Fliss Bell – Horse Trainer
Some people train horses. Others build a conversation with them. Fliss was nominated for her ability to connect with a wide range of horses, finding a way through that feels individual, thoughtful, and rooted in understanding. Her journey began simply, with a riding lesson at a local riding school at the age of ten, and from that moment on, something stayed with her. A fascination, but also something deeper. Because for Fliss, horses have always offered more than just riding. They offer perspective, a way of returning to the present moment, a quiet sense of connection to life, to the world around us, to something that’s hard to explain but easy to feel.
There are certain moments that shape that understanding. Time spent on a ranch in the Canadian Rockies, wide spaces and open landscapes, and a horse called Lucky. With him, things became simpler. Riding bareback, without a bridle, learning to communicate in a way that didn’t rely on control but on trust. It was, in many ways, a turning point, a reminder that the relationship matters more than anything else. Because horses, she believes, are always listening, to our energy, to our intention. As herd animals, connection is everything to them, and in return, they ask the same of us.
It’s why she is drawn to working at liberty, in a space where nothing is forced and everything is a conversation, where the question becomes not how do I make this happen, but what is the horse telling me? And if something isn’t working, the answer is rarely to push harder. It’s to pause, to reassess, to ask a better question.
Spending time with Fliss, what becomes clear is that her work isn’t about control or dominance, but about awareness. Of thought, of intention, of the impact we have on the horse in front of us. Because when that is right, trust follows, and with it something far greater than obedience, a partnership. She speaks about having goals, but holding them lightly, about knowing where you’re going while remaining open to how you get there. Because horses don’t respond to rigid plans. They respond to clarity, to honesty, and perhaps most of all, to presence. A reminder that every step, no matter how small, is part of something worth paying attention to, part of a journey that, if you allow it, gives far more than it takes.
If you’d like to follow Fliss' journey and the work she does, you can find her here:
Website: www.harmonyhorse.info
Instagram: @fliss_bell_harmony_horse
Facebook: facebook.com/flissbellharmonyhorsemanship
