A Note from Barbier Farm…
Written by Kat Howard – Working Student at B. Farm

The greatest gift I received through shelter in place was time with my teacher. As many will already know, Dominique spends the majority of his time on the road teaching clinics. In April, when it became evident that he would be sheltering in place at the farm for an extended time, he came to me one day with an idea.

He told me that we were going to make a series of videos based on his Training Manual. We proceeded to film with a simple setup of a camera and a chair on the viewing deck of the arena. Each day he would sit down under the bell and I would ask him a question.

Due to the nature of his philosophy, more often than not the answers to my questions ended up speaking to the mental attitude and spirit in which the rider approaches each movement, expanding beyond the technical, or physical aspects of riding and training. They provided an accompaniment to the training manual, a deeper look at how to find the most from your ride. 

I found myself looking forward to the afternoons and racking my brain in an attempt to come up with a question that would demonstrate my deeper understanding of what he conveys to all of his students…and more often than not he would rephrase my question into a simpler one, a reminder that we look to complicate ourselves and that the solution lies in simplicity.

The Barbiers’ passion for horses is evident not only in the way they ride but in the way they articulate the equestrian art. I feel so incredibly fortunate to have the chance to work with horsemen who look beyond the technical components of good riding, who put feeling into their work, and are able to bring out the best in each horse (and rider) they come across.

These videos are the first segment in an upcoming three-level membership subscription, called Journey to Lightness. The subscription will include this most recent footage as well as past training videos that have not been published.

We will announce dates soon for the release of the first level. I cannot wait to share with you and hope that these videos inspire you as they did me to continue to do the work to be the best horsewoman I can be. 

If you would like to sign up for the Journey to Lightness, please email barbierfarm1@gmail.com. We will be sure to provide you with updates as we progress. 

Dominique with Larapio MAC, captured by Keron Psillas