Diffusing Unwanted Horse Movement

Thought I would break down a short clip from a horse that arrived for an assessment. This was taken in the first session.

This particular video is a fantastic example of why most folks don't have accurate or quality steering, and shows so clearly when the brain and body are disconnected, what happens in the physical movement.


Because humans tend to have a "that's good enough" training approach, thinking they are being kind to the horse, but instead are leaving the horse in the "gray area" as far as what the desired result is.

So years go on and rarely does a horse have clarified what specifics the handler or rider wants.

Instead of addressing the root cause, usually stemming from a thoughtlessness from the horse, the rider attempts to contain, block or reprimand the horse's drifting movements.

Head on over to watch a short video clip HERE to notice where the horse's feet, weight, shoulder muscles, and the watch the movement that follows.

Learn how to assess things such as:

Did my turning his head have any clear meaning in his physical response?

Which direction was he really walking even though his head was turned to his right?

Did the movement look balanced?
What did his knees look like as he moved?

Did he finish the movement "committed" to the halt, or did his feet look off balance?

If you were riding this what would it feel like in the saddle?

Because of that feeling, how might you accidentally compensate with your body?

Any other thoughts?

If people were able to break down unwanted moments from "I don't want that" to, where is my horse's brain and weight before I ask something of him? So many undesired, drifting, leaking, "tippy" movements would never exist. But the "I'll fix it later" approach leaves horses unclear and riders feeling like they are continually critiquing the horse which does not lead to a positive experience for either.