April 2025’s Blog
On 19th April, we visited the Hartpury Indoor Equine Arena to see the first 'British Liberty Show', which consisted of a whole afternoon of Liberty trainer demos followed by a mesmerising live performance in which they put everything together, plus some breathtaking stunt-riding for good measure!
It was led by Kat Pickering, https://www.katpickeringhorses.co.uk and featured Mia and Callum Rodley, https://www.theheartofhorsemanship.co.uk, Ollie Phillips, and Emily and Guy (whose surnames I unfortunately can’t find), among others.
Liberty horsemanship emphasises trust, kindness, and communication with - and between - horses. Horses are trained to be ridden without bridles in a two-way partnership. Kat began the afternoon with a live liberty demonstration with Frank, a stunning black gelding who had never performed in front of an audience before and who they didn't even expect to enter the trailer that morning. With her subtle and gentle communication methods and cues, he followed Kat about the arena in a calm and relaxed manner, unaffected by the audience.
Next Mia Rodley came on with her team of eight magnificent geldings, who she allowed to explore the arena and indulge their instinctual herd behaviour before they settled down to provide an outstanding performance in liberty horsemanship, with Mia standing astride two of them while flanked by two more, as they gracefully cantered around the area in perfect harmony – bridleless, of course! The official aftermovie for The British Liberty Show can be viewed here https://youtu.be/tV9OjvXU4B4?si=32dXx2d
“Stable Light”
What else happened during April? Well, I finally finished my latest artwork, “Stable Light” above; this horse portrait is painted in a limited palette of soft pastels on Clairefontaine Pastelmat, measuring around 11 by 15 inches.
In addition, I'm completing my studies in preparation for my volunteer position at a nearby stable yard, which begins next month. I've been taking the British Horse Society Stage 1 Care Course, so I've been reading lots of course material, submitting written assignments for marking, doing multiple-choice exams, and borrowing library books to gain as much theoretical knowledge as possible before starting the work. Obviously, there's no substitute for actual hands-on experience, but this is providing me with a solid basis in readiness.
Additionally, a more in-depth understanding of horse anatomy, evolution, innate behaviour, handling, health, and tack enhances my approach to my artistic work. And having a greater knowledge of the busy and often unpredictable nature of the stable yard environment should help me anytime I go to take pictures at a client’s yard for horse portraits.
