Way more than riding!

After learning that my sweet Willow is not a ride-able horse, due to her past, we have begun our new journey together doing only online (with halter and lead-line on) and liberty (without halter or lead-line on). I have not done much Liberty work with Willow because I have been so focused on helping her find calmness in riding. Liberty is the true test of partnership because without anything te...thering her to me, she has the choice to stay with me and follow my leadership, ..or... to just leave. Yesterday we did our first 'real' Liberty session and it was AMAZING! at first we just moseyed around together making small turns towards and away from me to be sure I had a connection... we then went to a close range "touch-it" game and I sent her around about 5-8 feet away from me to stop at and touch objects around the arena. A couple times she got 'lost' and began to wander away from my direction, I softly disengaged her hindquarters and brought her back to me, then progressed to try again.... after she touched 3-4 objects close range, we moseyed together back to a barrel and just hung out together for a few min. and I put the lead rope back on. We then went out to graze and play outside the arena with some 'read my energy' games and 'follow my focus' to grassy places to eat. ...... Then we went back in to try Liberty again.... this time I tried the "touch it" game from a 10-12 foot distance and she stayed connected the whole time..... she kept checking back in with me if she was unsure and sighed and liked/chewed as she found each 'destination'. I decided to be brave (and a bit show-offy cuz my husband was watching) and tried to do a figure 8 around the barrels at liberty..... slowly I backed her up through the barrels.... softly sent her around the barrel on the left.....drew back.....she turned in.... re-directed to the right and she went around the barrel on the right.....drew back.... she turned in....redirected... through and around the barrel on the left!!! a WHOLE figure 8 at LIBERTY!!! yes, I was grinning from ear to ear..... I drew back again as she came around the left side and as she turned in to me I 'trotted' backwards as she trotted to me and we stopped and just reveled in the amazing heart pounding glory that is LIBERTY!!