As riders we often begin a session without really checking in on where the horse’s mind is. We have a plan for what we want to work on that day—whether it’s schooling flying changes or heading out for a relaxed trail ride—and we expect the horse to simply stay with that plan.
So we get surprised when the horse suddenly refuses to go forward, struggles with changes it performed easily yesterday, or spooks at something it has never reacted to before.
In many cases the horse’s attention is simply elsewhere. It might be focused on the herd turned out in the pasture, the distant sound of a tractor, or the shifting shadow of a wheelbarrow.
A lot of frustration could be avoided if we paid attention to what the horse communicates before we even begin working. A relaxed and attentive horse offers the best conditions for learning and for the safety of both horse and rider.
In this article you’ll learn how to notice when a horse is mentally elsewhere and what you can do to bring it back to a relaxed and attentive state.
Signs of tension and lack of focus
Many signs of tension and lack of focus are easily mistaken for personality traits or “poor training,” which means we often overlook them instead of asking why the horse is showing them.
With just a bit more awareness many issues can be prevented before they appear. Below are signs worth noticing every time we handle or ride a horse.
Learn to read your horse’s signals
Think about whether your horse shows any of the following signs when you handle it. We often label this behaviors as the horse being “difficult” or “poorly trained,” but much of it is simply a sign of tension.
- The horse turns away when you walk toward it
- It moves away from you if it has the chance
- It walks or trots back and forth along the fence line
- It shows no interest in you or what you are doing
- It won’t stand still—both under saddle and when handled on the ground
- It calls or whinnies to other horses
- It paws with a front foot
- It carries its head high with ears pricked for more than a few seconds at a time and does not shift its focus
- It rushes past you or jogs when you lead it
- Its ears don’t flick toward you when you ask for something, either on the ground or under saddle
In short, these are horses that ignore the handler, do not seek contact, or have their attention anywhere but on the person working with them—often while also showing signs of tension. If you turned such a horse loose, it would most likely choose to walk away from you.
How to help your horse relax through focus work
To get the horse’s attention while at the same time helping it relax, we can work directly with its focus. This means repeatedly asking the horse to bring its attention back to us.
There are many ways to do this, and some people compare this kind of focus work to mindfulness or meditation: bringing the mind back to here and now instead of what might be happening “out there.”
The steps described below work best when you use them as soon as you notice the horse becoming stressed or unfocused. Often you can see the first signs already when you go to catch the horse. It can also show up when you reach a certain area, or when you walk away from other horses.
The goal of the exercise is to help the horse relax while staying attentive to you and your movement.
Step by step – how to proceed
1. Before you start
First you need something that can catch the horse’s attention. You can use a small crinkly plastic bag or a piece of cloth attached to a longer whip (this is usually the easiest option). The point is not to scare the horse, so don’t choose something you already know will frighten it.
The exercise works best if the horse has enough room to move well away from you, so if possible, turn it loose in an arena or paddock.
If that is not an option, you can do the exercise with the horse on a long lead rope. In that case you need to ask for its attention before it reaches the end of the rope.
If you turn the horse loose, let it go wherever it wants. Observe its body language and what it chooses to do. Notice whether it stays near you or moves away.
2. Capture the horse’s attention
Begin by moving toward the horse in wide half-circles, preferably from a good distance such as from the opposite side of the arena.
Pay close attention to the horse’s head and ears. Notice if one ear turns toward you—this indicates the horse has directed attention toward you. The moment you see the ear turn, stop, turn away, and walk a short distance back. This is important because it shows the horse that you understand where its attention just went.
3. What if the horse ignores you?
Sometimes the horse offers no attention at all, even when you approach in half-circles. In that case you can try swinging a cloth while you move in half-circles toward the horse. Start with small movements, then increase the size of the movements without increasing the speed. The moment you see the ear turn toward you, stop, turn away, and walk a short distance back. This shows the horse that you noticed its change of attention.
Repeat several times with good pauses between each approach. Over time the horse will offer the ear more readily. When that happens, you can shorten the pauses between requests for attention.
A tool for further work
By doing this you develop a tool to capture the horse’s attention and interrupt whatever it is focused on or stressed about. By removing pressure at the exact moment the horse offers attention, you communicate that you “understand what it is thinking.” This increases the horse’s confidence that nothing unpleasant will happen if it chooses to engage with you.
The most important part of the exercise in the beginning is learning to observe the horse’s small communication signals. These are what you rely on to remove the pressure early enough. That timing is what tells the horse it is safe to direct its attention toward you.
Goal and outcome
Ultimately, the goal is for the horse to walk toward you and possibly follow you, although this may not happen during the first sessions—so don’t make that the primary focus.
The reason this approach often works, when done correctly, is that you demonstrate awareness of both the horse and the environment. You show that you are in control of yourself and that you can be trusted by removing pressure at the correct moment.
Focus work can be a useful tool for helping the horse relax. Remember that all good training sessions begin with a relaxed and attentive horse.
If you found this useful, you may also like: Why Your Horse Won’t Stand Still – 8 Common Mistakes
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