31/05/2026
Imagine having someone simultaneously pushing you forward and pulling you back, only to label you difficult for not knowing whether to move or stay still.
This is the reality for many horses when riders apply leg and rein pressure at the same time.
Over time, horses exposed to consistent conflicting signals don't just get confused, they may develop learned helplessness, a state in which the horse stops trying to find the right response altogether because no response has ever reliably worked.
This is not stubbornness. It is a predictable outcome of unpredictable training. The horse has simply learned that trying doesn't change anything.
This is also one of the reasons escalating pressure rarely solves the problem. If the foundation of the signal was never clear to begin with, riding stronger only adds more noise to an already confusing picture.
Horses learn best when one signal means one thing, every time, with an immediate release the moment they respond correctly.
If your horse seems resistant, confused or shut down, before assuming it is 'horse' problem, ask whether the signals you are giving can be reasonably interpreted.
🔗 Equitation Science, 2nd Edition by Andrew McLean, Paul McGreevy, Janne Whinther Christensen & Uta König von Borstel is available for purchase on our website.
