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Mirjam Dunkel

@mirjam_dunkel

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Wildland Horsemanship
Swiss🇨🇭living in Lake George, Colorado🇺🇸
Become the Partner & Trainer Your Horse Has Always Dreamed Of👇

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Freedom💛
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#horsefriend #libertyhorsemanship #pferde #horselove #horseliberty #pferdemädchen💖 #freiarbeitmitpferden by @mirjam_dunkel

Mustang OZ’s journey is the reminder for us all:
Real progress comes from the tiniest steps — listening before asking, clarity before pressure, softness before speed.

What feels slow in the beginning becomes unstoppable in the end💛🐴

So proud of this little Mustang, of Sabrina’s first ride, and of how far trust can take us.

#blmmustang #blmmustangsofinstagram #horsetrainer #jungpferdetraining #horsejourney #wildlandhorsemanship #trustbasedhorsemanship by @mirjam_dunkel

What if the slowest path was actually the fastest way to connection?

This week, we’re joined by Mirjam Dunkel — a quietly radical horsewoman who’s trained over 100 young horses and built her reputation on softness, clarity, and starting over when it counts.

From liberty to classical dressage, Mirjam’s story is a reminder that real progress isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about listening better, taking the small steps, and doing right by the horse — even when it’s hard.

🎧 Hear the full conversation on Dear Horse World, now streaming on NF+, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. by @mirjam_dunkel

Intrinsic Motivation – The Heart of My Horsemanship 🐴❤️

What if your horse genuinely LOVED learning?

Not just working for treats or to avoid pressure, but becoming curious, confident, and motivated because learning itself feels rewarding.

For me, developing a great learner starts with four things:

🌿 Feeling Safe

A stressed or overwhelmed horse has little room for curiosity. Understanding how horses think, perceive the world, and learn helps us recognize what they truly need. A healthy life with friends, movement, proper nutrition, and rest is the foundation.

🤝 Connection & Focus

I love using liberty work to develop a horse’s focus and connection. Not to teach tricks, but to create subtle communication through body language and make learning something we both enjoy.

💬 Clear & Predictable Communication

Horses need to understand both our softest cues and stronger requests when necessary. Clear signals, good timing, and releasing pressure at the right moment build understanding and confidence.

But endless repetition can make a horse mentally check out. We want thinking horses, not horses that simply go through the motions.

🐎 Physical Balance & Strength

Classical dressage exercises help develop coordination, strength, balance, and a healthier, more capable body. As horses become physically confident, learning often becomes easier and more enjoyable.

And remember: Learning isn’t always harmonious.

Horses get frustrated. So do we! Challenges are part of learning, but there’s a difference between challenging and overwhelming a horse.

Give them time to think, explore, and experience success.

❤️ My ultimate goal?

A happy, healthy, confident horse who enjoys learning and working with us.

Whether it’s liberty, dressage, trail riding, or working cattle, the discipline matters less than the partnership.

Not just a horse that CAN do it, but one that genuinely ENJOYS doing it with you.

— Mirjam Dunkel | Wildland Horsemanship

#WildlandHorsemanship #Horsemanship #HorseTraining #libertytraining by @mirjam_dunkel

✨ The beauty of subtle communication.

In this video, I’m simply changing the amount of energy I project from my belly button. The less energy I send out, the closer my horse comes.

We first have to teach our horses what these subtle signals mean. But once they understand, it’s amazing how little it takes.

Horses are incredibly sensitive. They don’t need louder signals. They need clearer communication.

And I truly believe they love it when we learn to speak their language this softly. ❤️🐴

#wildlandhorsemanship #horsemanship #libertyhorse #libertyhorsemanship #freiheitsdressur by @mirjam_dunkel

Another beautiful fall season in Colorado and the surrounding states has come to an end. 🍂🍁

Once again, we’ve made so many wonderful memories — spending time with friends and family, exploring new places on road trips, and soaking in the incredible beauty of nature. So grateful for all these moments and adventures! 🤎

#wildlandhorsemanship #coloradohorsegirl #countrygirl #coloradofall #horseadventure by @mirjam_dunkel

There are simple exercises to get your horse’s focus. 👀🐴

Exercises that teach your horse to pay attention to you, look at you, and stay mentally with you.

