Flooding Is Not The Same As Training: Why a Horse Stopping Doesn’t Always Mean It Learned What actually happens when a horse stops reacting during overwhelming exposure – and how can we tell learning from shutdown, habituation or simply being unable to escape? Recently, more and more videos of so-called training came up on my
When I started Horse Conversations in 2019, I was a student of horses. I still am. Learning to understand them has been one of the main threads running through my life since I first came into contact with horses as a child. Long before I studied equine ethology, long before I worked around hundreds of
A Guide to Understanding Equine Psychology, Behavior & Dominance “My horse is so disrespectful. He knows exactly what he’s doing!”Have you ever heard this phrase at the barn – or even caught yourself saying it? It’s one of the most common narratives in the equestrian world.When a horse doesn’t behave the way we expect, it’s
In the world of horsemanship, we often fixate on the horse: their training, behavior, emotions, and how we can shape them to meet our goals. Whether we’re aiming to build a healthier, happier equine partner or pushing for competitive success, the conversation typically revolves around refining techniques, reinforcers, and methods to “fix” or enhance the