Liberty Hours Pathway

The foundation of everything we do at Liberty Horse UK

Liberty Hours reward the work that happens between competitions.

They recognise:

  • time spent training

  • reviewing and analysing sessions

  • journalling and planning

  • showing up consistently for your horse

Every Liberty Horse UK member can earn Liberty Hours — whether or not they ever compete.

How Liberty Hours fit into Liberty Horse UK

Liberty Hours are not an alternative to competing, Progress Awards, or Trick Titles.

They are the foundation underneath everything else.

Liberty Horse UK is built on four pillars:

Liberty Hours – consistency, practice, reflection

Progress Awards – structured skill development

Trick Titles – creativity and confidence

Online Shows – performance and polish

You don’t have to do all four.
You simply choose how you want to get involved.

Train first.
Compete if you want.

Quarterly & Lifetime Hours

Quarterly Liberty Hours help you stay accountable and earn league points

Lifetime Liberty Hours recognise your long-term commitment and never reset

All hours are logged once and counted in the year they are earned.

Do I have to compete?

No. You can earn Liberty Hours, complete Progress Awards, and collect Trick Titles without ever entering a show.

Liberty Hours are effort- based rather than outcome based. They reward consistency and build motivation.

What counts as a 'liberty hour'?

Training Time

Eligible Activities

  • Groundwork exercises

  • Tricks

  • Calm, connection sessions

  • Ridden work aiming towards bridleless *

  • Co-operative care training

* By attempting any of the tasks you agree that it is done entirely at your own risk, Only do what you feel comfortable with. You may wear a bridle or a halter and have the reins/ rope secured safely on the horse’s neck. Whilst you will lose marks for using the reins/ rope, safety must come first and you must use them if necessary to stay safe

Video Review Time

Eligible Activities

  • Watching your own session back

  • Slo-mo analysis

  • Identifying improvements in timing / body position

  • Observing horses body language

  • Comparing two sessions for improvement

    * Max 1 hr per day to count from review time

Journal Time

Eligible Activities

  • Session reflections

  • What went well? / What didn't?

  • Confidence tracking

  • Emotional check ins

  • Environmental factors

    * Max 30 mins per day to count from journal time

Next session planning

Eligible Activities

  • Planning what you will work on next

  • Writing shaping plans

  • Mapping criteria

  • Choosing reinforcers

  • Selecting environment and distractions

    * Max 30 mins per day to count from planning time

How liberty hours are logged

Proof such as videos is not required.
Liberty Hours operate on a trust-based system.

Members log Liberty Hours throughout the year using a system to suit themselves, for example,

* Spreadsheet

* Notebook

* Notes on phone

Liberty Hours run in quarterly sprints.

Quarterly Liberty Hours (accountability & league scoring)

Making a pledge

At the start of each quarter, members choose a Liberty Hours pledge level (e.g. Build, Sustain or Stretch) and record their pledge in the member portal or designated Facebook thread before midnight on the final day of the preceding quarter. This pledge represents a personal commitment to consistency, not a level of ability. 

No recorded pledge means no Liberty Hours league points for that quarter.

Meeting your pledge

At the end of the quarter, members complete a simple declaration:

✔ I met my Liberty Hours pledge

✖ I did not meet my Liberty Hours pledge

This declaration determines whether Liberty Hours league points are awarded for that quarter.

There is no partial scoring.

The win for meeting your quarterly pledge

If you meet your pledge, you:

* receive Liberty Hours league points for that quarter

* are recognised in the quarterly roll of honour

* start the next quarter with a clean slate

Each quarter stands alone.
Missing a quarter does not affect future quarters.

Lifetime Liberty Hours (recognition, not competition)

Every Liberty Hour logged also contributes to your Lifetime Liberty Hours total.

Lifetime Hours:

* never reset

* accumulate over years

* unlock permanent milestone recognition

* do not generate league points

They exist to recognise long-term commitment, identity, and pride in the process — not to rank members.

How Liberty Hours feed into the Annual League

The Annual Liberty Horse UK League recognises engagement within a single calendar year.

League points are earned through:

*Quarterly Liberty Hours (meeting your pledge)

*Progress Awards

*Trick Titles

*Online Shows

Important clarity:

Liberty Hours are recorded once and counted in the year they are earned

League points are awarded quarterly, based on pledge completion

Lifetime Hours do not generate additional league points

This keeps the league fair, accessible, and motivating for new and long-standing members alike.

Contact Us

info@libertyhorseuk.com

07977 909283

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