You may be keen to know how to start riding bridleless if you’ve been inspired by recent events.

Much of the interest generated recently is a result of the first British Bridleless Competition. Mia Rodley of The Heart of Horsemanship, who organised the show on 31 May 2026, has long said that any horse and any rider can go bridleless – but not straight away.

Her number one top tip on how to get started in bridleless riding is:

Leave the bridle on.

Steps to riding bridleless

“The bridleless riding is the pinnacle, it’s almost showing off!” Mia says. “It’s showing that you’ve got that connection with your horse.”

So if you want to start riding bridleless, as is the case with anything to do with horses, there’s a lot of work involved to get to that point, but it’s something you can start on straight away.

Relaxation

“First and foremost, you have to have relaxation,” Mia says. “Your horse has to be calm, and able to stand still, on the buckle, without having to halt them. You’d be amazed how many people can’t just stop and chill on a long rein – that’s the first step.”

Once you have relaxation at halt, you need it in all paces; you must be able to walk, trot and canter, on the buckle, at all times and in all situations.

“Can you do it on a hack?” Mia says. “Can you do it in a warm-up at a competition? Is your horse really calm enough to not have to pick up your reins? That’s the first game and challenge a rider can give themselves; if I want to ride bridleless everywhere, or in a competition, can I do it in a competition environment with my bridle on?

“The game is ‘Don’t touch my reins’, or count, how many times do you need to pick up the reins in a ride. That’s another really good exercise, because any time you touch your reins, if you were bridleless, that could be a dangerous situation.”

Connection

Once relaxation to this level has been achieved, the next step is connection. The phrase Mia uses is “calm, confident and connected”; the horse must be calm and confident in his environment, and have the connection with his rider.

“My favourite way to read connection with a horse is their ears,” Mia says. “Can you sit on your horse and cause the left ear to flip back on to you without touching the reins? It’s gauging the level of connection you have with your horse’s mind; can he think back to you or is he looking into the distance at the sheep?”

If so, the test is, can you then keep this while successfully asking for the basic yields; a turn on the forehand and haunches, backing up?

“You have to be able to go forwards, backwards, left and right where you want, without touching your reins,” Mia says. “Then again, in walk, then trot, then canter.

“Count how many times you have to touch your reins while doing this as that’ll give you a really good gauge of whether you’re ready to go bridleless.”

Emergency brakes

“Your horse has to be able to stop, from a canter, if things get emotional,” Mia said. “Unfortunately a whistle stop and a treat isn’t going to cut it in that moment; verbal signals will not work in an emergency. If the horse has bolted, you have to be able to push the turn to slow them down.”

Mia carries a stick, used to inform rather than ever to punish; she has explained before that using the stick to “push the air” by the horse gives him the information to turn, or when needed in an emergency, to stop.

“You’ve got to make sure your horse is ok with the stick,” she says. “A lot of horses have trauma around sticks but once they’re trusting and confident with the tools, you can use them for communication. It’s like a one-rein stop, but rather than pulling on the inside rein, you’re pushing the outside. You can pair that with a whistle, and really reinforce the behaviour to interrupt a bolt or spook, but it’s got to be so solid.

“You need to practise and rehearse your emergency stop a lot – and that’s all before you take the bridle off. Because although this is more natural for horses, most haven’t been trained in it; it’s a new form of communication with the rider and they have to learn it too.”

The relationship

But what if the relaxation, the first step to master if you want to start riding bridleless, isn’t there? This is how it becomes clear that bridleless riding is the means rather than the end; without building the relationship, it is not possible.

“Relaxation first, in all gaits, all environments, on the buckle first and foremost, and that’s massive,” Mia says. “It takes a long time just to get to that level with any horse, whether it’s a warmblood or a cob. That’s where most of us do a lot of groundwork already, a lot of personal development. We’re really looking to improve our own awareness of our horses.

“That’s where liberty work comes in so much for me with bridleless riding, because really it’s the same thing, you just take it under saddle.”

How long does it take to go bridleless?

The main thing to remember if you want to start riding bridleless is that this will take time; no one should just “give it a go” without the foundations.

“I was doing a step by step, how to ride bridleless, at a demo and someone said ‘What happens if your horse won’t stand still?’ and I said ‘Then you’ve got a lot of work to do before you take your bridle off’,” Mia said. “If you can’t just stand on a long rein and let go, you’re not going to be able to do anything else; the horse is not relaxed if they can’t just stand.”

Safety

Safety is of paramount importance. At the British Bridleless Competition, all who competed had to apply, by sending in videos of themselves riding bridleless, including evidence of the ability to perform three different emergency stops, and the class they wanted to enter. All warmed up in some sort of bridle, watched by Mia, while horsemanship expert and relationship judge Lyla Cansfield had the final say on whether each combination was allowed to compete.

“And obviously when horses are learning, it’s really important they’re in a secure space as well,” Mia says. “You have to have checked out every scenario and situation and rehearsed it with your bridle on before you take the bridle off.”

Benefits of bridleless riding

Many people, including dressage judge Mary-anne Horn, have commented on how relaxed and tension-free the horses at the British Bridleless Competition looked – but again, this is a result of the process rather than the bridleless riding itself.

“It’s because we’ve put so much emphasis on the connection first,” Mia says. “Serena Kullich is such a good example; her horses all go so beautifully and that’s because of the work she’s done to get them riding bridleless.”

Not having reins to rely on also means the rider has to use their seat and legs more effectively.

“A great quote is, ‘You exaggerate to teach, but you refine as you go’,” Mia says. “When you’re not using your reins, you might have to exaggerate your body language a bit more to get a turn or a stop – and that’s really good for the human to do as well, as it’s the conscious competence to get what you’re asking, and then it becomes second nature.”

Equipment

The neck rope is important but this is not about neck-reining; it sits at the base of the neck, which has plenty of musculature to protect key structures and minimal nerve endings, and it should never go more than halfway up the neck.

Neck ropes will not be needed for those who are looking to start riding bridleless, but for when you get to that stage, they should be made at least partly of leather so if, in an extreme situation, your horse gets its head down or stands on it or it catches anything, it will break.

Bridleless training

There are many ways to get help to start riding bridleless. Mia gives lessons and clinics, and there is plenty of information on how to work towards it in her online academy for subscribers.

Lyla Cansfield and Tracey Duncan are among the other trainers recommended.

Bridleless competition opportunities

A series of British Bridleless Competitions is planned; there will be at least one more this year, although the date and venue are yet to be confirmed, and the plan is also to include bridleless competition at next year’s British Liberty Show at Hartpury. Follow the British Bridleless Competition social media for updates.

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Equestrians gain certain insights about a horse’s body language almost by default. For example, it’s widely known that a horse with his ears flat back is unhappy even outside the horse-owning community. We also benefit from a body of research into how ridden horses’ facial expressions can be signs of pain. But what about the minutiae of an individual horse’s body language?

Liberty training expert Ben Atkinson’s work, and the core of his training programme the Ben Atkinson Method, is founded on observing and interpreting equine body language, and responding to those signals with his own.

“Working with horses without reading their body language is like attempting meaningful conversation while actively not listening,” says Ben. “Every time a horse offers us information with their body, and we miss or ignore it, we act like a dictator. We show them we are not a conversation partner, or someone they can trust.”

Additionally, Ben says that a horse’s body language is just one half of the puzzle.

“Understanding how your horse uses body language means you can adapt your own. How we hold ourselves, how we talk and stand, and even when and where we direct our eye tells horses a thousand things about our intentions.”

