LaBarre Training Center

01/10/2026

I just had a discussion this week about natural horse/human behaviors.

Groundwork and saddle work don’t often correlate in many riders’ minds.
But how your horse responds to you on the ground directly relates to that day’s ride.

Horses will react to high & nervous energy:
Mirroring Anxiety:
If a human is nervous, tense, or has "busy" energy, the horse often mirrors this, becoming jumpy, restless (pacing, pawing), or uneasy.

Increased stimuli:
High human energy can trigger a horse's natural alertness or arousal, leading to a faster heart rate or increased tension, especially if the energy feels threatening or unpredictable.

Body language:
Horses are masters at reading subtle non-verbal cues, so rapid or tense movements from a high-energy person signal potential danger, prompting a flight or freeze response.
Pushing a horse to fight back means you've far exceeded its comfort zone, often by applying excessive pressure (physical or mental) without clear release, leading to fear, resistance, or aggression, which stems from a lack of trust, leadership, or proper training.

Emotional status:
Horses can "catch" and amplify human emotions, making an already anxious situation worse if the human's energy is chaotic.
Horses are a mirror to our souls and our attitude. They react positively to positive emotion and can sense when you’re just feeling ‘off.’ If you’re struggling in your training or your horse is displaying attitude problems, take a long, hard look at your own mood and behavior. Being aware of how your horse reflects your emotions back to you can give you insight into the impact that your attitude has on those around you. Learn to regulate your emotions, and develop emotional intelligence with the help of your horse.

What high energy can look like to a horse:
Tense Hands & Body:
Clenched fists, stiff posture, or jerky movements.
Fast, Uneven Breathing:
Quick breaths can signal stress.
Lack of Presence:
Being distracted or "in your head" rather than grounded in the moment.

What you should bring forward:
Warm, Fluid Movements:
A calm or genuinely happy energy makes a horse feel safe and encourages them to relax.
Soft Eyes & Open Body Language:
A relaxed gaze and open posture create a welcoming, positive connection.
Contentment:
Horses show contentment with soft eyes, head lowering, and relaxed muscles when they sense positive, calm emotions.

In essence, horses are deeply connected to your internal state, responding more to your feeling and energy than your words, making calm, grounded presence the most effective way to interact with them.

Can Horses Read and Respond to Your Emotions?
— Yes, horses can feel your emotions. Horses are prey animals and are highly attuned to changes in their environment.
---------------------------------------------------
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AeLDyuxrK/

Article of link above;
Justine Harrison - Equine Behaviourist
12h
·
WHEN ‘LEADERSHIP’ LOOKS LIKE A THREAT TO A HORSE
Some trainers tell students to make themselves big, stand tall, take up space, and be the “confident leader” when training horses. But this advice is built on a misunderstanding of horse behaviour and how horses actually respond to us. And yes — this is where that ‘dominance’ narrative raises its ugly head again.
Researchers at the University of Sussex carried out an interesting study testing how horses respond to different human body postures. They worked with 45 riding-school horses and unfamiliar human demonstrators. Each horse was led into an arena, released, and allowed to choose between 2 people standing still several metres apart.
First, both people used neutral postures and rewarded the horse with food so the horse learned that approaching humans was safe. Then the test began. One person adopted a ‘dominant’ posture (upright, chest out, shoulders squared, arms at sides). The other adopted a ‘submissive’ posture (slouched, shoulders rounded, knees relaxed, arms held close to the body). Faces were covered, no talking, no movement.
The results were striking. Across trials, horses chose to approach the smaller, closed posture 90 times, compared to just 27 approaches to the larger, expansive posture. Not a single horse showed an overall preference for the ‘dominant’ posture.
This does not mean horses are submissive or looking for weak leaders. Horses are not trying to dominate people, nor do they need to be dominated. What this study shows is sensitivity — horses rapidly read human body language and may avoid postures that resemble threat or pressure, especially when the person is unfamiliar and the context is neutral.
Standing calmly, softly, and predictably is far more likely to feel safe to a horse than deliberately making yourself tall and imposing. Context matters — but large, intimidating body language does not create respect or leadership for horses.
Study: Domestic horses (Equus caballus) prefer to approach humans displaying a submissive body posture rather than a dominant body posture, Animal Cognition, 2017.
The photo used is for illustrative purposes - not taken from the study.

