Niki Flundra hosts ground control and Liberty Horse training session at Pincher Pavilion

Niki Flundra and Zyeda

Toni Lucas

Professional trick rider and liberty horse entertainer Niki Flundra held a ground control and beginning liberty horse training clinic in the Pincher Creek Agricultural Society Pavilion on the weekend of October 18-19 to 14 people. Ground control is being able to control your horse from the ground and Liberty is a style of riding that is free of bridles or lead lines. The person gives commands with body positioning, movements, verbally, or with a tool such as a whip. Flundra has a very busy schedule with live shows and a young and growing family, but she enjoys teaching and holds 3 or 4 clinics a year.

Using her own horse Zyeda, she demonstrated basic commands showing how her horse is focused on her at all times. "Liberty training is a really solid foundation for any kind of horsemanship. To have that ground control, and communication with your horse furthers any discipline; sport, rodeo, ranching, all of it. The better communication, better body control builds a solid relationship with your horse and solid foundation for any direction you want to go with them," she told her students.

Janna Lewitt, Maddie, and Kate McKim 

"This is that start of taking on that leadership role. We cannot allow ourselves to give into them until they have given us a little bit of what we have asked. This is where we are gaining their confidence to become their leader."

Jessie Leeder, Tweedie, and Taneale Tivadar 

"We cannot give that release of reward no mater how tired we might become, no matter how drained we might become, no matter how much we want to quit." Flundra explained that praise at the appropriate times will enhance the horses attention and performance. "You have to make yourself really masterful, physically and mentally tough so you don't weaken before they do. That's the whole key of these exercises in Liberty horse training. Keep that pressure on them even if it is a bit uncomfortable for you until they give you that desired response."

Some of the students were there because they have seen and appreciated Flundra's shows and some had attended her clinics in the past and like her teaching techniques.  Everyone was there to forge a better relationship with their own horse.