Body talk: what to look for in your horse

Reassuringly, Ben explains that learning to read body language is not as complex or intimidating as it might appear; you follow just two simple rules.

“Rule one is observation: if you’re not watching, you’ll miss things,” explains Ben. “Rule two: you’re not a politician who must deliver hasty sweeping statements. You are a detective.”

Ben adds that a handler’s observations should take in more than just the horse.

“You also consider the context,” he continues. “Work out what your horse is telling you by factoring in information about yourself and your surroundings to figure out the ‘why?’”

What subtle signs should you look for?

“Tension in the skin and muscles around the eyes and muzzle, the dilation of the nostrils, the rate of breathing, tail movement, ear position and even how high or low the horse holds its head can tell us dozens of things,” explains Ben.

Ben adds that there isn’t a general way to interpret these signals, and their meaning is influenced by the conditions you’re working in as well as your horse’s character.

“Observing your own horse helps you begin to recognise behavioural patterns and sequences. Bringing these findings into your work with him keeps you one step ahead of the game.”

Can horses read human body language?

In a word: yes! And you could be revealing things to your horse that you don’t intend.

“Becoming aware of the subtle ways horses affect our posture and movements means we can manipulate our body language to train better,” says Ben.

“Have you ever seen a toddler topple over and done your best to fake a laugh, clap and smile to convince them everything’s ok? Manually overriding our instincts like this is a tool for horse training, too. It lets us carry ourselves in a way that makes our intentions clearer to our horses, and helps them find the right answer.”

How do you put this into practice?

“If you need more space from a horse, stand up straight with your shoulders back, make direct eye contact and plant all ten toes in the ground,” says Ben. “Show him you are immovable.

“Or, if you’re trying to entice a skittish or nervous horse, look at the floor. Hunch your shoulders, keep your hands and arms tucked close to your body and shuffle away slowly as the horse approaches or looks at you. Be unthreatening and intriguing.”

When communicating with horses, says Ben, you are playing a part.

“You are an actor on a stage,” he continues, “your body the only tool you have to convey who you are and what your intentions will be.”

Want to see Ben in action? See him at BAM Live on Saturday 13 September, visit horsemanshiphub.com for more information

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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How often have you found yourself wondering how get your horse to listen to you? It’s probably plagues you on a regular basis. But how much do you consider the alternative notion: how do I listen to my horse? Horse liberty exercises start with this very basic premise, that you are tuned into what your horse is “saying”.

As Yvet Blokesch, founder of Feather Light Academy, describes, turning your attention to equine body language and signals is how to connect to with a horse. It’s the foundation of much of her liberty work.

“First listen, don’t teach”

“When I first start working with a horse, I don’t teach him anything,” explains Yvet. “I don’t teach him to come towards or stick to me, I spend those initial moments or sessions showing him that all the signals he’s giving have meaning to me.

“The connection that follows and makes him hook on to me is really just a result of him feeling seen and heard,” she continues. “He thinks, ‘OK, we can communicate’. And that feels good, and he feels he can stick to me.

“Once we have that basic connection, that’s when we go deeper into liberty training.”

Of course, without ropes, halters and training aids, horses can opt out. So, as Yvet explains, the challenge is maintaining the kind of dialogue your horse wants to participate in. This also means making him feel understood, which can only be gained by recognising the signals the horse gives you.

“This is where liberty only succeeds with a connection and understanding,” says Yvet. “If you’re handling your horse on a rope and miss a signal from him, you can always use the rope to pull him back.

“If you don’t have a rope and you make a mistake, you can’t compensate or cover up miscommunication.”

Introduction to horse liberty exercises

How to connect with a horse at liberty

For a beginner trying to establish connection for the first time, Yvet recommends starting fresh from the stable or field, rather than following a ride.

“You want it to be unbiased, the first interaction you have,” she says.

“I usually start in the arena or lunge pen. You might want to make the space a bit smaller so you don’t have to run around as much when you take off the headcollar.”

Yvet reiterates that making a connection with a horse isn’t about asking them for anything specific.

“You just let you horse free in that space and don’t ask anything to begin with,” she confirms.

Once your horse settles somewhere in the arena, which could be near or far from where you’re standing, you can ask a question.

“You’re not looking for an exact response to what you’re asking,” explains Yvet. “Just some sign from your horse that shows he’s interpreting a small signal from you.

”For example, I might want to ask, ‘hey, I’d like you activate the right side of your body’. This would look like growing in energy or stature on the right, it doesn’t matter if the horse is moving or stood still.”

Yvet says the key to asking your question is to do so slowly.

“I would point to him by raising my right hand very slowly, and make myself bigger in my body position gradually,” she explains. “Grow in your own body, and look for your horse to grow with you.”

Yvet adds that you’re searching for a signal from your horse that shows he recognises you’re asking a question.

“If you go too fast, you miss the precise point at which your question has meaning to your horse,” she says. “He doesn’t necessarily have to come up with the right response yet. He might look at you, flick an ear towards you – something like that will show you he understands you’re asking something.

“As soon as he shows you he’s listening, you stop asking,” she continues. “Then you ask your question again in the same way.”

Yvet says it’s important to acknowledge your horse’s response, whatever that might be, but this might look different owner to owner.

“I just has to be a genuine response,” advises Yvet. “For some people, that might be saying ‘good’, or ‘yes’. Others might be silent. The most important thing is to feel that understanding between you on the inside.”

Not joined at the hip?

Handlers shouldn’t worry if their horse doesn’t stay next to them for much, or indeed any, of the session.

“It’s important not to expect your horse to stick to you the whole time – it doesn’t mean your work with him is any less ‘liberty’,” Yvet says.

“Finding connection with your horse in the early stages doesn’t have to be from up close. Liberty is not just about being next to one another. It’s about being together even at a distance.

“Show your horse he has a choice when working with you,” she continues. “It’s OK if sometimes he runs away, just be aware that he’s just disconnecting temporarily, and there’s a reason for that disconnection.

“If you stay aware of and connected with him, he will always come back – as long as he feels there is something in it for him. That’s the beauty of liberty: it helps you become something that your horse wants to be with.”

These are baby steps at the very start of liberty training, and is likely to feel and look unimpressive, but like all foundations it’s important to get it right from the outset. And when you witness Yvet’s skill with her horses and ponies at her demos in front of thousands of people at shows, or on her social media, it’s inspirational stuff.

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With just two cues, you can create a framework for learning liberty work that your horse will understand and enjoy. With more and more riders making an introduction to liberty training alongside their work in the saddle, you might be curious about adding liberty exercises to your horse’s day-to-day routine.

Liberty training means different things to different trainers, but broadly speaking it encompasses anything a trainer does with their horse free from restraint, with no ropes, tack or training aids beyond cues or a long whip as a guide.

For expert free rider and liberty trainer Emma Massingale, liberty training’s scope is far-reaching.

“Most people do forms of liberty with their horse every day without realising,” she explains. “If they can pick out their feet, squash bothersome flies or brush them without tying them up, that’s the evidence their horse is on board and with them.”

If you’ve started making progress with beginner liberty work or feel that your horse would benefit from working in this way, read on for Emma’s simple groundwork exercises that will start you on your journey.

Introduction to liberty training

Teaching beginner cues

Emma is adept at cultivating a partnership with her horses in a state of freedom. However, handlers can only achieve this by first understanding how to get a horse to listen, which involves harnessing their horse’s ability to learn patterns.