01/04/2026

Key aspects of "active waiting" in training:
Practice patience.
To develop the mental habit of waiting for your commands in your horse, you must build literal periods of waiting into your schooling.
During schooling try to compose many smaller actions to produce the whole, the pauses between those parts are especially important to maintaining control throughout the entire ride.
Otherwise, your horse can slip into auto-drive, correct and balanced or not.

So, when you’re practicing instead of immediately going through all of the paces quickly and in the same sequence, sit there, and make your horse wait patiently until you ask him to start moving. If you’re working on change of rein for instance, slow the maneuver down, think about the different components, and add periodic pauses in between them. Trot or canter a straight line, stop, pause, back up, drop your hand and take a breath, then pick the contact back up and go.

In the show ring, these pauses become so slight [ie. half halts], they might not be visible to those watching. Nevertheless, it’s important they occur, physically and more important mentally, in your horse. Pauses keep you from rushing, and also keep your horse in the habit of listening for your next cue instead of jumping ahead. In order to keep your horse honest, there are some instances when it’s necessary to add visible pauses to your rides, even if doing so will interrupt your ride.

To strategically commit yourself to the future quality of your horse, you have to build non-priority rides into your schedule. Without this, I think it’s impossible to maintain your horse’s wait. You must be willing to sacrifice some classes to work on waiting, especially if you have a horse that’s already lost his.

Example: If you’re going to a show, and you’re entered in a few classes, pick one priority class. In this class, pull out all the stops.

In the other classes, if your horse isn’t waiting on you make the necessary corrections, even if it means a lower score. Use a stronger aid, take a breath, look around, and wait for your horse to relax before you cue as slowly as possible. In terms of your horse’s longevity, it doesn’t matter if the judge deducts from your score, because what you’re doing is more valuable. If you aren’t willing to make these corrections in "non-priority" classes, your horse will develop the notion that he only has to wait on you in the practice arena and while in the show ring, he can push through you and be the boss. The longer you let this happen, the harder it will be to re-instill the concept of waiting.

A Good Trainer Spends Most of Their Time Waiting

Waiting for stiffness to release.
Waiting for the horse to grow strong enough.
Waiting for the horse to become supple enough.
Waiting for the horse to find balance.
Waiting for the horse to understand.
Waiting for the exercise to do its work.
Waiting for the right moment to ask.

But...

If you simply sit on your horse and wait, you’ll be waiting forever.

Good trainers don’t wait passively — they actively wait.

Active waiting means you are present, connected, and engaged. You are feeling each stride, listening to the horse, and ready at any moment to adjust the aids — either to help in the moment you’re in, or to prepare for the moment that’s coming next.

Waiting is not doing nothing.
Waiting is listening.

If this resonates with you, revisit the post from a few days ago titled “Take Time — But Don’t Waste Time.” These two ideas belong together.

01/01/2026

✨ Happy New Year 2026! ✨

Well, it's New Year eve !
Where did the year go 🤔. It seems it goes by quicker every year😆 !

May this new year bring you peace in your heart, strength in your journey, and joy in the little moments.

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.

Let go of what held you back, welcome what lifts you up, and step into 2026 with hope and confidence.

Wishing you health, happiness, and success all year long!

12/29/2025

When the horse can carry himself and the rider in balance, the quality of the gaits is improved, and the horse’s soundness is preserved.

One way to put more weight on the horse’s hind legs is by stirrup-stepping.
By stirrup-stepping, the rider can load a specific hind leg causing it to bend more and push off of the ground with more force.

For example, if we want to put more weight onto the left hind leg, we should momentarily put pressure on the left stirrup while the left hind leg is in the air.
Legs vs. Seat: The weight of your legs belongs in the stirrups, while your upper body's weight goes to your seat bones.
Ball of the Foot: Distribute your weight across the ball of your foot for security and alignment, engaging your hamstrings and glutes.
The extra weight will force the croup to lower on the left side, which will flex the joints of the left hind leg. Because the hock is more compressed when the hoof hits the ground, the horse will push off with more force. It is best to put weight on the hind leg while it is off the ground because, otherwise, the horse could stiffen and resist bending. Stirrup-stepping can create a springier gait, especially if the rider drives the horse forward just as the horse is pushing off of the ground with the hind leg.

