Mark Langley Horsemanship

31/03/2025

People often ask us about how to help reduce or stop horse panicking when it is out on trail. Listen for some training tips to check that your horse is able to cope with distractions outside - that it is set up to be trainable outside - first. Also in this episode - how to navigate Carriage Driving....

29/03/2025

🔍 Finding the Root of Fear in Horses 🔍

Have you ever seen a horse shut down rather than react? Drop a comment below!

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26/03/2025

Addressing the Trouble Within: At some of my recent clinics there have been a couple of horses which I put a belly-rope on. I wanted to see how they processed pressure on their rib cage.

Interestingly enough, putting belly pressure on the horses out of the context of saddling, showed me how worried they were about this pressure.

At some stage though, both of these horses and with quite a bit of riding under them, started to buck when they got a fright.

Usually, if a horse gets a fright, it jumps away from what it is scared of. To jump and then buck is extreme. Both horses seemed quiet, dull and on the forehand (generally).

One horse had been started by its owner; but had some previous training that the owner thought had caused worry towards people and pressure. This owner did her best to build trust, from leading through to saddling. During the process, though he seemed to cope, he became noticeably dull and lethargic. One day, on a trail ride, he spooked and had a bucking episode. After this, she said he changed quite a bit and became more difficult.

Putting the belly rope on him without the saddle, really woke him up. It brought back all the paranoia, awareness and worry that he had before he went "quiet".

It is a very hard balance to try to build trust and connection with horses whilst also getting them to work through troubles or bad memories.

After awakening this horse, moving a stick with a flag around him just a little bit, seemed terrifying - like he had never seen a stick before. To help him stay in this state, so without dulling and shutting out, we taught him to process and start to understand both the level of threat from the stick and what he could do about it, thoughtfully.

I sometimes describe these sorts of situations as "poking a bear". We unveiled what was hidden or sleeping - bringing it back to the surface - but then help the horse to channel their anxiety into a better outcome. Because the horses have made a (good) decision to help themselves as opposed to retaining the old memory of freeze; they start to understand that they can feel better at the end of it.

Most re-education relies on the same principle: If we have a horse that pulls back to leading pressure - we need to present them with leading pressure that enables them respond correctly and that finds a better outcome.

I seldomly teach a person to relax their horse and avoid the trouble. I try teach them to understand why their horse is troubled and how to help them to let go of this trouble.

25/03/2025

Do you have a horse that won't move forward easily? Here's some reasons why horses get dull or sour to our legs...and it can be helped by changing how we train.

22/03/2025

Can you take your horse to another clinic and just not do some of the exercises? Will it really matter if you do? And a look into helping one mare who is being trained in ways that are likely to be making her difficult to move forwards. Mark Langley provides solutions to help horses by changing thei...

18/03/2025

White Noise: being effective by doing less

In a human situation, sometimes it can be easy to turn off to someone who’s constantly chatting. Conversely, there might be a person in the room who’s very quiet but when they speak says something very valid and thoughtful. Usually this will capture everyone’s attention and they can hold onto every word.

When working with horses, there’s something that I talk about a lot called "white noise". It doesn’t matter if you’re quiet and calm around your horses or quite active, energetic and busy: in either way, we can still become white noise to them.

There have been times at clinics when I have asked the person riding their horse to do something that would create a difference. Instead of saying "release" or "relax" to give the horse space though, I said disappear.

When I say this, you see the rider go completely quiet like they don’t want to be seen or felt by their horse.

Before they disappeared, the horse was just thinking somewhere else and not really paying attention to any of the movements or requests happening on their back. Once they felt the rider disappear you could see them wondering where they were and start to question what was happening.

The horse started to listen when the white noise disappeared.

Then, from a place of silence, when the rider picked up a rein and asked a clear thoughtful question, you could see the horse listening and hooking onto the feel with a greater concentration and focus.

I’m not saying that if you disappear on a horse that's not listening, that it will then start to listen. But I want everybody to think about preventing a situation where we become white noise and our requests start to go unnoticed.

Once horses become more advanced and confident we can have more of a constant conversation with them but there’s so many things and outside influences that they have to take on board and process. Too much noise coming from us inhibits their ability to soak environmental stimulant and process it.

I see some horses that are overloaded through environmental white noise and also the white noise coming from the rider. They desperately need a reset. If we can avoid this it will be much better.