“Many horses only have their headcollar and leadrope taken off when their owners let them go in the field, and they learn through repetition that this is when they’re free to run away and graze,” says Emma.

“This system absolutely sets a horse up to learn that running away from you equals fun, which makes liberty training exercises really hard to work on!”

She adds: “What we can do is use that same repetitive learning to teach them cues that make working at liberty, and a broader experience of life off the headcollar and leadrope, possible.”

Emma explains that you don’t necessarily need to be sure of your horse’s undivided attention before you start beginner liberty work. In fact, teaching two foundational cues is a great way to begin cultivating the togetherness required for successful liberty work.

“It’s comparable with training dogs, and even clicker training,” explains Emma. “It’s about marking a precise moment of desirable behaviour with a suitable reward.”

Teaching the horse to find the right answer

Emma explains that horses who understand when they’ve answered a question correctly become more engaged with their training.

“When you show them how to understand, ‘yes, that’s right’, you’re also teaching them to look for the right answer,” explains Emma. “To mark this moment, I say ‘good’ or ‘yes’.”

But in the search for the right answer, the horse might find the wrong one.

“So, I use sound, which means whatever you’re doing is incorrect,” she continues. “It’s never ‘no’, because we’re not telling the horse off for trying. That’ll just kill his desire to try.

“Instead, I use a quick ‘shh’ noise to say, ‘almost’. I recognise that he tried. Now, I want him to try something else.”

When horses are learning a new skill, it’s important to be picky about when you mark the right answer with “yes” so that they learn the right pattern.

“Alongside the vocal cue of ‘good’ or ‘yes’, I also use a high-value reward, such as a carrot, when they get it right for the first time,” Emma adds. “It’s about paying them fairly for the effort. Down the line, a scratch on the wither might be enough, but when they are first learning, they need something more.”

Put it into practice

The principles of “yes” and “almost” can be taught alongside any new skill, be it teaching your horse to halt at your shoulder every time you stop, back up or move quarters away.

Important takeaways are only to reward when the behaviour offered is spot-on, and to reward well with a high-value treat the first time your horse gets it right.

If your horse loses interest in the session when the reward becomes a scratch on the wither, you can try lower-value treats such as fibre nuts.

Hotter and colder

By using “yes” and “almost”, you can create a cue-learning structure that resembles a game your horse will understand and enjoy. Plus, once “yes” and “almost” are learned cues, it will make teaching him new things much easier.

“It’s like the ‘hotter, hotter, colder, colder’ seeking game that kids play,” says Emma. “You’re teaching the horse to search out the right answer. Once they know this, teaching them something else becomes 10 times easier because they have a structure for the learning process.”

“Once they know how to learn, you can then teach them many, many different things.”

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The biggest secret of beginner liberty training according to Emma Massingale? You’re probably already doing it.

“A lot of people have got into the mindset that you’re not doing liberty unless you’re in an arena,” she tells H&H. “But really, you’re doing it every time you touch your horse, every time you go near him.

If you’re reading this, you might not need an introduction to liberty training. Briefly, though, liberty work can be defined as ground or ridden activity performed without restraint, tack, or with the horse on any kind of lead or lunge rope.

According to Emma, anything that demonstrates togetherness and a relationship with your horse – be it picking out his feet or grooming – is in essence liberty, especially if you can do these things without restraint.

“When people have a great relationship with their horses, it’s really easy to teach those horses liberty,” she adds.

Beginner liberty training: asking the key question

Working with horses requires mutual cooperation and enthusiasm – especially at liberty.

“Another way to look at it is like dog training,” says Emma. “You don’t let your dog off the lead in an uncontrolled environment unless you know you have his attention. It’s the same with liberty.”

How do you know you have your horse’s attention?

“My favorite question that I always ask my team is: ‘are you with me?’ If they answer ‘yes’, your work completely transcends equipment.”

How do you ask?

According to Emma, there is no one way to ask your horse if he’s “with you”.

“For someone doing beginner liberty training, you might start by tucking the leadrope into your beltloop so there’s no pressure on it and seeing if he’ll follow you as usual, or knot your reins while riding and see if he’ll keep to a circle.”

A horse that stays with you without “hand holding” from a leadrope or rein aid is one who is tuned in to his handler or rider.

What if the answer is no?

If your horse wanders off, Emma suggests trying again in a more controlled space, such as the arena, lunge pen or yard.

Emma adds that to help cultivate your togetherness, these everyday examples of your horse’s attention need to be rewarded.

“Maybe you never need any pressure on the rope when you handle your horse on the yard – this in itself shows that your body language alone is enough to draw your horse to you,” explains Emma.

“While it seems par for the course, we need to be recognising these things, marking it with a cue like ‘yes’ and a reward. It’s all about praising behaviour you like in a way your horse understands.”

Breaks, scratches or pony nuts are all suitable rewards for desired behaviour, even if it doesn’t feel like an especially teachable moment. But what about if you are ready to teach something new?

A question of motivation

“It took me four days to teach my stallion to lie down,” explains Emma. “He’d been playing with my donkey, who’d actually taught him to lie down himself by grabbing his fetlock. So I thought, I’ll put a cue on it.

“The first three days, he offered the head posture and lowered a bit, but didn’t lie down,” she continues.

“On day four, he was starting to get it and finally did it, so I marked the behaviour with a carrot and a ‘yes’. He was like, ‘why didn’t you say so?’ And the behaviour became repeatable.”

Emma cites this story as an example of turning extrinsic motivation into intrinsic motivation.

“Initially, the motivation to perform the behaviour is the promise of external reward,” she says. “Over time, a scratch on the wither and my positive body language is enough to motivate him – the satisfaction comes from within.

“Learning something new is hard work, and I think we can all agree hard work should be fairly paid,” she continues.

“While the cue is new, we tap into extrinsic rewards that compensate effort. In time, acting on the cue becomes easy; that extrinsic motivation transforms into intrinsic.”

Too treat focused?

If your horse is especially food-oriented, you could ditch the apple or carrot for a treat with less power, such fibre cube or a handful of chaff.

“You could also place the treats close by, but out of reach of wherever you’re practising the behaviour such as over the gate, fence or stable door,” says Emma. “Use the ‘yes’ to mark desired behaviour and follow up with the treat.”

Deepening the relationship

As you reflect on your day-to-day life with your horse, you can probably identify a few areas where you’ve been doing basic liberty all along. Marking that automatic, everyday behaviour with rewards and a “yes” will not only tell your horse he’s doing something brilliant, but mean that when you ask “are you with me?”, the answer will increasingly be yes.

For Emma, your horse’s enthusiasm is your foundational ingredient.

“If they say ‘yes’, it transforms the relationship and you can shape it into anything you can dream up. That’s why there’s such a variety in liberty and horsemanship with what trainers do.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Teaching a horse to be good to handle means learning how to get a horse to listen. After all, if you have your horse’s attention, he’ll be more likely to follow your instructions.

“If I’m walking my horse along on a lead rope, I’m looking for signs he’s tuned in,” says liberty trainer Emma Massingale. “I should be able to feel his ear and eye on me, and he won’t be looking out over the fields or at his friends.

“When horses pull away from their handlers, you see it in the head position first,” she continues. “The horse will turn his head first and then shove his shoulder into the person holding them. Then, that’s it!

“People generally try and force the shoulder back to regain control, but strength never wins with horses. You actually need to start further back; your horse needs to want to be with you first.”

