My gut intuition is that even though they appear to be doing it because they want to, they really truly feel there to be no option. The repetition of it all makes for a sour attitude towards it.
Who knows though! Again, this lady is pretty incredible based on her appearances in clinics etc, and I have no where near that level of talent. I’m just cracking jokes at the hypocrisy of a lot of the armchair QBing that happens on still shots, or short videos.
But I bet dollars to donuts the horse is barefoot, even if at detriment to the animal, you gotta stay all-natural!
What horse would perform like that because they want to? None that I know.
They are either conditioned to do it through repetition, or they can use clicker training and get a horse that actually feels like they are being compensated for their effort. Those horses may not look so disgruntled.
I think that’s the illusion. “The horse could leave if they don’t want to participate.”
Yeah, but then the handler retrieves them and tries again. And again, and again. The horse learns pretty quick that resisting is futile.
Vigilante sees a lovely dressage test on Youtube:
How about doing it without sticking painful metal spikes in to the horse’s ribcage?
I have no desire to play chickenshit bingo and share the actual test video here so someone here can agree with the vigilante in Monday’s round of “Only I can Save the Horses”
My guess is the grimace face that liberty horses display is a mix of concentration, effort (“game face”), and maybe horse dependent. Do I love working out? Hell no. But do I do it because it’s good for me? Yes. I’ve done a small bit of liberty to break up ring work and also sometimes tackle a “stuck” issue on the ground. My gelding doesn’t grimace but my mare does; the mare also makes faces about grain and has since she was 4 months old.
Other than riding, there isn’t anything in the world I enjoy more than playing hockey. i breathe for that 60 minute ice time and 5 minute XC run. But I’ve seen professional photos of me in both sports and I look %#$ing miserable.
Ben Atkinson works magic with his horses i swear he does:
I agree with this. I see similar expressions, head position with horses playing or showing dominance patterns (not necessarily aggressive, just normal horse speak). I think you can make an argument that the facial expressions are not necessarily tied to the idea that liberty work is non optional.
On another note, sooo many examples of the damage keyboard warriors create, and it’s only the tip of the iceberg. And there’s so many examples and studies the profound damage done to young people by internet bullies in the form of keyboard warriors. God forbid a young person posts an example of them doing something not abusive per se, but more done out of ignorance…
Thank you for clarifying. 
As fascinating as tik tok videos are as proof of anything, I’m not quite sure why people are confusing critique of back yard riders to Olympians. I’ve never criticized a lower tier rider on social media so the assumption that that is in any way what I’m talking about is weird.
I speak of criticizing people riding at the highest levels such as International and Olympic competition.
It’s been fun ignoring all the nonsensical postings along the way.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6BUMMny/
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6BU9nE7/
An excellent example of people who don’t look for nuance or to understand anything else but their own beliefs
DH is truly evil and totally a sociopath.
This thread is weird. Social justice horse nuts annoy the f out of me. I am a stalwart steward of every horse I own. But the social media mob bs is out of control. And firing up Ignorant people who think horses should run free on the plains. It’s ridiculous
There is a freaking grey area in life. The all or nothing will be the ruin of us all.
It is probably a little bit of both. I just think it is humorous how some people seem to think that the horse is volunteering for the work, and it is the end all be all. Some horses don’t like to be bored, some like the interaction with their person, and some would probably prefer to be hanging out in the pasture with their buddies.
Right now, it is hot and buggy where I am during the day. And horse(s) seem to prefer to be out of the bugs and heat and in front of cooling fans, to the point that they run to the gate(s) to come inside in the daytime. They get all night turnout on grass that isn’t overgrazed. Why is this “bad” horse keeping? I’ll never get it…
People giving you examples precisely within the parameters you established is “weird”?
You asked me for an example of someone getting grief over not being the best rider and I gave you many. I used Tik Tok because it is major platform and you get a wide ranger of people posting on it. You then had someone on this forum tell you about their own personal experience with online bullying. Now instead of acknowledging that there might be some truth in what others are saying you change the narrative once again and make it about high level/ Olympic riders. While I am 100% sure I can find high level riders that get put through the wringer but I am not going to waste my time. You seem to have a narrative that you are going to stay with no matter how much evidence people bring you.
Mine have in/out access, with inside having fans.
During the worst of the day, theyre in. They could be anywhere they want to be, and they’re inside. Im sure they wouldn’t mind being locked up with a buffet, as long as I never ever turn the fans off. 
Again, your examples were not the Olympic level riders I’m talking about critiquing. That’s all I’ve spoken about.
I still ride in the pancake saddle I bought new for $200 in 1971 and it fits every horse I’ve ever put it on.
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