Impulsion is the term used to describe the transmission of an eager and energetic, yet controlled, propulsive thrust generated from the hindquarters into the athletic movement of the horse. Impulsion is associated with a phase of suspension such as exists in trot and canter, but not in walk. It is measured by the horse’s desire to carry himself forward, the elasticity of his steps, suppleness of his back, and engagement of his hindquarters.

Impulsion is first developed in the correctly ridden working trot and working canter.

“A horse is said to have impulsion when the energy created by the hind legs is being transmitted into the gait and into every aspect of the forward movement. A horse can be said to be working with impulsion when it pushes off energetically from the ground and swings its feet well forward.” [Principles of Riding, p. 157]

“To be able to work with impulsion, the horse needs first to be able to show looseness, a springy, swinging back and a soft correct contact.” [Principles of Riding, p.157]

Impulsion must be developed. Suppleness [looseness] comes first. Without suppleness and obedience to the rider’s aids, there can be no impulsion. When the horse’s muscle development and the degree of suppleness allow him to bring his haunches under him, he can achieve impulsion.

“If the horse is pushed too hard so that it quickens its steps, the moment of suspension is shortened because it puts its feet down sooner. Even if the rhythm is maintained, if the tempo is too fast the impulsion will suffer as a result.” [Principles of Riding, p. 157]

Improving thrust from the hindquarters
To improve the horse’s propulsion capacity, the rider will use diagonal aids: inside leg pushing (at the girth) with resulting increased tension on the outside rein. This should not modify the horse’s lateral balance, and his relaxation on the inside rein. This concept is quite easy to understand in a shoulder-in exercise, when the horse is shoulder-in to the left, he is traveling off the rider’s left leg, and tensing the right rein

Circles encourage your horse to step under with his inside hind leg and help you manage the tempo while improving your horse’s lateral suppleness.

When looking to obtain a certain bend, or trying to improve it throughout the movement, the rider should use lateral aids (rein and leg on the same side). The rider will use inside leg at the girth and inside rein (open rein); once the action is finished, the horse should release the tension on the inside rein which shows improvement in his balance, due to better engagement of the inside hind leg and better support of the upper muscles in the shoulder and neck.

Spirals
This exercise is excellent for horses that like to get a little bit too quick, as the spiral inwards can help you to gain control of the tempo.

Ride a 20-meter circle and establish a good working trot (or canter if you prefer).
Gradually spiral the circle inwards to a 10-meter or 15-meter circle (depending on your horse’s current level of training).
Spiral your horse back outward onto the 20-meter circle.

Repeat a few times before changing the rein.

To Change rein within circle.
Ride your circle accurately, ensuring your horse is bent correctly.
Approach the Centerline: Ride towards the centerline that cuts your circle in half.
Shift the Bending Aids: As you cross the centerline, immediately shift your aids to bend the horse the new way.
Stirrup step/Inside Leg: Stays at the girth to create the new bend.
Outside Leg: Moves slightly behind the girth to prevent the haunches from swinging out.
Outside Rein: Stays steady by the withers, supporting the new turn.
Inside Rein: Softens and flexes the poll/jaw in the new direction.
Complete the New Circle: Continue onto the new, larger arc, maintaining the new bend and rhythm.

Focus on quality and power:
Before adding speed, focus on developing power and quality.
Use your legs: Lightly squeeze the middle of the horse's ribcage with your calves to ask it to move forward, you must be riding the horse with your leg into your hand.
Look for longer strides: A horse that's riding forward will take longer strides instead of lots of short, choppy steps.
Avoid pulling back on the reins: Pulling back on the reins or having no leg on the horse means you're riding backward no matter what speed the horse is going at that moment.
Don't confuse forward with speed: Riding forward is not the same as going faster.
Riding forward helps build the correct muscles in the horse: It improves its strength and thrusting power and helps the horse develop a desire to move forward with enthusiasm.

