It was great to see West Taylor work with Chief this summer. Chief was the horse who inspired our work at Liberty Sanctuary. We saw him in a Texas kill pen and knew we had to bring him and his friends to Utah to keep him out of slaughter and to try to help them move forward. We have given him a lot of time off, looking for a trainer who can help set him up for success. West Taylor's science-backed methods are key to helping a horse feel safe. Just like people, horses cannot learn when they aren't down regulated. West helps to bring about dopamine releases as he works and Chief begins to feel more safe and ready to engage. You can help to sponsor this training work via LibertySanctuary.org and link in profile. We have been implementing West Taylor's methods and making good progress.
Here’s West Taylor working with Liberty’s precious Comanche who was rescued from slaughter in 2023 and who still is distrustful of humans. Before West, no one took a good look at his autonomic nervous system. It’s vital to have buy in from the horse for him to feel safe and to be able to learn. Lots of great messages in West’s session and we will be working with West to incorporate more of his science-backed techniques into our training curriculum. It’s especially helpful for horses like Comanche who deserves the benefits of partnering with the humans who love and care for him. Neuroregulation and dopamine release is so important in working with horses - especially rescued and traumatized horses.
You can visit West at WildWestTaylor.com
We don’t call it patience to meet a traumatized wild horse where she’s at. We are on horse time and need to consider her wiring and experiences. What looks like patience is actually the most effective and efficient way to work with a girl like sweet Tabitha. Anything rushed will set her backwards and has already. It was a true honor to introduce Tabby to West Taylor who spent good time getting to know her through conversations. We are continuing to work with @wildwest_taylor to help move some of our herd forward with @searrarose36. Very excited about this partnership and the work we are doing together! Tabitha was adopted after this session!
Liberty loves America’s wild horses. Sadly, they are among the most persecuted and vulnerable. We believe in keeping them wild on the range, but once they have been removed it’s important to teach them coping skills for managing in the human world. Education helps to keep horses safe. Here’s Liberty’s handsome Orion in a science-based training “conversation” with Mustang expert, Wild West Taylor. We were thrilled to host West for a 3 day clinic where he shared methods for helping our horses to down regulate to feel safe enough to begin learning. Please visit SAFEACT.ORG to help secure more humane treatment and protections for our wild horses and other vulnerable equines.
We were grateful for the opportunity to host West Taylor for an impactful weekend of learning how the horse’s autonomic nervous system dictates its actions and how it must feel safe before learning is possible. The same is true with us humans. We kicked off the weekend with Life Lessons Learned From Horses which encouraged us all - and Asher - to find safety and let go of limiting beliefs and bridge to what’s possible so that we may all reach our full potential. Thanks to @wildwest_taylor for opening our eyes to the possibilities! Our sweet 4 year old, Asher, was rescued at auction and is ready for his forever home! #lifelessons #horses #polyvagaltheory #sciencebased #horsetraining
West Taylor visited Liberty to work with some of our most skeptical horses and to teach us how neuroregulation can help the horse feel safe and able to learn. Just like humans, horses cannot handle difficult tasks when they are dysregulated. We would like to continue this work and ask that you consider sponsoring Chief with a donation. Link in profile. Chief basically started Liberty Sanctuary. Our founder discovered handsome then 4 year old Chief in a TX kill pen and that inspired Liberty’s first freedom ride rescuing 10 horses. While Chief has made gentle progress, he is still dysregulated and benefited from some of the science-based lessons West taught him. Every horse deserves to be better understood and there’s a lot in science that can help us to better understand and care for our horses and ourselves! Thanks to @wildwest_taylor @libertysanctuary @drstevepeters @provo.ifa @ifacountrystores @redmondequine @knotty.girlz @russianrivervineyards #sciencebasedtraining #sciencebased
West Taylor visited Liberty to work with some of our most skeptical horses and to teach us how neuroregulation can help the horse feel safe and able to learn. Just like humans, horses cannot handle difficult tasks when they are dysregulated. We would like to continue this work and ask that you consider sponsoring Chief with a donation. Link in profile. Chief basically started Liberty Sanctuary. Our founder discovered handsome then 4 year old Chief in a TX kill pen and that inspired Liberty’s first freedom ride rescuing 10 horses. While Chief has made gentle progress, he is still dysregulated and benefited from some of the science-based lessons West taught him. Every horse deserves to be better understood and there’s a lot in science that can help us to better understand and care for our horses and ourselves! Thanks to @wildwest_taylor @libertysanctuary @drstevepeters @provo.ifa @ifacountrystores @redmondequine @knotty.girlz @russianrivervineyards #sciencebasedtraining #sciencebased
Gemma hasn’t met a cowboy like West Taylor before - one who truly understood her. He got her number right away and helped her to down regulate and feel safe to connect. You may remember, Miss Gemma was part of Liberty’s first rescue. She had her baby, Jasper, in the kill pen and arrived completely traumatized. Her baby was only weeks old when they arrived at Liberty Sanctuary. Gemma has been fearful and dysregulated but was able to find comfort working with West. Please donate towards Gemma’s continuing education. Thank you @wildwest_taylor @libertysanctuary @searrarose36 @drstevepeters @provo.ifa @knotty.girlz #sciencebasedtraining