How to get a horse to listen: play to his strengths

“My favourite technique in getting your horse on side is to make sure the first thing you ask him to do is something he’s really good at,” advises Emma. “It could be literally anything.

“Maybe he’s really good at backing up, waiting to go through a gate, moving his quarters round, standing to have a hoof picked up or doing a baited stretch – it doesn’t matter. Anything you know your horse can do first time, and that you can praise him for, will be really motivating.”

As well is in groundwork, Emma adds that this approach works in a ridden context, too.

“Ask your horse to do something you know he likes off the bat, and he’ll want to listen.”

Use cues

Everyone loves to be told they’ve got it right, including horses.

“It’s really important that working horses understand when they’ve achieved a goal,” says Emma. “If they don’t, then they miss out on the motivation to do the next thing.”

While a treat or a scratch works well as a reward, timing can be tricky. Rewards need to be given quickly to mark desired behaviour.

“If you’re leading, or especially lungeing, it can be tricky to near impossible to deliver a scratch at the right time,” explains Emma.

“Let’s say your horse has just offered a perfect canter transition on the lunge. By the time you’ve called him in and given him praise, he won’t link that praise with the transition.”

Emma’s advice is to establish specific cue words or sounds that tell your horse he’s done something right.

“I use ‘good’ or ‘yes’, but it can be anything. It’s good to have a few options.”

How do you teach your horse the cue? Use it in step above!

“Start using the cue when he successfully completes a task he’s already good at, like backing up or lifting a hoof, and he’ll soon understand it means he’s done something right. He’ll feel motivated, which you can use to help perfect the things he isn’t so great at, or to teach him new things.”

Be the catalyst

Emma says handlers should forget trying to be the leader – they should aim to be the most exciting or interesting person in their horse’s life instead.

“The best-liked herd members are the catalysts for fun; the ones who engage the other members in play,” she explains. “When you open a gate to a new field, it’s not the leader who makes the first move. The horses who engage in play motivate the herd to hoon about and explore the new space.”

With that, Emma’s ultimate advice on how to get a horse to listen is to be the catalyst for fun and novelty for him.

“A client asked me recently how she could stop her horse from dragging her in from the field to patches of grass on the track. Brute force will never win, so I asked her to start doing transitions as she comes out the gate.

“A few strides of trot, then back to walk. As soon as she feels her horse’s concentration break, ask for a faster walk. The horse thinks: ‘I’d better stay with my owner, because I don’t know what’s coming next.’

“This has been working because she’s made herself more interesting to her horse than that patch of grass, and her horse was never left to his own devices to get distracted.”

Like owner, like horse

When asking for your horse’s attention, ensure you return the favour.

“Don’t leave the conversation with your horse to scroll on your phone or focus on something else,” warns Emma. “If you check out, your horse will too!”

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It’s something we’re sure every horse owner wants — a true bond with your horse. Nothing is more rewarding than hearing a whinnied greeting from your four-legged favourite, or have him approach you in the field eager for a scratch.

For horse trainer and equine adventurer Emma Massingale, building a bond with your horse is linked not just to the hours you spend in the saddle, it’s also everything in between.

“We’re all looking for those special moments with our horses,” Emma says. “You can tell your horse is comfortable with you if he’s consistently relaxed, with a soft eye and low head. When a horse really likes you, he loves to interact.”

Take a beat

A horse owner’s schedule rarely has wiggle-room, but Emma says making time to break the monotony of your horse’s day goes a long way.

“A lot of us fall into the mindset that most worthwhile time we can spend with them is in the school or out on a hack. So, we get to the yard and we get busy to squeeze everything in. And, while we want our horses to respect and listen to us, leaders in natural herds aren’t the best liked – it’s the horses who are catalysts for fun who have the most friends!”

Making time to interact with your horse without asking anything of him is a great place to start.

“Allow your horse to see you in a non-demanding scenario,” continues Emma. “If you don’t have time to ride, but do have a few minutes to scroll or have a cup of tea, spend that time in his stable with him. If you’re grooming, don’t just groom to get him clean. Notice how he reacts to certain brushes, keep your eyes peeled for any favourite scratching spots and spend a few extra minutes on them.

According to Emma, you can bond with your horse in your ridden work, too.

“If your schooling session goes well, wrap up early and spend that extra few minutes hand grazing,” advises Emma. “Similarly, if you’ve had a really good hack where he’s been braver than usual, jump off and walk the last few minutes as a reward. There are so many day-to-day things you can do to show your horse you’re more than just the person who comes with the tack and asks him to work.”

Look at lifestyle

Emma approaches bonding with horses holistically, taking routine and management into account.

“I always ask: is the horse happy in his whole life, and what can I control?” she says. “For example, look at his stable- and field-mates. In the past, I’ve used a screen between a stable partition when a neighbour became anxious around food. Similarly, consider your horse’s field companions. Horses like to feel safe, so ensuring he’s with the right kind of playmates will help shape the behaviour you’d like to see.”

Addressing your horse’s happiness and comfort more generally works because horses, says Emma, are like elephants.

“They don’t forget anything. Just as they know we give them food, they know if we’re leading them into a situation they don’t like. So, if they’re not keen on their neighbour or field-mates, they won’t thank us for placing them in those environments. However, if you’re leading them to a happy place – just as if you end your ride positively or scratch their itchy spot for a few moments – they’ll associate that good feeling with you.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Horse liberty training is a growing movement in the equestrian community, so how does it work? In essence, it is a method in which horses are handled and ridden with minimal training aids and equipment, such as a neck rope, bareback pad or schooling whip, or perhaps nothing at all. The horse operates free from restraint, with no ropes or tools to keep them engaged. Rather, the relationship between horse and handler is the “glue” that keeps them together.

There are many different interpretations of liberty training – perhaps as many as there are liberty trainers. Additionally, each trainer has their own philosophy. For example, while one trainer might view the roundpen as a setting for liberty work, another might consider a small space a training tool in itself. That said, many trainers are united in underscoring what makes for successful liberty training: communication.

“People talk a lot about connection, but I think it’s a buzzword,” says Ben Atkinson, liberty trainer, performer and pioneer of the Ben Atkinson Method.

“It bypasses what liberty really is for me – the art of communication. If liberty isn’t working or falls apart, it is a clear sign of poor or confusing communication between horse and human.”

Jump to:

• History and evolution
• Purpose and benefits
• Approaches
• – Teaching cues
• – Reading and responding to body language
• – Target work
• Dos and don’ts

Liberty training: history and evolution

The roots of liberty work are as far-reaching and diverse as its practice today. However, one definitive development in the liberty training story is the work of Philip Astley, an English 18th-century cavalry officer, and later Sergeant Major, in the King’s Light Dragoons. His interest in horses progressed into trick riding, and, later, the birth of the modern-day circus.

“His work was designed to showcase discipline and trust, but there’s the slight illusion of freedom there,” says Emma Massingale, liberty trainer, free rider and adventurer. “You have to ask, is the horse co-operating voluntarily, or is it shaped through circumstances? With the confines of a small circus ring, does the horse have options?”

Emma acknowledges another, more everyday source of liberty – the mutual understanding between a working horse and his handler.

“Take a 19th-century milkman,” she says. “He and his horse would make the same round every day. The horse would learn where to stop, where the best hedgerows were to browse from, how to be calm when other horses passed and so on. Pretty soon, the milkman would barely need to drive the cart anymore, much less tie his horse at each house. The horse could take ownership of his own tasks because there’s mutual trust that each will respect and follow the routine with minimal prompts, if any.”

