Akila – Session 2

Starting an Untouched Colt

Working with a sensitive yearling is never about “getting the halter on.” It’s about earning the kind of trust where a young horse chooses connection over instinct. In this session with Akila, we move through freeze, hesitation, curiosity, and finally a soft, genuine willingness.

This episode is a slow, honest look at how a yearling processes pressure, touch, and expectations. You’ll see the micro-moments most training videos skip: the early signs of overwhelm, the subtle calming signals, the moments where I choose to pause instead of push. Through this quiet back-and-forth, Akila shifts from uncertainty to participation, reminding us that groundwork is not about obedience but understanding. His body language softens, his eyes change, and the halter – something he once ran away from – becomes part of a conversation rather than a struggle.

What you’ll see in this session:

• Building trust through clear boundaries with a nippy, energetic yearling
• Reading the freeze response and deciding when to pause
• Steady-pressure yields (left, right, forward) and why timing matters
• Handling distraction, itchiness, and emotional “fuzziness” in young horses
• Rebalancing after old training baggage and rope mishaps
• Introducing the halter quietly without triggering defensiveness
• Redirecting hindquarter offerings into safe, clear communication
• Ending with connection: removing ticks, grounding touch, and a soft release
• How to finish on a moment of confidence, not perfection

Perfect for riders dealing with horses who:

• freeze under pressure
• avoid the halter or become defensive during handling
• are young, inexperienced, or overwhelmed in new environments
• seem “soft” but actually hold emotional tension underneath
• struggle with boundaries, personal space, or yielding requests

If you’ve ever felt unsure about how much to ask, when to step back, or how to build trust without losing leadership – this episode is for you.

Young horses aren’t blank slates. They’re sensitive, perceptive beings trying to make sense of every cue. When we slow down enough to notice the small tries, we help them become thoughtful, safe, and confident partners for life. This real-time session shows that good horsemanship isn’t about forcing the outcome; it’s about creating emotional safety, teaching the language of pressure and release, and celebrating every subtle shift toward connection.

This episode is a reminder that the true breakthrough isn’t the halter going on. It’s the moment the horse says, “I trust you enough to try.”

🎥 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.

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