09/07/2025
It's easy to get caught up in the details and endless schedules of lessons and shows. But Geoff Teall cautions against forgetting the most basic truth: horses are still horses. He reminds riders that giving horses real downtime is just as important as training them in the ring.
Teall believes riders too often project human preferences onto their horses. We may love a hot shower at the end of the day, but horses don’t. We may value polished manes and tails, but horses don’t. “I’m quite sure that they don’t like braiding and pulling and twitching and trimming and all of the nonsense,” he says.
Instead, horses thrive when they can live more naturally with turnout, room to move, grass to graze, and other horses to socialize with. Allowing them this downtime is not indulgent; it’s a crucial part of keeping them sound in both body and mind.
One of Teall’s strongest pieces of advice is simply to stop. “Stop picking at him. Stop clutching the reins. Stop smothering him. Stop fussing. Just stop.” Horses don’t need to be micromanaged every second. Constant fussing creates tension, not progress.
Instead, Teall urges riders to make time in the saddle count. Be clear, specific, and fair when you ride, then reward the horse with release, rest, and time off. A horse learns far more from short, focused training sessions followed by downtime than from endless drilling.
Teall even builds deliberate rest periods into his horses’ lives. He likes to pull shoes, let manes and coats grow, and give his horses time to get dirty and relax. This isn’t laziness; it’s an investment in longevity. Horses that are allowed to recharge come back fresher, happier, and more willing to work.
“No work for a period of time makes the horse more willing the rest of the year,” he writes. That willingness is what sustains long-term performance and prevents burnout.
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