A listener calls in, “My question is about how to create forward without creating negative tension.” This starts a discussion on how riders often bring tension to the session, including both their worry about causing tension AND in their cue system application. I discuss how my cue system changes between colt starting and more advanced movements, including the idea that sometimes the 2nd grade version contains more energy.

I include an actionable ‘test’ you can perform the next time you lead your horse from the pasture or the stall, as well as a discussion on stretching the horse's comfort zone. Finally, at the end, I pull it all together by describing how I use relaxation as a base I return to.