Dakota was the first Mustang to set foot on Liberty’s Mustang Mountain. While she has been interested in engaging with people, she really made significant breakthroughs this summer thanks to Beila and Nicole’s Liberty work and consistency. We brought her into the round pen to play with West Taylor so that he could offer her different choices and rewards based in neuroscientific principles. She followed West around like a puppy dog and enjoyed the puzzles he presented her. Please donate (link in profile) to continue Dakota’s education. She will be adoptable by spring 2026. Thanks so much to @wildwest_taylor @beilaedelman @nkt_horses @searrarose36 @drstevepeters @provo.ifa @knotty.girlz @cornellvet #brainscience
Comanche is a majestic, onyx black, 8 year old draft cross who was part of Liberty’s first rescue. We have given Comanche some time but he’s still real skeptical of people. Good thing West Taylor was here to share a little dose of dopamine and to show us what’s possible with focus and commitment - and we know that Comanche is worth it! Wes also explained his why - how he got here and how he was inspired. Wait for it! Donate to help Comanche move forward. Link in profile! @wildwest_taylor @libertysanctuary @searrarose36 @drstevepeters #sciencebasedtraining #sciencebased #blackhorse #horserescue #drafthorse #rescuedhorse #passthesafeact
Liberty was delighted to host girls and Moms from The National Charity League in Park City to share our herd with them and talk about the plight of America’s most vulnerable equines. This is just the beginning of our educational outreach to young women. Liberty is a volunteer based organization whose participants are 80% female. We love and appreciate the men who work with us also but the fact is we have more women who on board. We hope this is only the first of many visits! Please visit and share SAFEACT.org to help keep America’s horses in the United States, where they belong! There are solutions if we commit to doing the work. Liberty 🩷’s NCL!!
This week,Liberty took part in an incredible rescue of over 31 equines from the Navajo Nation. This mission was spearheaded by Dawn Olivieri and All Seated In A Barn. Liberty was honored to play a role and help welcome over 11 wild horses to the great Western state of Utah. In the end, 4 baby horses remained home @libertysanctuary and 7 horses and 3 donkeys were accepted at other UT sanctuaries. These babies came without stopping at auction or kill pens, reducing stress to the animals and avoiding diseases that are rampant in the slaughter pipeline. Their parents were sent to slaughter. We are honored to be a part of this effort and urge you all to visit SAFEACT.org to let your legislators know you insist we ban the export of majestic American horses for slaughter. Time in this Congress is running out and we need your URGENT participation now! If you wish to donate to the care and rehabilitation of our horses please click the link to donate or visit LibertySanctuary.org/Donate. 🖤🤍💛❤️
Tonight @that.hippie.cowgirl adopted her newest child - a 5 year old sunshine boy. This warrior - like many in the slaughter pipeline - trusts again and is full of love and curiosity for the life and adventures before him. We are so grateful for all who have nurtured and supported his growth. Save a life. Adopt a rescue. Reach out to adopt and visit SAFEACT.org to help save thousands of vulnerable American horses and donkeys. Congratulations Siobhan & Golden Boy. #adoptdontshop #rescueahorse #horsehero #passthesafeact #endhorseslaughter 💛
Yesterday, Carl guided us through an indigenous healing ceremony to honor our place, its native ancestors, our people and especially our precious Native horses who were rounded up off the Wind River Reservation. We will begin offering at least 7 of these beautiful souls for adoption on July 13th and we wanted to make sure they were blessed and protected. 🖤🤍💛❤️
After months of being traded and a very long journey through the night, our 6 Texas Midnight Riders are home at Liberty in Utah. None are over the age of 5 years old. All are gentle and deserving of fulfilling lives in the United States. Any horse is just one bad trade from ending up in the slaughter pipeline. Please friends, let’s come together to help America’s most vulnerable horses. Visit SAFEACT.org to send a 1 minute letter to your legislators asking them to ban the export of American horses for slaughter. You can help save thousands if lives like these. Cherished American horses belong in the United States, the country they helped develop. They are icons of freedom and must be protected. Please share and donate to care for the 6 Texas Midnight Riders!
We are pleased to announce the launch of SAFEACT.org supported by many including Utah’s top equine sanctuaries. The website is a national appeal to encourage legislators to pass the Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act (SAFE Act HR 3475/S 2037) which will ban the export of American equines to foreign meat plants for slaughter and protect America’s most vulnerable horses. SAFEACT.org was created by Utah-based Equine IQ and designer Allison Walton to provide constituents a convenient opportunity to share their support of the ban with a few quick steps. The user-friendly site is operable nationwide and quickly identifies legislators based on simple user inputs using artificially intelligent technology from leading Silicon Valley developer Legisletter.org to script messages to legislators. Users will also have the option to personalize their messages. Any organization wishing to support the SAFE Act can forward the SAFEACT.org site link to their constituents. In return, the site will offer back links to supporters free of charge. Just send a quick email to info@equineiq.org. The site’s one objective is to allow constituents to be heard and help pass legislation to ban the export of American equines for slaughter. Please visit and share!
