding or to spend some quality time in the saddle with your seasoned trail veteran. There are trails for all levels of ability and fitness. You can also come just for the day. Cost: to be determined. |
Women’s Retreat Day Camp September 20 to 24
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This day camp is definitely back by popular demand! Bring your horse for a week of rejuvenating after a hectic summer. The emphasis is on you and your horse. If you would like to sleep in the tipi or bring your camper, give us a call. Cost: $525. |
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Camp Instructors
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Dessa Hockley
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Dessa teaches basic equitation for
any riding discipline focusing always on both horse and rider and emphasizing
the partnership. She has developed unique approaches to ground work including
“Liberty” and the use of clicker training. Her years of experience competing
in various equine sports and studying various techniques and approaches,
coupled with her genuine curiosity about horse - and human - behavior
and training gives her a broad, rich foundation for teaching horse and
rider. Dessa is the author of the recently released book called,
Is Your Horse a Rock Star? Understanding Your Horse’s Personality.
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Cathy Thomas
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Cathy loves learning and teaching
as well as working and playing with animals and people. She brings years
of experience developing programs and teaching animal behavior and care,
mostly of dogs and cats, and now horses. She works with Dessa at Liberty
Stables.
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To register, fill out the Registration
Form and deliver or mail it to Liberty Stables (Site 3,
Box 48, R.R. 1, Millarville, AB, T0L-1K0), or attach it in an email
to horses@horsepersonalities.com .
You can also register or get more information by calling 403-931-2438.
 Workshop
Registration Form (opens in Adobe Reader)
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