Road to the Liberty Festival: Candace Snow’s Inspiring Return from 40‑Year Hiatus to Champion Freestyler

In this episode of Life at Liberty, host Cinelle Claassens interviews Candice Snow, a champion freestyle performer. Candice shares her inspiring journey back to horses after nearly 40 years away, her experiences with Liberty training, and her preparations for the upcoming Invitational Freestyle. The conversation highlights the deep connection between horse and trainer, the challenges faced in training, and the joy of competing in freestyle events. Candice emphasizes that it's never too late to start competing and encourages listeners to build a connection with their horses through Liberty work.

Highlights:

• How Candace returned to horses after nearly 40 years away

• Building her Liberty journey through volunteering, Mustangs, and a growing herd

• The story behind her championship-winning freestyle performance

• Preparing for the 2025 Invitational Freestyle with new challenges and creative twists

• Why she believes it’s never too late to start Liberty

• Practical advice for listeners to begin building connection with their horses

Key Moments:

• 00:02:05 Life in Texas, balancing grandma duties and horses

• 00:02:49 Building a freestyle cart and the thrill of winning the championship

• 00:04:47 Returning to horses after decades away

• 00:07:36 First time witnessing Liberty with Dan James in 2012

• 00:09:40 From auditing clinics to champion: years of persistence

• 00:12:41 Finding joy in practice and connection with her horses

• 00:13:57 Challenges of training her insecure mare to stand independently

• 00:15:14 Her message: it’s never too late to begin Liberty

• 00:16:09 Practical first steps for Liberty beginners

• 00:19:55 Sneak peek: 1960s theme and surprises for the Invitational Freestyle

Summaries:

00:02:05 Life in Texas, balancing grandma duties and horses. Candace shares her daily life split between watching her granddaughter three days a week and devoting the rest of her time to horses.

00:02:49 Building a freestyle cart and the thrill of winning the championship. She recalls constructing her unique cart for her horse to push, describing the pride of seeing it all work in the arena and the joy of last year’s championship win.

00:04:47 Returning to horses after decades away. Candace reflects on volunteering with therapeutic horsemanship after her children were grown, which reignited her love for horses and led her back into ownership and Liberty training.

00:07:36 First time witnessing Liberty with Dan James in 2012. She describes the awe of watching horses stand freely in the arena, realizing years later that her own horses could do the same—something her late father would have been proud of.

00:09:40 From auditing clinics to champion: years of persistence. Candace explains the long journey of hard work and setbacks that ultimately led her to become a Liberty Festival champion.

00:12:41 Finding joy in practice and connection with her horses. Her favorite moments come when things “just click,” whether riding bareback or playing at Liberty, blurring the line between practice and pure enjoyment.

00:13:57 Challenges of training her insecure mare to stand independently. She discusses her biggest training hurdle—getting her mare to stay confidently alone while sending her Mustang to perform other tasks.

00:15:14 Her message: it’s never too late to begin Liberty. Candace encourages listeners that no matter their age or experience, Liberty offers a unique and deeply rewarding connection with horses.

00:16:09 Practical first steps for Liberty beginners. She advises starting small—spending time in a round pen, moving with your horse, and observing how they respond to your body language.

00:19:55 Sneak peek: 1960s theme and surprises for the Invitational Freestyle. Candace teases her 2025 Invitational performance, hinting at a 1960s “Age of Aquarius” theme, a redesigned cart, and a special Liberty maneuver surprise.