Here is the final episode from Gemma’s recent training. By the end of the day Gemma realized we were all there to support her and we plan to build on that glimmer of trust and promise. The full series and other trainings are on our site. LibertySanctuary.org/progress #horsetraining #underestimated #gemma #horserescue #horserehab #passthesafeact
Trevor reconnected with Gemma in the most effective and emotional session. He believes in Gemma so much and carefully took the time to remind her how to give to pressure and to reconnect with him. With his love and guidance she began to open up. Gemma is a special 6 year old paint princess. We rescued her and her 1 month old baby, Jasper, from the Bowie, TX kill pen a year ago. We gave her ample time to settle in and now it’s time for work so that she can trust and become the horse we all know she can be. She is one of Trevor’s favorites!
What an exciting first week of spring! Trevor was back and began working with Jasper. Followers will remember, Jasper was one month old when he arrived with his Mom Gemma from Bowie, TX 4/26/23. Eric and the volunteers have worked to gentle him and this time Trevor began to show Jasper boundaries and made him think so he can learn to rescue himself. He is certainly on his way to a beautiful life in domestication.
Not every horse Trevor trains is a big draft. Here he teams up Eric to give Princess Strawberry Shortcake 🍓 a little foundation before her trailer ride to her loving new home next week. The last time she was in a trailer she was leaving the Bowie TX killpen. We wish Strawberry a fabulous new life! We love and miss her already but are so excited for her bright new future. Stay Fabulous Girlie! 👸🏼🍓🤩💖 Let your lawmakers know the Strawberries of the world don’t belong in the slaughter pipeline. We love you forever!
Today, Trevor tried interval training with the draft crosses and spent some quality time with "Indy." We decided that this kid was still more of a little Indian so we will be calling him Indy until he has time to truly grow into a Chief! LibertySanctuary.org
Trevor has been making such beautiful progress across the board. Comanche was a challenge from the start and the bond these guys have developed shows. Wanted to share some moments from the other day. Young, healthy horses need a leader and need the opportunity to learn, trust and build. They don’t belong in the slaughter pipeline. Comanche would have been dead in April, 2023. Pass the SAFE act now. #congress #passthesafeact #westernhorse #westernhorseman #horsetraining #naturalhorsemanship
We were tremendously honored to have a visit from Larry Ellerston and his lovely wife, Linda, on Friday. Larry is a horseman and Congressman John Curtis’ advisor on public lands, natural resources and energy. We had a wonderful visit and were able to display the progress we are making with our Liberty rescues. We had some meaningful conversations about our goal of passing the SAFE Act and ending the export of American equines for slaughter. It takes work to find solutions and the equine community is up for the task. Let’s get this done folks! Write your legislator. It really does help. Thank you to Larry, Linda, @repjohncurtis , Gina, Trevor and Eric. #passthesafeact
Trevor spent hours getting to know Chief, uncovering the many things he needs to learn. It was an emotional day and exhausting for those two as they worked to communicate and figure each other out. Chief is a magnificent 4 year old draft cross with a promising future. No one ever gave him that chance until now. Trevor is here doing the hard work. Leading Chief through it. Not giving up on him like others have. These horses don't belong in the slaughter pipeline. They need work and care.
09.05.23 Chief is a 4 year old draft cross that we rescued from the kill pen in Bowie, TX. It's been a dream to see him start training and that day was today. Trevor spent hours exploring Chief's aptitude and level of comprehension and trust. He started very gently but wanted to know the full story. Tune in for part 2 of Chief's first day!
08.28.23 Trevor is making such wonderful progress with Comanche and he is really retaining information well. The foundation is one of the most important pieces of a horse's domestic life and when established well a horseman will always have it to fall back on when the horse is challenged in real life. Learning is not linear for the horse or human and this process takes as long as it takes. There are no true shortcuts. Be cautious of "Get By" horsemanship. There is no replacement for hard and consistent work. We all have a lot to learn and the horse remains the best teacher. #passthesafeact #horsetraining #horsetrainer #horserescue
08.21.23 Trevor worked with Comanche today and showed him the most loving discipline. While some may not appreciate our methods, it’s important to test barriers. We all need to reach outside our comfort level to achieve growth. We saw that today thanks to Trevor’s calm, determined and loving manner. Comanche was treated with love and respect all day and we stayed with him as he processed new feelings and emotions. It was a miraculous day. @Congress, wild horses can be saved. They simply require a steady horseman and extreme dedication.
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