15/03/2025

Horses can be pushy, and despite our best efforts, it can be hard to get them to keep off us at times. There are tricks though to being more effective - not just what you do - but how you do it. Mark Langley gives us some insights in this episode. Also - how to maintain focus in the trot at a lunge....

13/03/2025

Getting a Horse to come out of Freeze: this is a clip from a new training video that I've just added to MLH Online. On the membership you'll see the full lesson of a horse that has been in a constant state of freeze around its owner. She has been unable to get it to open up to access its thinking state where it is open and all senses are working. This horse has quite a strong gaze and disconnect. I talk the owner through how to interrupt freeze thoughts so the horse can come out of its shut out state and into a much more present state.

The owner does it all herself with my guidance and you can see a great change at the end which she had been unable to get previously.

Watch this lesson for

>> Seeing a big Change in a horse in one lesson
>> How to be effective and clear with the flag
>> How to help horses to Search
>> Understand more about Freeze and Destination Desire

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"Mark is a horse Guru. He is patient and consistent and always holds his emotions in check. The horses sense his calmness and react accordingly. " Tracie

11/03/2025

Something to think about - to keep your horse interested in your reins....

I’m sure a lot of people have heard the fable about the Boy Who Cried Wolf. The story goes like this: there was a boy shepherd. He wanted to seek the attention of the village, and so decided to sound the alarm for a wolf. He enjoyed the rallying response so much that he did it again. They were so cross after their efforts were wasted twice, they told him not to do it again and he promised he wouldn't. But a wolf came along, and despite calling for help, no one came.

What does this have to do with training horses?

Well, I meet many horses at clinics where the rein has lost its purpose and the horses have no interest in following it.

Not understanding the pitfalls of lateral flexion is one of the main causes of the "rein that cried wolf".

What I mean is, sometimes we can get in the habit of picking up a left or right rein to soften their jaw or neck and bring their head around and most importantly bring their thoughts around to us. And then we let the rein off and say nothing.

How many times should we bring a horses head round and mind round without putting a purpose or direction or movement to it?

It’s one thing getting a horse to balance in the reins but interest in the rein is what I’m really trying to talk about here.

I have had more success and commitment from horses to the reins by putting a purpose to the bend. By putting real direction to the rein, horses start to trust and want to be on time with it.

Lateral flexion is very common and sometimes done on a daily basis as a warm up and softening routine. It creates some softness; bend and thought change - but without movement. Not moving the feet is okay in some horses but what’s most important is that we don’t disconnect the idea that the reins are also for movement and direction. Re-establishing this idea seems to create more commitment and interest in horses than disconnecting it.

>> Don't let your Horse Loose Interest in your Reins

08/03/2025

In this episode Mark provides some tips and insights into heavy horses. He helps provide some answers for a 17hh mare that can drag people; + a Clydesdale that is anxious and anticipatory. Also - should a horse be allowed to blow off steam or should all work be controlled? Marks psychological insigh...

04/03/2025

IDENTIFY THE UNWANTED ANXIETY THAT WE CAUSE: People who have worked with me will know that I commonly describe how I help horses by saying I try to find a "red flag". We all want a relaxed horse. Teaching a horse to relax will only truly happen when we identify the cause of any unwanted tension. How we approach fixing that anxiety - and the order in which we do things - is also very important.

For some horses, they may seem scared of the world and everything that is happening around them. This can be more noticeable when we are riding them and we may do exercises to help them relax.

What is super important though, is to identify the unwanted anxiety that we cause them.

Many horses have a mistrust or fear from people - behind them or to one side of them for example; and they can often have a worry (or lack of understanding causing a worry) from the guidance we give them.

It is easy to notice the big explosions or the times we feel unsafe and then try to work out why or how to fix these things. But before we think about the big situations, try very hard to identify all the little things when we are in our safe environment. Anything that causes trouble or anxiety stacking need to be noted. Consider if they can be linked to what we are doing when we are out riding?

I have been helping a young horse over a few clinics, who is now started but still lacks confidence. We have spent a lot of time undoing his fear of pressure and getting him to trust us working from different angles of his eyes without feeling worried. Much of this was due to the way he was started and how he perceived information from people.

