ILHA Equine Connection Liberty Club
Purpose
The ILHA Equine Connection Liberty Club was started in January of 2023 here at Meadowsweet Ranch by Kathy Boettcher. Kathy has always loved “playing” with her horses at liberty and wants to support the International Liberty Horse Association and introduce the possibilities to like minded people. Kathy has also always enjoyed sharing the magical world of horses with people and enjoys the camaraderie that develops with groups of like minded people.
The goal of the ILHA Equine Connection Club is to work together as a club to help each club member develop a stronger relationship with their horse(s) and for both horse and handler to have fun while learning and doing.
How we're currently operating
We have been starting our year out with an organizational meeting in January to plan for the year. We have a monthly practice the first Sunday of each month February through December. 10:30 am – 12:30 pm with a potluck following for socializing.
We had four members attend the ILHA Liberty Festival at Kentucky Horse Park in 2023 with two members showing while there.
We support participating in the virtual and in-person showing that is available, but do not PUSH anyone to show. It’s an option for people that enjoy showing, or that want to see how an outside person feels the team is doing point wise.
The ILHA welcomes members as young as seven (7) years of age, which makes this a GREAT family activity. We instituted a Youth and Family membership for our club this year. Our club will openly welcome any member from 7 years of age on up. For those of you that think you may be too old for Liberty, don’t. A number of our members are seniors. ILHA also has minimal movement classes/patterns available to seniors or members that may need to work with their horse or pony with a minimal amount of physical movement for any reason.
A non-club member is welcome to come watch a practice once for FREE. After that, if they wish to come watch, but do not want to join
the club, auditing will be $15 per practice.
What is Liberty with a horse?
It is now a discipline where the goal is to have fun with your horse at liberty, meaning there is nothing attached to the horse. So, the horse actually has a choice to do what you are asking the horse to do, or not.
It takes time to develop a liberty horse and there are exercises done on-line to prepare you and your horse to be successful with liberty. We are a pretty new club with members that are pretty new to organized liberty work. Everyone is making progress at their own rate. Everyone is willing to help new members.
We are currently following Ariana Sakaris’ (https://www.arianasakaris.com/) steps to develop willing, happy, liberty horses. To date, I have felt that Ariana’s methods and handling of horses is the softest and kindest I have seen. I also feel her ability to articulate the how and why is excellent. We are also open to watching and learning from others that teach liberty and are hosting David Lichman in 2024.
Benefits of Membership
1. Camaraderie and support
2. Don't want to, or can't trailer your own horse to practice - work with another member's horse, or an MSR lesson horse or pony;
or can come into the arena and watch up close
3. Private club FB page with videos of skills that have been taught for at home reviewing
4. Ability to submit a video and get on-line coaching to help with your horse at home
Cost
To be a club Member:
ILHA Membership registration
ILHA ELCC Membership (our club) - $30 Individual; $15 Youth; $75 Family
Using a MSR lesson horse or pony for practices (non-MSR Student) - $15/practice
Additional coaching via Zoom, YouTube, phone or email - $15
Private lesson @ MSR w/horse between, or after, practices - $35 - 1/2 hr; $70 - 1 hr
Non-ILHA member:
Audit one practice - FREE; continue to audit practices $15/practice; can join in the potluck
How to become a member
1. Join ILHA - You can join them by going to their web-site: https://www.libertyhorseassociation.com/join
2. Join our Club - by going to: https://form.jotform.com/223114017227140
YOU CAN JOIN OUR CLUB AT ANY TIME DURING THE YEAR.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU!
Questions
Email Kathy at: meadowsweet60081@yahoo.com