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I learnt many years ago that my observations just before a lesson were a more accurate risk assessment than some riders made before mounting. But my words of caution did not stop them getting on - and then remaining on for a very short time! The hypervigilant horse paired with a hypervigilant rider can really wind each other up, and keeping the horse’s attention can be vital. We all know about ‘rest and digest’ and ‘fight or flight’, but research has shown that there is actually a third system. This is evolutionarily the oldest, and it makes us freeze (which works well for a reptile on a rock) and ‘fold’ - going limp when we perceive that there is no possibility of escape. These responses present riders with the biggest challenge.