The origins of liberty training aren’t confined to the UK. Branches of modern liberty, especially in the US, find their roots in the California vaquero tradition. The vaqueros were Spanish cowboys who came to California in the 16th century as part of Spain’s colonisation of the Americas. In a nutshell, they trained horses slowly and meticulously, often bitless, prizing subtle communication and training horses to respond to the lightest touch.

Other traditions are rooted in studying equine behaviour and body language in their natural environment and replicating these observations in training. Renowned US natural horsemanship trainer Monty Roberts spent much of his youth watching wild mustangs near his Nevada home and, from his findings, developed his signature Join-up technique. This, in turn, inspired other trainers such as Kelly Marks, who together with Monty founded the Intelligent Horsemanship movement.

Today, liberty is seen as an alternative way to train that champions communication, bond between horse and handler and equine wellbeing. Trainers note that there is a growing appetite for liberty training among a wider audience.

Yvet Blokesch, founder of Feather Light Academy, explains: “When I started, I was the weird girl doing groundwork with horses. People hadn’t really heard of it. Even 10 years ago it was rare to see.

“Now, with social media and courses online, it’s becoming way more popular.

Emma adds: “People seem to be having a look around for alternatives rather than sticking to traditional methods – it’s a good thing.”

Purpose and benefits

There is no one end result when it comes to liberty training. Some trainers can use liberty to teach high-level lateral and collection movements, such as half-pass and piaffe, while others work with entire teams of horses at liberty. For Emma, the mutual understanding and bond between horse and handler is the most important result.

“My passion is going out with my team at liberty into any environment, with many distractions that don’t influence the connection with my horses,” she says. “When I take them up onto the moors, they aren’t tempted to go off with the wild ponies or to graze. Our relationship is the most enticing thing.”

For Ben, one key benefit for the horse is an owner who’s willing to listen.

“Observing, reading and adapting to the horse’s actions and expression gives the horse much more of a voice than traditional styles of equine sport,” he remarks. “Tradition relies on verbal and tactile cues only, and often makes seeing and adapting to body language much more challenging.

“Broadening our equine ‘vocabulary’ in this way means that, once we’re confident and competent, daily life becomes easier,” adds Ben. “From leading to and from the field to standing at the mounting block or entering new environments, liberty arms us with the tools we need to guide our horses like never before.”

Ben warns that liberty shouldn’t be seen as a cure-all.

“It’s not a silver bullet to fix all issues. Nor is it a magical sport that allows out-of-work horses to make a miraculous comeback. I think these false perceptions come from the very ‘Instagrammable’ side of the liberty world that gives hope to people who feel lost. Liberty is just another option when it comes to equine sport.”

Yvet explains that liberty unlocks a high level of trust because a well-practised trainer can show horses that their signals are being read.

“Whenever I’m training a young or new horse, I don’t ask anything of them,” she says. “First, I show that we can communicate in a way that’s familiar, responding to small signals that let them understand that it has meaning to me. It makes them feel good, they are calm and relaxed with you, and that’s where the connection comes from; that’s why he wants to stay connected with you.”

She’s also witnessed horses become more outgoing.

“With a shy horse, you can’t just go ahead and play with them,” she explains. “They don’t know what to do with all that energy.

“But if you listen to their signals very carefully, you see the moments where they open up and become curious or expressive. You can encourage that. Then, they start to feel free to express themselves, and working with you feels good.”

Yvet’s practice sees her teach horses self-carriage and dressage movements from the ground – all bitless.

“Always needing contact through the rein with a bit never made much sense to me,” she says. “So, I don’t teach horses on the bridle then take the bridle away; I teach new things on the neck rope.

“You can prepare horses for everything on the ground,” she continues. “You let them feel what it’s like to keep their own body in balance. And when they get self-carriage, I always give my hands or reins to the horse, even if it’s just for a split second. This helps him feel like ‘oh yes, I can do this myself’.

“It’s so beneficial for whatever you want to do under saddle.”

Approaches

Just as many different liberty training philosophies coexist, so too do trainer methods. That’s not to say they are all mutually exclusive, and trainers will use a combination of tools depending on the horse, the environment or desired result. We discuss some of our experts’ approaches below…

Teaching cues

Much of Emma’s liberty training takes place in open fields and wild spaces. What keeps her liberty team engaged? A vocabulary of cues that not only refer to specific commands, but “yes” and “not quite”, too.

“We think nothing of training our dogs, and really there are so many similarities,” she adds. “We teach dogs verbal cues, hand signals and body language. All of this allows you to communicate mutually, teaches them how to work with you and keeps their attention.”

Emma explains her cue-teaching method in this introduction to liberty training. However, in a nutshell, teaching cues uses a horse’s natural pattern-learning capabilities to learn new skills.

“I don’t like to use ‘no’, it’s so negative,” she explains. “Horses love to be told they’re great, so a ‘no’ can derail their motivation, which is exactly what we don’t want for liberty.

“Instead, I use a brief ‘shh’ to say, that’s not quite right. It encourages them to keep searching for the answer.”

Reading and responding to body language

Ben Atkinson’s method forces the handler to be acutely aware of the horse’s whole body – as well as their own.

“Good liberty is about translating our desire to the horse via tactile, visual, verbal, body language and footwork signals,” he explains. “In return, we employ our powers of observation and perception to analyse the horse’s body language and signals. These signals let us interpret the horse’s confidence, competence and consent, and we can adapt our communication style accordingly.”

Ben’s signals in action take many forms. A slight turn of the body might tell the horse to change direction, or the brush of a whip might ask for a bow. What’s clear is that Ben can produce the full range of equine motion from the ground, totally at liberty.

“Another huge positive for liberty-trained horses is the opportunity to learn movements,” he adds. “They can learn the simplest canter transition all the way to canter pirouettes without the burden of a rider’s weight or variable balance.”

Target work

One aspect of Yvet’s work is to encourage the horse to use targets.

“These aren’t physical targets that I hold,” explains Yvet. “But when I go further into liberty work, I’ll use my belly or my shoulder as a target, or a point for the horse to hook on to and move towards.

“It becomes something that they’re searching for, a focus. I can then ask for them to circle around me at liberty, or learn lateral movements, anything like that. They understand what to aim for, and it makes them eager to work with me.”

Liberty training: dos and don’ts

If you’re looking to start beginner liberty work, our experts share their dos and don’ts to help you make a success of your first sessions.

“A pitfall I often see is people getting so obsessed with learning liberty, that it becomes all about the person and not about the horse,” says Emma. “Turn your obsession to your relationship with your horse and embrace the journey you go on.

“You might get faster results in a roundpen, because a horse doesn’t really have any other option. It’s fine to work in a roundpen, but it’s important to respect the power that space has. Check in with yourself, your practice and aim to work in a variety of spaces – the wilder, the better.”

Ben advises matching the level of intensity to the horse.

“The trainer dictates the intensity of liberty training, like any equine pursuit,” he explains. “A 21-year-old arthritic heavy horse shouldn’t be asked to learn piaffe-passage transitions at liberty.

“Those wishing to practise liberty with horses with injury history or in the horse’s twilight years should consider the same things as a rider,” he continues. “For example, you could make circles larger and turns shallower, while being conscious of challenging terrain. Just because the horse is loose with no tack or rider doesn’t mean its body is under zero strain.”

