Sally & Freya – Session 7.2

Helping a Shutdown Horse

Sometimes the most important rides are the quiet ones. There’s no drama, no fireworks – just a calm horse learning that having a rider can feel safe. And in the world of first rides, uneventful is often the biggest breakthrough of all.

In this session, I focused on making the ridden experience as pleasant as possible. The goal wasn’t to push for big steps forward, but to confirm trust, clarity, and softness in the basics. From building responsiveness to the “ride on” aids, to balancing out the arena so no spot felt sticky or avoided, every moment was about giving Sally confidence under saddle. You’ll see the shift from brace into relaxation, the testing of small thresholds, and how quiet consistency lays a foundation for future rides.

Perfect for riders starting young horses, restarting sensitive horses, or anyone who wants to make the first rides calm and connected. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep under-saddle sessions safe, simple, and free of drama, this episode is for you.

🧭 In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

• Starting calmly from the saddle and setting the tone for safety and trust.
• Breaking down the ‘ride on’ aids step by step for clear forward transitions.
• Softening through resistance rather than forcing through brace.
• Neutralising sticky spots in the arena so no corner or gate becomes the “easy” or “hard” place.
• Wrapping up with relaxation, showing that uneventful rides are often the most successful.

🎯 Why it matters:

In horsemanship, real progress isn’t always measured by how much you achieve in a single ride. It’s measured by how the horse feels in the process. A calm, connected, and “boring” first ride builds trust that will carry through every future session. By focusing on clarity of aids, balancing the arena, and honouring small releases, we create the kind of foundation that makes riding not just possible, but enjoyable and safe for both horse and rider. This is thoughtful, grounded training – horsemanship that values softness and honesty over spectacle.

🎥 No quick fixes. No fancy edits. Just real-time, honest horse training.

📍 Filmed on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia.

🔔 Subscribe to follow Sally’s training journey and learn alongside us.

Should you push your horse through resistance… or step back?

One of the hardest questions in training is knowing when to work through resistance and when to step back. For me, the answer depends on the confidence and clarity of the handler. If you feel sure in your ask and confident that you can guide the horse through the resistance, that’s often where the biggest progress is made. But if your confidence drops or the communication becomes muddy, pushing forward can do more harm than good. In that case, it’s better to return to the previous step, reinforce it until it’s solid, and then try again another day. This balance prevents unnecessary stress for both horse and rider and creates an environment where growth comes from clarity, not conflict.

Neutralising Sticky Spots in the Arena

Most arenas have places that feel different to the horse: the gate that draws them in, a corner they try to rush past, or a side they consistently avoid. Neutralising the arena means balancing those areas so no spot feels like “the hard place” or “the easy place.” I do this by asking for more effort near the gate or draw point (transitions, circles, or a little more energy) while offering rest, release, or lighter tasks in the areas the horse avoids. Over time, the horse stops seeing one spot as the escape and another as the danger, and instead treats the entire arena as neutral, safe, and consistent. This simple strategy helps riders reduce arena stickiness and build a calmer, more focused partner.

How to Ask Your Horse to Ride On (Step by Step)

When we ask a horse to move forward, clarity matters just as much as timing. In this clip, I share the step-by-step sequence of aids I use to “ride on” from a standstill. The same principle applies whether I’m asking for walk, trot, or canter: it’s about layering the cues in a way that makes sense to the horse. First comes the lightest aid, giving the horse a chance to respond. If there’s no answer, I add the next layer, always releasing the pressure the moment the horse tries. Over time, this consistent sequence teaches the horse to listen to the softest cue, while also giving them confidence that the aids will never come out of nowhere. It’s a simple but powerful way to create reliability, calmness, and communication in every transition.

What if a horse’s kick is actually a good sign?

Not all unwanted behaviours are setbacks! Sometimes they’re breakthroughs in disguise. In this session, I reflected on the moment Sally tried to kick when I applied pressure near the saddle. At first glance, that looks dangerous or disrespectful. But for a horse who used to freeze or fawn, it was actually progress. The kick was her way of communicating discomfort honestly, instead of shutting down and staying silent. While I don’t want a horse to ever kick at people, I do want them to feel safe enough to express how they feel. From that honesty, I can redirect the response, reshape the behaviour, and build trust. You can’t work with silence, but you can work with honesty.