Elke & Lola – Session 4.2

Restarting a Sensitive OTTB Mare

Every time a horse gets curious, every time a human pauses instead of pushing. That’s where the real connection begins. This episode is about slowing down enough to notice those tiny moments that change everything.

In this episode, we explore how slowing the work down can create deeper awareness in both horse and human. You’ll see how curiosity becomes a bridge to bravery, how proprioception builds balance and confidence, and how human leadership transforms anxiety into safety.

This session isn’t about “fixing” behaviours – it’s about tuning in to the subtle signals that show a horse is thinking, feeling, and learning. It’s also about acknowledging the human side of horsemanship: the fears, hesitations, and mindset shifts that are just as important as the technical work.

What you’ll see in this session:

• Encouraging curiosity as the foundation of trust and learning
• Developing proprioception – helping horses find their feet and their balance
• Supporting the anxious human who mirrors their horse’s worry
• Using pole work and small exercises to improve awareness and coordination
• Reframing fear as a cue to resume leadership, not withdraw from it
• Finding softness through stillness – how slowing down creates connection

Perfect for riders who feel anxious when their horse does, or who want to better understand how to build confidence from the ground up. If you’ve ever felt your horse tune out, trip over poles, or spiral into tension, this episode shows how thoughtful groundwork and calm leadership can bring both of you back into sync.

It’s also ideal for trainers, instructors, and curious horse people seeking to blend emotional awareness with practical horsemanship – those who believe the best training happens when both sides are learning together.

🎯 Why It Matters
True progress doesn’t come from doing more – it comes from feeling more. Curiosity is the spark that keeps a horse learning. Proprioception is the body’s way of finding balance. And calm leadership is what turns fear into trust.

This episode reminds us that good horsemanship isn’t about control – it’s about awareness, timing, and presence. When we slow down enough to notice the smallest tries, we teach our horses (and ourselves) that connection isn’t something we demand – it’s something we create, one thoughtful moment at a time.

🎥 No quick fixes. No fancy edits. Just honest, real-time horse training exactly as it happens.

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

🔔 Subscribe and follow along as we continue building trust, confidence, and clarity one session at a time.

When your horse gets curious – stop everything

Curiosity is one of the clearest signs that a horse feels safe enough to learn. When we stop to let a horse investigate (sniffing an object, watching, or choosing to engage), we’re rewarding the nervous system for staying in a calm, seeking state rather than flight or freeze. This is where real learning happens. By pausing in those moments, we communicate that exploration is valued, not punished. Over time, this nurtures a horse that’s brave, thoughtful, and willing to participate instead of merely obeying. Encouraging curiosity transforms training into a shared conversation – one built on trust, choice, and emotional balance.

Does your horse know where their feet are?

Proprioception is a horse’s internal sense of where their body is in space – how they place their feet, shift their weight, and coordinate movement. Many horses move reactively, without awareness, which can lead to imbalance, tripping, or tension. By introducing exercises like pole work, hill work, and mindful groundwork, we help the horse build proprioceptive awareness and develop better control of their own movement. This doesn’t just create smoother coordination; it also encourages mindfulness, confidence, and trust. A horse that knows where its feet are is not only safer but also more connected to its rider and to itself.

When both the horse and the human get anxious…

Anxiety is contagious – between horses and humans alike. When a horse becomes worried and the human mirrors that fear, both nervous systems escalate, feeding off each other’s unease. The key mindset shift is learning to interpret the horse’s anxiety not as danger, but as communication. The horse isn’t asking you to panic; they’re asking for leadership. When we take that as a cue to regulate ourselves, through breath, posture, and grounded awareness, we give the horse something solid to lean on. The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety but to reframe it as a moment to step into calm leadership. This shift transforms spiralling fear into partnership and builds mutual trust, one anxious moment at a time.