18 | Why I reward my horses for doing NOTHING

In this episode of The Essence of Liberty Podcast, I dive into one of the most counterintuitive yet powerful foundations in positive reinforcement: rewarding your horse for doing absolutely nothing. Many students are surprised when I begin by reinforcing stillness instead of action—but this small detail can make all the difference. From reducing pushiness and frustration to teaching your horse emotional self-control and helping you match each other’s energy, rewarding nothing builds the calm, patient foundation your liberty work will always rely on. Discover how to set your horse up for success, what rewards to use, and why stillness is one of the hardest (and most important) behaviors your horse can learn. To learn how to begin liberty with your horse, check out the free masterclass, "Launch Into Liberty: Where and How To Begin": https://www.nadinelindblom.com/masterclass-registration To dive even deeper, enrollments in to The Essence of Liberty Online Academy are now open! Go to the link below to find out more: https://www.nadinelindblom.com/the-essence-of-liberty-online-academy-2025 Follow @nadinelindblom on Instagram for daily insights: https://www.instagram.com/nadinelindblom/