The goal of Horsemanship is to cause learning to occur without forcing a horse's will. Often reactionary behavior is a necessary derivative for responsive behavior. In other words, uncontrollable movements, such as moving away from pressure, enable controllable movements to emerge. A horse needs to learn the difference and to not fear any form of pressure. However, the necessary evil is that a horse likely will flee before it decides to draw to a person in trust, and a horse may do the opposite-innate movement before it does a responsive-desirable one. Horsemanship is not achieved by letting a horse act anyway it wants to; a cause and effect or pressure and release correlation has to occur for a horse to understand. Therefore, motivating a horse to respond willingly is a delicate task.

Assuming that we have covered the nature of the horse and its primary motives - wanting to give to constant-direct pressure and to move from intermittent pressure - a rider can act naturally with any horse using this basic understanding. Causing pressure correctly involves using these specific types of pressure to certain areas of influence on horses i.e. constant, intermittent and cue. This is done in the right dose at the right time to overcome un-naturally pressuring a horse to respond. Any credible horse training uses these pressure-release arrangements as a main tool to motivate a horse to learn, versus forced learning. Causing pressure or at least gesturing certain signals is the horses' way of communicating - there is not a carrot or stick causing them to behave naturally.

The use of specific pressure points navigates a horse to learn what is expected of it. Later on pressure-release causations are replaced with a cue, implied signals, where pressure is only used occasionally to reinforce desirable behavior. Pressure should not be used to tell a horse 'no' because using pressure signals this way would change meaning from a learning tool to a source of punishment. All signals must be used to facilitate a 'yes' response, which allows learning to take place. In the process of naturally opposing a rider, opposite reactions become hard work to overcome for any horse, and these reactions act as a form of discipline to occur so that a horse inevitably will find a 'yes' response. The response should be the easy and satisfying way to act.

A rider must be careful to cause pressure in the correct measure to a certain area of the horse for a certain response. Too much pressure signal in disproportionate amounts or in the incorrect area with make a horse confused. Also, pressure without a release is meaningless to a horse. There would be no motive for the horse to respond again. For example, if a rider wants the hind-end of the horse to move then the signal must be in that area of influence, and the pressure must stop simultaneous to any 'try' or response.

The sequence of causing pressure must have a logical flow as well. A horse must trust the pressure source by showing ways of giving to it before it can move responsively from a pressure point. A supple mind comes before a supple body. Therefore, a horse should always give to pressure, and then have respect enough to go on pressure and finally yield to pressure. Yielding is always last in sequence because it involves combinations of give and go, or giving and going. To give and to go, must be learned as separate unrelated responses and should be practiced this way as well before they are combined in riding.

A rider should keep in mind the lateral nature of horses' when shaping their behavior. A horse uses its keen senses independent of each side. Pressure and responses should be applied to the horse when learning at one place at one time. Then, additional combinations can occur i.e. 1, 2, 3 pressure points or responses can occur together. Memory will become balanced or whole once these independent responses are learned. For example, learning to go one way from an intermittent signal on the respective side, and then learning to go the other way from a signal on that side makes complete sense to a horse. Many riders think in linear not lateral perspectives and use both leg signals at the same time, or the outside leg instead of the inside leg is used which likely confuses a green horse. It seems logical to apply pressure uniformly on both sides of a horse to cause it to go straight; it as if the rider is controlling all angles of the horse. Ironically, many horses will do the opposite by backing up on this signal where the rider might be in the position to have to punish the horse into going forward. However, the horse is waiting for a lateral signal as any another horse would do to guide it to and from things. Turning on to a signal creates responsive horses; avoiding leg pressure creates reactive horses that in effect are turning off from pressure caused. Often riders get in favorable and controlling positions, but the horse ends up in a situation where it doesn't understand what to do and/or doesn't like to be. The result is a horse that can't respond and it misinterprets the intention of the rider.

It is extremely important to be in the correct position before pressure is caused to a horse. Then, the pressure point will become effective to the horse. The lateral mind of the horse and its need for spatial clarity makes communication body dependent. A horse will read the riders position, on or off of the horse, before responding to pressure. Position means being in certain places in relation to the horse’s body including the proximity that influence the pressure-release scenario. When a horse is processing stimuli on each side independently of another, it takes times to process this before it becomes a conditioned response. Rider position supercedes the use of pressure; the position of rider involves advance and retreat actions, and the places where pressure is caused.