And yes — I use those exercises too.

But for me, there is another part that has to come first. 🤍

Before I ask my horse to focus on me, I want to become someone my horse actually wants to focus on.

Someone they feel safe with.
Someone who listens.
Someone who sees the reason behind their behavior instead of immediately labeling them as “rude,” “stubborn,” “disrespectful,” or “bad.”

Because I can teach a horse to focus on me mechanically.

But if that horse doesn’t feel understood by me, doesn’t feel safe with me, or would actually rather be somewhere else — is that really connection?

For me, it isn’t.

That’s why the first thing I teach is how horses think and learn, how they communicate, and what they need from us to feel safe, understood, and comfortable in our presence. 🧠🐴

Then we can add exercises that help build and strengthen focus.

Because I don’t just want my horse’s attention.

I want my horse to want to be with me. 🤍✨

And that is a very different thing.

#equine #wildlandhorsemanship #libertyhorse #libertyhorsemanship by @mirjam_dunkel

✨ Mein halbjähriger Intensivkurs startet schon bald – und eigentlich ist er bereits ausgebucht. 🤍🐴

Ich habe mich jedoch entschieden, noch einen zusätzlichen Platz freizugeben.

Dieser Kurs ist für dich, wenn du nicht einfach nur Übungen lernen möchtest, sondern wirklich verstehen willst, wie dein Pferd von innen heraus zu einem motivierten Partner wird – einem Pferd, das gerne bei dir ist, mit dir lernen möchte und sich an dir orientieren kann. 🌿

Wir gehen dabei wirklich in die Tiefe. Du lernst nicht nur das Wie, sondern vor allem das Warum dahinter:

✨ Wie entsteht echte Motivation?
✨ Wie lernt ein Pferd?
✨ Wie können wir durch gute Kommunikation Sicherheit und Entspannung schaffen?
✨ Und wie können wir Situationen lesen und unserem Pferd genau das geben, was es gerade braucht?

Denn wenn du diese Zusammenhänge wirklich verstehst, verändert das deine gesamte Arbeit mit Pferden. 🤍

Wir erarbeiten Kommunikation, Entspannung, Freiarbeit & Liberty – aber am Ende geht es um viel mehr als einzelne Übungen.

Es geht darum, Pferde wirklich zu verstehen. 🐴✨

👉 Wenn du intensiv mit deinem Pferd lernen möchtest: Ein zusätzlicher Platz ist ab sofort freigeschaltet.

Alle Infos findest du auf meiner Webseite unter Events. 🤍
#pferdetraining #pferdeausbildung #wildlandhorsemanship #naturalhorsemanship #pferdekurseschweiz by @mirjam_dunkel

The greatest gift we can give our horses is confidence.

The confidence to face the unknown, navigate difficult moments, and find their way back to safety within themselves.

Because true confidence isn’t the absence of fear.
It’s knowing how to cope when fear shows up. 🤎

#wildlandhorsemanship #libertyhorse #freiheitsdressur #libertyhorsemanship #horseofinstagram

Thank you @jasmin_ziegler_fotografie for this beautiful 📸 by @mirjam_dunkel

I love this horse. Mita-Mita; my little Lusitano 🤎

Not because of what he can do, but because of everything it took for us to get here.

The training, the mistakes, the breakthroughs, the ups and downs, the countless little moments in between.

Mita Mita has taught me to look deeper into what it truly takes to build confidence in a horse who is incredibly sensitive💛

This kind of connection isn’t something you simply have with a horse.
It’s something you build — one moment at a time.

And maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special. 🐴🤎

#wildlandhorsemanship #libertyhorse #freiarbeitmitpferden #freiheitsdressur #libertyhorsemanship by @mirjam_dunkel

With our Lusitanos „Romeo“ & „Mita-Mita“.

#wildlandhorsemanship #trailridingsaddles #horseadventure #pferdetrekking by @mirjam_dunkel

Learn more about Liberty on my Learning Platform 🐴
Link in bio.

#wildlandhorsemanship #liberty #freiheitsdressur #libertyhorsemanship by @mirjam_dunkel