When done thoughtfully, groundwork and liberty are wonderful options for younger and older horses.

“Personally, I find the benefits of liberty for general handling, loading, riding and carriage driving highly advantageous,” adds Ben. “Do have a go; don’t write it off before you’ve tried it. Do expect it to be confusing and humbling at first, and don’t let one bad session let you lose hope. Don’t rush, but keep going.”

Yvet’s also mindful of the tempting pull of progress.

“Don’t go towards that teaching phase too quickly, because you first want to have that initial connection coming from the horse,” she says. “You want the horse choosing to be with you, not made to stick to you.

“Do be really aware of all the signals that your horse is giving,” she adds. “When you work with your horse, you have to be very aware of what he’s looking at, where his ears are pointing. I always walk in the opposite direction to where the horse is looking. This automatically draws him with you again.”

Working with horses at liberty is a dream for many riders and, while it won’t happen overnight and progress is rarely linear, the fruits of your labour could be sweet indeed.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Father Christmas has called upon two Shetland ponies and their merry gang of friends to help make his deliveries this year.

The tale unfolds in Devon-based trainer and film-maker Emma Massingale’s latest video, in partnership with NAF, starring everyone’s favourite actors, Albert and Ernie. When Dalmatian Nancy takes an important call from Father Christmas, she rounds up Albert and Ernie, and the group can be seen boarding a double-decker bus as they head off on their latest mission. The film also features Comet the Connemara, donkey Charlie, Douglas the Hungarian vizsla, Siamese cat Louis, part-bred percheron Max, and puppies Pippin and Luna, a miniature dachshund and a labrador.

Emma Massingale, who is known for her heart-warming Christmas films, said coming up with this year’s idea was a bit harder than in some years.

“There’s been a lot of doom and gloom on the news and a lot of the Christmas adverts on the television have gone down the more political route. I thought, ‘What are we going to do to make something a bit different when it’s not feeling very Christmassy yet?’” Emma told H&H.

“I decided just to tell a story and when you come up with a story you can put the different components in. I started with a skeleton idea, and then I started thinking about the different tricks I might like to do. You’re trying to include as many tricks as you can, but at the same time make it look natural and there has to be a bit of humour too.”

And it is not just the actors Emma has to think about, it is props too. While trying to stay warm one of the ponies turns on the outdoor heater, causing a Christmas tree to dry up and lose its pine needles. Meanwhile the other pony goes off to seek out their best Christmas jumpers. The gang help gather the presents for Father Christmas and he can be seen heading off to start his deliveries.

“I spent about four hours plucking a Christmas tree, and then I had the needles in my oven for six hours trying to get them the right colour. Everything we ate for days afterwards tasted of pine needles!,” said Emma.

“We also have to consider the locations, for example doors need to be right for the ponies opening them. We don’t get to practise at the location before filming so I do all the training at home, and then we go and film. But we always joke that Albert and Ernie are the masters of one-take wonders, they know their job so well. The dogs are definitely a newer thing for me, but it’s great – they can do different things from the horses, so it ties in really well when telling a story.”

The video was filmed at Powderham Castle, a remote cottage on Bodmin Moor, and South Devon railway station.

“It’s really nice to be at Powderham Castle, I used to event there when it held horse trials and it’s a great location,” said Emma.

“It was quite funny getting to the cottage on the moor; it has no drive and you could only get to it by an off-road Land Rover. My fiancé Jeremy took the Land Rover with the filming equipment, and I had to tread across the moor with two ponies and four dogs.

“A man checking his cows spotted me and rode across on horseback to check I wasn’t dumping the ponies there, but he took one look at them in their lycra suits to keep them clean and said ‘Perhaps not!’”.

Emma, who has a busy 2023 planned including filming a TV advert, said she enjoys making people smile with her films.

“I just love it when you see something and it makes you smile, or inspires you in some way. I think that’s the joy of Christmas.”

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Accomplished equine actors Albert and Ernie have once again captured the spirit of Christmas, this time with a little help from their friends.

Devon-based trainer and film-maker Emma Massingale’s latest video, in partnership with NAF, stars Shetland ponies Albert and Ernie, Connemara pony Evenos, Irish sport horse Custard, Charlie the donkey, and Hungarian vizsla Douglas, as the gang get ready for Christmas. Everyone can be seen lending a helping hoof or paw as they put up a Christmas tree and put presents around it, and one half of Emma’s acting “A team”, Ernie gets creative with a snow machine.

The festive fun was captured at Powderham Castle, a former British Eventing venue, in Devon.

“I used to event there many years ago. I thought it would be amazing to use their courtyard because they have red doors and lovely stainwork and I love that vintage feel,” said Emma, who had to film “one handed” owing to a shoulder injury she sustained in a carriage-driving accident three months ago.

“Doing the NAF Christmas video is a big thing in my diary and something I love doing. Christmas is all about making people smile, getting into the spirit, and embracing the magic and I definitely did not want to miss that!”

Emma said the video captured everyone’s characters.

“Ernie is very cheeky and Albert is very well behaved. If you had two children Ernie would be the naughty second child! He is so funny, he loves it and does things in his own way. I barely have to tell him to do anything,” she said.

“It was great to include Custard, who I bred from my event stallion Marcus. The Shetlands are always popular on videos but it’s nice to add some other elements too. This was Charlie’s first appearance on screen and to me donkeys are the epitome of Christmas. Douglas’s trick was the hardest – anyone who knows anything about vizslas knows getting them to sit still is a challenge. He’s definitely embracing life at full throttle. In the video you can see his tail and nose twitching, he’s like ‘every bit of me that’s allowed to twitch is twitching!’. He’s a very intelligent dog and good fun.”

Emma hopes to be off “box rest” soon and has a UK-wide tour lined up for 2022 – as well as more videos in the pipeline.

“It’s been three years since I’ve been on tour with the horses. We’re taking the whole team of 17 horses from April until the end of June. The horses are going, my Connemara liberty team, the mules, the ponies, and some the public haven’t met yet – it’s going to be great,” she said.

“I’ve been choreographing and doing lots behind the scenes and I’m very excited about it.”

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Two Shetland ponies have enjoyed a fun-filled day out in the great Devon countryside in their latest adventure.

In trainer Emma Massingale’s latest film All Aboard The Pony Express Train, Shetlands Albert and Ernie can be seen buying tickets and boarding a 1930s steam train at Staverton station. Having disembarked at Buckfastleigh, the pair make friends with some otters at the Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary and go on to Totnes Rare Breeds Farm. They finish their day taking in the scenic Devon views, then board the train for home.

Emma told H&H the film was “really good fun” to make and she chose her “A team” to star in her latest production.

“The lockdown gave us a perfect opportunity and because it was Devon companies, it was nice to feel like us small businesses helping each other. They’ve been shut for a long time and kindly said we could do a collaboration,” she said.

“The staff at South Devon Railway were doing training that day and when the train stopped it was only for 15 minutes so we had to be in position. Albert and Ernie have done so many different things now; they’ve been on boats and all sorts so I knew they’d be like ‘of course we’ll get on the train no problem!’.”

Nine-year-old Albert and eight-year-old Ernie have starred in many of Emma’s productions including festive films and The Cutest Little Lifesavers.

“They just have this great attitude. It’s like working with actors – but probably less diva-ish! You show them what you want to do once and they crack on. It’s nice because I can really rely on them to be ok with it all,” she said.

