“One of the biggest barriers many of us have when pushing our threshold is fear. Not fear of the horse, or fear of physical harm, but fear of being seen at our worst. Riders often hold back because they don’t want to look like they don’t know what they’re doing.”
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“Here’s something not many equestrians will say out loud: some days, it just isn’t there…Sometimes it feels heavy, sometimes you feel off, and sometimes, you wonder if you’re even making progress at all. That doesn’t make you a bad rider, and you’re not alone in your thought process.”
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“When trust is broken or never fully built, it becomes a barrier to progress. No matter how experienced you are, your cues won’t communicate to your horse the way you expect. You’ll start to overcompensate, using more leg, stronger bits, harsher training aids, and more assertive body language, but force can’t substitute for foundation.”
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Over time, horses learn to associate certain situations with human tension — like entering the competition arena, riding past a spooky spot, or working on a difficult maneuver — and they begin to anticipate stress because we are.
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“If something feels wrong, don’t default to more pressure, default to more curiosity. Ask questions. Investigate. Be your horse’s advocate. Even the best rider can’t out-cue pain. But the best horsemen listen, adapt, and partner through it.”
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When confusion replaces clarity, the result looks like disobedience. However, a confused horse isn’t a bad horse, it’s a worried one.
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