To become exceptional with horses simply involves timing proper position to pressure signals. The place where pressure is caused must match the type of pressure used for a response to occur i.e. to yield front end a leg signal uses intermittent pressure on the respective side toward the Shoulder area ahead of center leg position as one part to gain the response. The more a rider uses proper signals and timely skill the less it will take to maintain desired response levels in a horse. Any horse will memorize the position a rider was in just as a response is expected of it. For instance, if a horse is trained to give to Bridle and leg pressure on each side in order to develop a stop, then after awhile the cue "whoa" can be added along with the body cue of sitting deeper and releasing all pressure points and the result is a horse that stops moving when asked to. The rider's position becomes more useful and important to the horse.

Some horses have been in unfortunate places where they allowed a rider to do things without resistance but the result was unfavorable. The horse would tend to guard and resist allowing the person into that position again. Even the way a horse is caught or mounted can become common holes that a horse and rider have developed with one another which likely lead to other problems in riding. Position and pressure can both cause a horse to react into a bucking frenzy or to run off from the rider. So, it is important to diagnose the actual cause to problem and not to get lost in solutions that kill symptoms only i.e. devices to surely fix 'em!

I have covered this point because many riders emulate other riders or trainers but sometimes become frustrated with their horse because of mediocre results. They are seemingly doing every thing an accomplished rider does, but the horse is not responding well. I would defend the horse's judgment because if I were to work with the horse it would naturally oppose things and then come through with desirable responses. The only way this can be done consistently in a cross section of horses, is by learning what position and pressure point combination influence the horse to respond willingly. The most common mistake with horses is riders that give a horse not clear signal for certain movements and as a last resort pressure is caused and amplified everywhere on the horse as if it were a magic wand. The horse will end up doing something at least because the overall dosage of pressure made it react and quickly chose the closest thing to what it thought the rider wanted. If it is right usually the rider stops the barrage of pressure, and the horse has saved itself for a moment. A guessing game emerges instead of clear signals that parallel the way horses communicate with one another. Not all pressure means all things to all horses; it is broken down into certain types of pressure signals applied to appropriate areas in the right intensity. Another problem with this inappropriate signal usage is that to get the next response often the whole episode has to be done again and again. This is where the will of a horse is eroded quickly.

The types of pressure used on a horse must be clear. No matter what pressure type is used any response is rewarded with a deserving release. For instance, constant pressure, sometimes referred to as 'direct' pressure is caused by squeezing, pushing, pulling, and holding, and so on. All these constant pressure applications cause a horse to give to pressure, often the result is non-movement or to stop. Constant pressure used solely will cause a horse to disengage. Constant pressure causes a horse to give if applied correctly; therefore the horse would be in control while on a release of pressure. Intermittent pressure, sometimes referred to as indirect pressure, is used in its primary form as an off and on signal. Bumping, tapping, pressing are examples of its usage. Intermittent pressure causes a horse to engage and move parts or its whole body. The horse should move in certain ways and continue doing so after the release of pressure. These pressure points can both become a third type of pressure point when they are used as a cue. A cue is like a gesture or implied communication without having to be overt about its usage anymore. Any horse needs a rider to act, show and tell, before things can become implied in meaning. And, it must be clear that a horse may be reactionary at first such as moving away or opposing any type of pressure point before responsive behavior is achieved. None of these pressure signals work this way when fear is involved.

Finally, a rider needs guidance to know what responsive behavior is in a horse and how to identify it. Licking lips, blowing, softening of body parts, head positioning are among some things that give a rider constant feedback. A horse will present warning signs when pressure and/or positioning are confusing or offensive. A horse will naturally attempt to counter its position in order to save itself if it has to. If a horse doesn't trust the rider and certain positions with him or her it will have to inevitably move away to reconsider a better outcome. The problem is that with many horses they are already forced to be in a position of control. The restricted horse is anxious because it knows that misunderstanding can only be resolved by moving-running away. A chain reaction of 'no' responses keep the horse in control which often results in the threat of pain to do so. It got into this predicament because the rider will not allow it to move in order to learn; and more importantly, to learn desirable responses from understanding the difference i.e. opposite responses change form to become conditioned responses. The horse will often start defensive behavioral traits at this point. Be careful when;

• A horse is only controlled by the use of pressure instead of the release
• A horse pushes and braces on any pressure source from the rider
• It moves its hind-end toward the rider in defense
• Tail swishes as a warning to kick the source of pressure away
• Neck elevates and counter-bends in a pre-kick or strike stance
• No licking or blowing occurs with the horse, no rolling occurs after riding
• Resistance never goes away in the horse

These are some defensive postures and tactics, much different than passive gestures of compliance toward a rider. Remember we can all cause a horse do many things – but are the tools, pressure and position, eliciting desirable responses? All control must derive from the use of signals. Anyone can let a horse do things and anyone can make a horse do things. To cause a willing and responsive horse to evolve takes patience and skill. Anyone can do this if they truly listen to how horses do it and understand the criteria that enable desirable behavior to occur. A horse will respect this approach and it will generate lasting relationships.