“The otters were very interested in the ponies, which was hilarious so that worked really well. I just love telling stories with my ponies. I write a rough storyline but you never quite know what will happen because the ponies don’t get any practice. We go there and film on the day. The first time the ponies jumped on the train was when we filmed it.”

The film has been viewed more than 2.1 million times since its release on 7 May.

“What’s lovely is so many people comment that they enjoy seeing the films. It goes beyond ‘it’s a cute fluffy Shetland’ and people seem to really enjoy the editing. My fiance Jeremy did a fantastic job of filming it all. It’s not easy, we’ve become masters of the one-take wonder!” said Emma.

“It’s nice to be able to offer people that escapism and a happy story. I try to make the storylines appealing to adults and children. The bit I enjoy is the fact I don’t use words so people can interpret the story in their own way, which also means internationally people can enjoy the story too. Everyone has their own variations of what the ponies are thinking; rather than me saying ‘Albert thinks this’ people look at their expressions and natural characters and interpret that themselves, which for me gives a greater viewing pleasure.”

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Emma, who has 11 miniature Shetlands and eight Connemara ponies among her herd, is looking forward to more filming this year with Appaloosa Percy potentially on the cards for a future starring role.

“Percy matches my Dalmatian dog so the plan is to do something with them soon. Percy has had a few cameo roles and he’s starting to show his potential. Training takes a long time, most of them are still babies apart from Albert and Ernie so I like to wait until they’re ready,” she said. “Albert and Ernie look like they’re doing everything on their own; I like to get them to that point so they’re really owning it. If i ask them to get on the train, I want them to do it their own way. That’s the bit that takes longer.

“I’ve got some more NAF videos coming out soon, and I should hopefully be heading off to do some adventures again in September.”

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A warming festive film starring a little girl and a Shetland pony has captured the magical feeling of Christmas.

The video, created by trainer Emma Massingale in partnership with NAF Natural Vetcare, stars Emma’s four-year-old niece Lexi and Shetland ponies Albert and Ernie, along with Siamese cat Louis, dalmatian Nancy, miniature daschund Inca and Hungarian vizsla Douglas.

Lexi can be seen from the window inviting Albert for Christmas, and telling him to “bring friends”. The gang open gifts, get dressed up in Christmas jumpers and enjoy crackers and games.

Emma told H&H the brief for the film was “togetherness”, in keeping with how this year has been.

“I was thinking of Covid with the window scene, and then equally having that ‘fun and games’ feel that we all have, pulling crackers, putting on jumpers and silly hat antlers,” she said.

“It was about trying to make it relatable to bring that feeling of being together and that even if we can’t have people together this year, we can still have an amazing Christmas with our animals.”

Emma said it is very special watching her stories come to life.

“I love being creative and it was really nice to include all the other animals, you get to see their individual characters in the video,” she said.

“It’s so much fun working with horses and dogs, you see the similarities in training and once they get good at tricks they just want to show you all the time!”

Article continued below…

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Emma has enjoyed a successful year; she won a YouTube Silver Creator Award for reaching 100,000 subscribers and for being one of the fastest-growing channels in her field. She also won the international short documentary category at the Equus Film Festival for The Highlands – Wilderness | Adventure | Unbroken Horses and best international equestrian commercial – mini category for her 2019 film Stand and Deliver Santa.

Emma, who has plans to create more videos on her Adventure series next year, said while she loves creating videos, receiving people’s reactions is the “best bit”.

“When people say it’s made them emotional and that they can really ‘feel it’ when watching the video that’s what it’s all about.”

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Trainer Emma Massingale’s latest equine adventure involved exploring the Outer Hebrides with her two Eriskay ponies.

Emma, Noah and Storm travelled across the Scottish island chain, where the rare breed originates.

Rather than riding or driving the ponies, Emma used a horseboard to get from A to B.

Accompanied by Emma’s dachshund Inka, the trio explored the remote islands over a month, meeting the native Eriskay herds which live on the hills and negotiating the varied terrain.

Emma spent time training the five-year-old ponies in horseboarding in preparation for the challenge and she said they took to the new experience easily.

“The trip was about immersing ourselves with where the ponies come from,” she told H&H.

“Eriskays are the most endangered of all the UK’s native ponies. They do a bit of everything — they ride and plough and they’re not so big that they need lots of foot but they’re bigger than Shetlands.

“Historically they were a necessity, like a quad bike.

They’re really tough and hardy and look like a Connemara crossed with a Highland.”

During the Hebrides trip, Emma camped, catching fish from the sea for her dinner, and she said it was a fantastic experience despite the wet weather.

“There were only two dry days, but it didn’t affect the ponies, that’s the benefit of having natives,” Emma added.

“The islands are really exposed but beautiful. Some areas were tourist hot spots and I felt like a bit of a tourist attraction with the ponies and Inka in my bag.

“Horseboarding is a bit like driving but you can go on your own. We covered about 12 miles a day — it was really tough on your knees.”

Footage from Emma’s Eriskay adventure will be aired on the BBC’s The One Show later this year

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Love Shetland ponies? Then you won’t want to miss footage of Emma Massingale’s recent adventure on the BBC’s the One Show.

The Devon-based trainer’s latest equestrian challenge involved taking her two ponies Albert and Ernie back to their native Shetland Islands in Scotland.

During the month-long adventure the ponies travelled around the rugged islands with Emma, running free with local herds, sampling local knitwear and even taking a trip on a boat.

Ernie, who Emma has owned for four years and rescued from Bodmin Moor, is

related to one of the first Shetland ponies on the islands.

During the trip, Emma met the Shetland Pony Society and traced the ancestry of her diminutive companions.

In the past, working Shetlands on the islands were used to carry peat and seaweed.

Albert tried out traditional baskets, which ponies wore to transport goods.

“They’re the strongest of all our native breeds and are incredibly tough,” said Emma.

Historically, Shetlands would be moved from one island to another by boat, so Albert and Ernie had a go at that too.

“We had practised on a local lake beforehand to see what they made of it,” Emma told

H&H.

“The first time we tried, Albert got his front feet on the boat but left his back feet off, but they were really good by the end — Ernie had a little look but then hopped straight on.

“It’s a wildlife haven out there with dolphins and orcas, quite weird alongside the ponies.”

During the adventure Emma camped on the islands and between liberty work, Albert and Ernie were able to mix with the local herd.

They also wore their very own knitted Fair Isle jumpers.

Related articles:

• Watch trainer cross Scotland with unbroken Highland ponies on BBC One
• Emma Massingale survives island challenge with just ponies for company
• Double victory for British trainer at international film festival

“An amazing lady, Dorrine Brown, knitted them,” said Emma.

“It took her six weeks and they were made to measure.”

Emma’s Shetland adventure will be showing on the One Show on 22 February.

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Footage from a daring equine adventure will be shown on BBC’s The One Show tomorrow evening (Wednesday, 11 January).

Trainer Emma Massingale travelled across the Scottish Highlands last September with two three-year-old Highland ponies, Hector and Hewie, who she purchased just before the trip.

Emma planned to develop a bond with Hector and Hewie across the 61-mile route from Alness to Ullapool with the ultimate goal of backing them for the first time.

The “Highland Adventure” followed Emma’s “Island Challenge” which involved her backing previously unhandled Connemaras on a remote island in 2015.

“I wanted to work with another native breed in their native area and it seemed only fitting to take Highland ponies to the Scottish Highlands,” Emma told H&H.

Planning the route

Prior to the trip, Emma monitored the behaviour of her Connemara herd at home using a electronic trackers.

