Episode 242: "But all the doors are closed"….why some horses exhibit resistance.

One major difference between the early rides on a horse, and the more finished rides on a horse, is the way the cues are used in combination. In this podcast, I describe cues as ‘doors’.  The beauty of watching an advanced horse and rider is that the cues seem so subtle that they are often hard to see.  This is true whether you watch dressage, where the rider maintains a level of contact throughout, or in reining, where the contact on the reins appears very light.  What these share in common is a subtleness.  The process of training a horse involves making things clear, and then refining those cues.  If your horse seems confused, hesitant, or resistant, it is possible he is not clear on which ‘door’ is open.  Today, I explain why this could be happening and how you can determine your next step.