Leg aids are just one of the natural aids we use to communicate with our horses. The 'circles of aids' we create with them are much like the sentences we construct from individual words to communicate with friends. As the rider develops an independent seat and the horse gains an understanding of the many variations possible in aid pressures, they can work together to write poetry in motion.

12/25/2025

May your Christmas sparkle as much as your rides do!

12/19/2025

Ultimately, being a student of riding means learning to deeply understand how to give a horse the best possible experience while working to achieve a goal. It is about building a very solid partnership. At any level of riding, critical thinking is paramount to being able to progress and become a more effective rider both in and out of lessons.

A good student is willing to learn and admit they don’t know everything. Like I've always heard, “If you already know, then why are here? Why are you paying me?”

When it comes to riding, there is always more to learn.
Despite becoming a coach several decades ago, I still take lessons to improve my own riding. However, after so many years of being a student, becoming a coach really opened my eyes to some of the things that I was doing as a student that had potential to slow my progress.

This sport involves a great deal of time, effort and money – we all want to get as much as possible from it. So, from one “forever” student to another, here are some tips to help you get the most from your riding experience!

Be punctual
Arriving at the barn late or dawdling while tacking up puts you behind for your lesson.
It sounds simple, but so many people let this one slide!

Be attentive
Keep your mind in the ring and you will get much more out of your lesson and your horse – they know when you are distracted!

Ask questions
A good student will have questions, and a good coach will welcome them and be willing to provide answers. If there is anything that you are unsure of, don’t hesitate to ask so that you can better understand the exercise and what your coach is looking for.

Do your homework
Practice makes perfect! Use your schooling rides in between lessons to work on the exercises you learned in your lessons. Don’t be afraid to ask your coach for homework on whatever you should be focusing.

Explore
The best riders out there watch and learn from everyone they can. Ask your coach for recommendations on which clinics to attend, books to read, videos to watch, and who to observe in the warm-up ring at horse shows.

Smile-I know I know...but,
A good attitude is important.
While this sport definitely has its ups and downs, it is also supposed to be fun! No matter what is going on in your life outside the barn, try to leave it at the gate when you go for your lesson – you’ll ride better and be happier, and your horse and coach will thank you.

Be respectful
Last but not least, be respectful and kind when dealing with and talking about your coach and other students or competitors. The horse world is small and full of gossip. Stay focused on yourself and your horse, contribute to a positive atmosphere at the barn and shows, and surround yourself with other good, fun people.

You’ll go far and have a great time. Happy riding!

12/11/2025

The story of Bertalan de Némethy, from the very beginning to the fulfillment of the American dream. The man who forever changed the world of show jumping. Be...

12/08/2025

Generally, in life, it’s a good idea to try to manage your expectations. That’s not to say you shouldn’t set lofty goals and dream big… but it’s also important to “keep it real.”

Whenever you work around a horse you are giving it stimuli, intentionally or unintentionally, and your horse is responding to these stimuli.
You are training a horse continuously, and the horse is learning continuously. So, you should think about your actions and your horse’s reactions at all times and be consistent in what you expect from the horse. For example, if your horse is allowed grab the sleeve of your heavy winter coat in his teeth without any negative reaction from you, then the horse rightfully can assume that it is acceptable behavior to grab your bare arm in the summer.
Using stimuli correctly and consistently, recognizing segments of behavior that constitute the desired response and reinforcing the response in a timely manner are the main components of a successful training program.

Combining these correct training procedures with a basic understanding of horse behavior and an empathy for horses will make training easy, enjoyable and fun for you and your horse.

12/07/2025

A Remi Thanksgiving 2025 update.
This pony 😍🙄😵‍💫🥹😡 gave us ALL of the feels, I can not Thank Laurie enough for keeping him happy and healthy beyond his working years.
I'm certain now he'll make it to 40yrs...so close!

12/07/2025

Reminder !
Started December 1st new 2026 Dressage tests

12/02/2025

Thank you, Formula 707 for your sponsorship

I am truly grateful for this opportunity to work with such a talented team and incredibly grateful for this partnership and look forward to continuing to make a positive impact together.

If you have questions or already use their products, please reach out I'd love to chat.

12/02/2025

For my toe out people.