Improving Your Riding: Confusion May Come Out as Resistance
When confusion replaces clarity, the result looks like disobedience. However, a confused horse isn’t a bad horse, it’s a worried one.
It’s easy to label a horse as resistant when things aren’t going smoothly — especially when when our horses don’t respond the way we expect, hesitate with tasks, or offer a completely different answer than what was expected. However, more often than not, the resistance is not rebellion. It’s confusion.
Horses aren’t naturally defiant animals. They’re not out to challenge you, test you, or make your life difficult. They’re prey animals hardwired for survival. When they don’t do what we ask, many times it’s because they don’t understand what we’re asking, how to do it, or why they should. When confusion replaces clarity, the result looks like disobedience.
Photo by Mr. Quigley Photography
A confused horse doesn’t look like a bad horse, he looks like a worried one. The horse may give inconsistent responses to cues he should know — sometimes he’ll do it, sometimes he won’t. He may toss his head or look around searching for the right answer. Some will stop and start repeatedly or offer a different movement than asked. You’ll notice tension in the body, a stiff neck, bracing back, tail swishing, and/or pinned ears. The horse may overreact to small cues or freeze altogether. Some will refuse obstacles or patterns they normally perform easily. Many will attempt the wrong maneuver repeatedly, like side-passing when asked to back up. Most all horses will exhibit lip licking, chewing, and blowing after a successful release, signs they’ve been trying to figure it out. A confused horse looks like a horse trying too hard or shutting down from trying too long without success.
Photo by Matt Cline
Confusion happens when there’s a gap between what you mean and what your horse understands. That gap can be caused by a variety of things. One reason may be unclear or inconsistent cues, such as placing your legs in a different spot each time, uneven rein contact, or mismatched body language. Another reason could be changing expectations without enough repetition or pattern. Skipping foundational steps and asking for too much too soon is another common reason for confusion. If you have poor timing of release, you will cause your horse to associate the reward with the wrong movement. Overloading the horse mentally without giving them time to process also creates confusion. Lastly, you may be inadvertently teaching the incorrect thing and then punishing your horse for doing it “wrong.” Sometimes, confusion also results when a horse is learning a new skill that builds on something they already know, but the connection isn’t obvious to them yet.
Photo by Marcella Gruchalak
When a horse is confused, increasing pressure can lead to anxiety. Instead of finding the right answer, they go into flight, freeze, or frustration. Some horses will get fast and frantic. Others will shut down. But either way, they’re not resisting to be difficult, they’re overwhelmed.
Imagine someone asking you to do a task in a language you don’t speak. Then imagine them getting louder and more intense when you don’t respond. You wouldn’t suddenly understand, you’d feel panicked. That’s what happens when we demand rather than clarify.
Photo by DeAnn Long Sloan
The antidote to confusion is clarity. Here are seven ways to help your horse understand and succeed:
- Slow everything down. Give your horse time to think. If he seems frazzled, back off the pressure. Slow your cues, pace, and expectations. A slower horse has more room to process and respond thoughtfully.
- Break the task into smaller parts. If your horse doesn’t understand a full maneuver, simplify it. For example, if a side pass is too much, start by asking for just one step over. Reward the try and build slowly. Let him learn in digestible chunks.
- Make sure your cues are consistent and clean. Are your reins even? Are your legs saying one thing while your seat says another? Use the same sequence every time. Don’t switch up your cues and expect the same result.
- Use release strategically. Horses learn from the release, not the pressure. The moment your horse offers what you want, let off and praise. That teaches them what worked. If your timing is off, you may be reinforcing the wrong thing and building more confusion.
- Use repetition and pattern to build confidence. Horses are pattern learners. Set up exercises that follow a rhythm. Repeating tasks gives your horse a chance to succeed and understand without guessing.
- Don’t punish the try. Even if your horse gives the wrong answer, acknowledge the effort. Confused horses often throw out different options hoping one sticks. Correct gently, redirect clearly, and never make them afraid to offer an answer.
- Know when to walk away. If your horse hits a mental block, sometimes the best thing you can do is end the session on a small win. Let them think about it and revisit it tomorrow. Learning continues during rest. Sometimes a confused horse figures it out between rides.
Photo by Mountain Ember Photography
Your horse isn’t trying to make your ride harder. If something isn’t clicking, ask if it’s resistance or confusion. Most of the time, your horse is doing the best it can with what they understand. It’s your job to bridge that gap. When you take the time to teach in a way your horse can understand, you build confidence and a willing partner who wants to figure things out.