Trust with his owner has now improved; he is more comfortable with people and he is better with being guided by his owner. Lessons can now focus on his confidence and his ability to process new environments. Now we can use pressure to help him let go of strong thoughts caused by things that we can't control.

If we had tried this prior to fixing his fear of pressure and people on different angles, he would have been doubly frightened.

So in helping to address anxiety it is important to look at where it has come from
- and address the one that we cause - first.

Common Causes of Anxiety in Horses:
- Fear of Us
- Fear of Pressure
- Misunderstanding
- Lack of Clarity
- Confusion

01/03/2025

Mark Langley provides solutions to help horses by changing their behaviours. He has been dabbling with his unique insights into expanding a horse's emotional capacity to take on information, for decades. This week, Mark explores how we can educate horses to manage themselves especially for situation...

22/02/2025

Mark Langley provides solutions to help horses by changing their behaviours. He has been dabbling with his unique insights into expanding a horse's emotional capacity to take on information, for decades. This week: Helping a young horse go faster into forward but without resistance and brace; and ad...

21/02/2025

The Art Of The Horseman Online Horse Fair 2025 starts tomorrow, and if you haven’t secured your Free Ticket yet, now is your last chance.

This is an opportunity to learn from 50+ other leading experts in horsemanship, covering everything from horse training and care to rider confidence, biomechanics, and more.

150+ presentations!

Grab your Free Ticket now before it’s too late: https://www.becauseofthehorse.net/a/23333/chAvtcTf

18/02/2025

Don't miss our largest sale on our EDIX bridles yet! Heavily reduced so you can save $$

- Pony, Cob, Full and X-Full sizing available
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www.marklangley.com.au/shop

15/02/2025

Mark Langley provides solutions to help horses by changing their behaviours. He has been dabbling with his unique insights into expanding a horse's emotional capacity to take on information, for decades. This week: Advice for a horse that used to be a barrel racing mare and now falls apart when aske...

13/02/2025

🎧 I had a great conversation with Paula and Jack Curtis from Art Of The Horseman, which hosts an Online Horse Fair that I am presenting in this year. They invited me to talk about understanding the horse’s mind-body connection and how trust is built through education before emotional bonding. We explored working with shut-down horses, addressing nervousness, and the benefits of bitless bridles.

Watch here:

Mark Langley brings a thoughtful and mindful approach to horsemanship, focusing on how horses think, feel, and process experiences. In this conversation, he shares his journey in horse training, emphasizing the importance of understanding the mind-body connection in horses.

12/02/2025

NEW MLH ONLINE TRAINING VIDEOS: I've just added these to the Membership. 👇Now over 770 videos!! 🎉 Super Value Packed! It is a Horsemanship Site that offers SO MUCH for a fraction of the cost of others. "Mark's demeanour is what I've been looking for throughout my quest to be a better horsewoman. He is calm but clear in his intention This I've found is the best way for me and my horse to learn. I get actual results, which is exciting. I find his philosophy very motivating. I find the content very helpful. " Kelly. Check it out with the 7 day FREE TRIAL. (link below)

1) Guiding when Hyper Focused: This horse has been re-started by his owner. She has been riding him under my training techniques and has gone from jammed up and dull to much looser and thinking. But, he still get's a little slower and duller in new places or when he is overwhelmed. Here is a lesson with my in depth commentary where I ride him and teach him that I can still guide him when he is a little overwhelmed.

2) How to Improve Approaching a Nervous Pony: This is a lesson I did with a rescue mini who is very scared when people approach him. This is useful if your horse is also scared of people approaching them.

3) A Simple Lesson You Can Do - Helping to Lift the Wither and Loosen the Jaw: This is an exercise that helps horses that are bearing down on their forefront in a turn. I also explain how the wrong rein angle, often incorrectly taught, can cause a leak.

4) New Series Added: Fundamental Groundwork Techniques: We have added a new series with mostly short, concise videos that will help you to grasp the core concepts quickly and easily. Everything you need to know right now to get Groundwork right + help iron out issues.

5) Plus the recent Q & A sessions Questions this month have focused on helping Damaged horses and how owners can help them to get past certain struggling points; "Brace": what it is and how to reduce it in transitions and collection; and insights into how we can Educate Horses to Manage themselves in stressful situations. Join to get training answers to your personal situation.

7 day FREE TRIAL: www.marklangley.com.au/join