Pressure, Release & Timing
Training a horse, whether it’s working with an un-started 2 year old or teaching an advanced movement, always involves a system of pressure and release. From the day we first start working with our horse, we want to teach him to “move away from pressure”. When he moves “away” from pressure, his reward is release of pressure. This involves the critical element of timing. It is in our timing that determines whether we end up with a horse who progresses through training or one that is left frustrated and sour.
The things we teach our horses! Me, my dog and a friend's pony - age ~10!
This pressure-release system starts with the halter-breaking process. Most of us end up with horses that are already halter broke, even if the horse isn’t broke to ride. But have you noticed that many horses, even the broke ones, don’t always lead so well? Maybe getting into a trailer is an issue. Or you put your leg against his side and he just stands there or pushes back against you until you “whomp” on him with your spur. Well, you can always go back to halter “training” to instill the concept of the pressure-release system. The reward for doing this is an improvement in the performance of your horse, whether it’s getting him in the trailer, working on advanced lateral movements or just having a horse that always, and happily, responds to you.
The pressure and release of halter work helps you improve your skill in timing too, thereby creating a horse that is happy to please you (because he has been rewarded correctly) and one who begins to understand a fundamental concept that will translate into all future work: if I feel pressure and I move away from it, I am rewarded by the release of that pressure and then given lots of pleasant praise and affection which by nature I crave because I am a gregarious creature (gregarious being defined as “…fond of the company of others; sociable; living in flocks or herds, as animals.”).
So how does this work? With my horse in his halter standing next to me, I take a few steps away from him and apply a small amount of pressure (a pull) on the lead rope. That pressure, translated through the lead rope and to the halter is felt at the back of the horses head (his poll). I keep my pressure small because I don’t want to initiate the fight-or-flight instinct in the horse because too much pressure can do this. I want just enough pressure to make it a little uncomfortable for him. I don’t increase the pressure nor do I let up – just a consistent, steady pull. I don’t stand and face him or stare him in the eye because this is a challenging gesture and again, I don’t want to initiate the fight-or-flight instinct.
Now comes patience and timing! I casually and comfortably WAIT, never increasing the pressure. What I’m waiting for is the SLIGHTEST forward motion. I’m not expecting my horse to suddenly go “oh, I get it, you want me to start obediently walking right next to you with smooth ease.” What I’m expecting is my horse will think “How can I relieve this annoying pressure at the back of my head? Maybe if I put my head forward it’ll go away.” And the moment that horse moves his head just a little bit forward, or shifts his weight just a little bit forward I RELEASE the pressure on the lead rope and give him pets and praise. And then I do it again. Over and over I do this. As we continue I’ll make my praise-giving a little quicker – maybe just some kind words and a soft pet on the face – and quickly go back to applying the slight pull. Eventually, the horse starts taking steps and I take steps ahead of him. If he stops I calmly go back to applying that annoying pull. The key here is that ANY forward movement is quickly rewarded by a release in pressure and some “pause” for praise. The “pause” can become shorter when progressing through these exercises but there should always be a noticeable pause before applying the pressure again – otherwise it just becomes a steady pressure with no reward – and you have totally defeated your purpose! Once the horse starts moving his feet forward in response to the pressure, I like to add the “feet-moving” cue, which is the cluck, as we start. If this is worked on consistently, eventually one has a horse that readily starts moving forward, along side of you, once pressure is applied to the lead rope. As the horse is moving with you, there should be no more pressure on the lead.
Now, how to teach that forward moving horse to stop moving? Have you ever seen a horse that continues walking forward when the handler stops? The horse just keeps on moving until it has pushed into the person or walked past the person? Then that person has to pull (put pressure) on the horse to get him to stop? This is okay in the beginning because the pressure is now on the horse’s nose (from pulling back on the lead rope) and to move away from that pressure means moving backwards which incorporates a stop first. If timing is good, the minute that horse stops, before he backs up from the pressure, the pressure is released and movement on the horse’s part should cease. However, it’s at this point where I like to teach the horse to respect the pressure of my body! I don’t want to pull on a horse every time I want him to stop in order to prevent him from running over me or past me!
My rule of thumb is a horse should always be within a short, arms-length away from me, unless I initiate a closer contact. Because horses are so gregarious, they tend to be very comfortable with close body contact. They use their bodies and lots of body contact and body motion to communicate. If you observe horses in a group, you’ll notice how ones that get along well will be very close together, often with their bodies touching. You’ll also notice how a horse that wants to move another away will advance quickly, with fast and aggressive body movement, but won’t often make contact. The other horse will move away from this body pressure. Usually this is because in the past a bite or a kick followed if the horse didn’t move away quickly enough.
When the horse I’m leading pushes into my space, I stomp my feet, wave my arms towards him and make a lot of noise. Generally I don’t make any contact with the horse. This is often enough to let most horses know they’re not to invade my space. On occasion, with a more dominant horse or an older stallion, I’ll have to speak more clearly in “horse language”. With this horse who crowds me and arm flailing, noise and foot stomping aren’t enough, I do what any good lead mare would do – I give him a swift kick in the chest. I just turn around quickly and strike out with my foot to their chest (which usually makes them jump back) then turn around and resume my standing. Once or twice is usually all it takes! Suddenly, that horse is paying attention to me when we’re moving. He’s watching my body and when I stop he will stop on a dime an arm’s length away (or at whatever point I told him before he was too close). It’s amazing how this works. I have spent hours and hours and weeks and weeks leading a horse around teaching him to pay attention to my body cues and how to move off the pressure on the halter. Soon, I have a horse that walks with me at the slightest pressure. He stops the moment I do at exactly the distance he’s been taught to keep from me. If I turn and circle into him, maybe stomp my foot as I start to move, he’ll turn a circle to the inside. If I start to walk back at him he’ll back up. If I circle away from him and apply a little pressure, he moves around me on the outside. At all these times, at any success, I make sure to praise and pet the horse. Positive reinforcement, praise, encouragement and calmness go a long way to make a happy, obedient horse.
I end up applying this same pressure-release-timing when teaching trailer loading. I also apply it once I’m riding and using leg aids for lateral movements and moving the hind end. Remember, the key is to apply a light pressure and wait for the horse to move away from that pressure. The moment you get any movement away from that pressure, release it and praise the horse. Start again. And do it again and again and again. Consistency is the key to understanding. Every time you interact with your horse there is an opportunity to learn and teach. Enjoy the journey.
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