She discovered the times when the ponies were more active and with this data she planned her route across the Highlands.

“It gave me an insight into what ponies naturally do so I could plan a route based on that,” Emma said.

“We would set off at about 3-4am each day to mimic what the Connemaras did.”

Emma covered six miles a day and slept in a bivvy bag at night, a small, lightweight and waterproof shelter, with the ponies by her side.

“The environment was really hard and the midges were horrendous — my face looked like I had measles within a day,” Emma said.

“Ticks were really bad too.”

For the first three nights the ponies wore head collars and were tied up.

“I was amazed how stubborn they were,” Emma said.

“I was also quite surprised how nervous they were, much more frightened than the Connemaras who have that instant love for humans.

“At first every time I put my rucksack down they would run off and when a logging lorry came I had to disappear off the track as they were frightened — that was quite tricky.

“It was a bit like being a taxi driver and having two best mates in the back completely doing their own thing.”

Pairing up

Emma realised she needed to change the ponies behaviour to progress with their training.

“I decided I would pick one and pair up with them. I would do things like stopping and offering him water first to try to split them up a bit,” she said.

“I chose Hector and after about one day he realised I was on his side. By the fifth day I was able to ride him.

“He went from feeling frightened to feeling like a horse that had been ridden all his life — on the first ride we were able to go through a big river.

“They were just fantastic. You can see exactly why they’re made for their area with their broad chests designed for getting them out of bogs and across the terrain.”

In time, both ponies could be left loose overnight and kept close to Emma’s side.

“They were in tens of thousands of acres and could have gone anywhere,” she said.

Related articles:

• ‘The best feeling I have ever had’: Emma Massingale makes great progress in island challenge
• Emma Massingale survives island challenge with just ponies for company
• Double victory for British trainer at international film festival

“One night I couldn’t see them and went to try to find them only to find them back where I had left waiting for me.

“Another night I lit a fire and the ponies lay the other side opposite me.”

The Highland Challenge will be shown on The One Show from 7pm.

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Equine trainer Emma Massingale has returned from a challenge of a lifetime on a remote Irish island, accompanied only by six Connemara ponies.

The Devon-based horsewoman put her skills to the test by backing two of the ponies, who were previously unhandled, without the use of tack or enclosures.

Emma purchased the untrained ponies, three-year-old Evenos and four-year-old Echo, from Clifden in Connemara National Park. They accompanied her four own Connemaras — Atlantis, Nahla, Comet and Calypso — onto the island.

She camped out for the duration of the four-week challenge (8 June – 8 July) and fished for food with just her ponies for company.

Both Evenos and Echo made far better progress than Emma expected and within a week she had sat on them both.

“It was the perfect challenge apart from the weather — I only had four dry days, but it was the most amazing experience,” Emma told H&H.

She explained that she used her older horses to help train the new pair.

“When I was riding Evenos, I used my four horses to translate my commands,” she said.

“I taught Evenos to lie down pretty much straight away by showing him the others doing it. From there I taught him to stop, turn and go while riding another horse at liberty (without the use of tack) so he got used to seeing me up above.

“I started to ride him with one of my trained horses walking alongside him so he had back up from my cues.”

Emma has returned from the trip with renewed enthusiasm for her work.

“Even though I’ve started hundreds of horses, this was completely different from anything I’ve done before as they had to totally accept the concept,” she added.

“For me it was the first time it felt completely pure.”

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Stormy weather, sleeping in a cave and fishing for dinner have become part of daily life for natural horsewoman Emma Massingale.

The Devon-based equine trainer took on a unique challenge three weeks ago with six Connemara ponies.

Emma set off to an uninhabited Irish island earlier this month (8 June) with just her ponies for company. The trip was delayed by a week due to bad weather making a sea crossing dangerous.

Two of the six ponies were unhandled and unbacked. Emma set herself the challenge of backing these youngsters without tack or enclosures during her time on the island.

Emma purchased the untrained ponies, three-year-old Evenos and four-year-old Echo, from Clifden in Connemara National Park. They accompanied her four own Connemaras — Atlantis, Nahla, Comet and Calypso — onto the island.

Emma has kept supporters updated with her progress through her Facebook page.

Progress with the ponies

Within a week Emma had already managed to sit on both Evenos and Echo.

“All aboard. This is probably the best feeling I have ever had,” she said on 13 June, the day she first rode Evenos. “We have a long way to go, but this boy tries so hard.”

The following day she was able to ride Echo for the first time.

“Echo made a huge change today, maybe he didn’t want to be left out of the club, but quite astonishingly I was just playing with him when I knew the time was right for me to hop aboard.

“He didn’t mind at all I did it several times from both sides, he just nodded off.”

Since then Emma has made further progression with the ponies, and has taught both Evenos and Echo to lie down.

“Echo is coming along now,” she said on 18 June. “I asked him to lay down on command which he did really well.

“I felt so proud of him as things don’t come as easy to him, but I knew the moment was there so I was happy to ask.”

Emma has been training Evenos and Echowith the same liberty techniques she uses with her other ponies.

“I keep them in even numbers [when training] and match them up in pairs according to their age and height. This is something they do naturally,” Emma told H&H last month (30 May).

“Liberty training is all about understanding what horses need — they know when you do something for them and in return they do what you want.”

Island life

As well as training the horses, Emma has been busy fishing for food, as she only took basic supplies to the island.

“Had an awesome time spear fishing this morning,” Emma said on Saturday (27 June). “I then made a fire from mostly peat that I had dug up and dried and a few bits of drift wood I collected from the shore line.”

The weather has not been forgiving for Emma, who has been sleeping in a cave since her tent was left vulnerable to the strong winds and rain.

“I woke up with the wind howling around the tent and decided that I needed to make island life more exciting,” she said. “I now officially live in a cave.”

Keep an eye out for a further article on Emma’s return from the island on horseandhound.co.uk

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A natural horsewoman will be taking on a unique and testing challenge with six Connemara ponies next month.

Devon-based equine trainer Emma Massingale will be living on an uninhabited Irish island for four weeks from 1 June with just her ponies for company.

Two of the six ponies are unhandled and unbacked and Emma aims to back these youngsters without the use of tack or enclosures during her time on the island.

“My challenge is to be able to work with and ultimately start two unhandled Connemaras completely at liberty,” she said.

“This will be a huge undertaking to understand how horses feel and think and in turn create a relationship in just four weeks.”

Emma purchased the untrained ponies, three-year-old Evenos and four-year-old Echo (pictured below), from Clifden in Connemara National Park last week (23-24 May).

These ponies will accompany her four own Connemaras, Atlantis, Nahla, Comet and Calypso, who she has trained using the same liberty techniques she will be putting into practice with the youngsters.

“I keep them in even numbers [when training] and match them up in pairs according to their age and height. This is something they do naturally,” added Emma.

“Liberty training is all about understanding what horses need — they know when you do something for them and in return they do what you want.”

Emma will camp for the duration of her time on the 70-acre island, which is situated off the coast of Connemara National Park.

She will take just basic food supplies and plans to fish using a stand up paddle board.

“It will be lonely and it will be tough,” she added.

The project will be documented by Emma using a video diary, aerial drone, island cameras and GoPro footage.

Emma, who has trained horses for 17 years, set up her own yard in 2001 where she backs horses and helps with difficult equines.

Keep an eye out for updates on Emma’s progress on horseandhound.co.uk

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now