By Will Clinging

Tension can interfere with nearly every aspect of a horse’s performance and learning. Some horses become so tight and rigid that they physically cannot perform certain movements, which often triggers frustration or anxiety — both of which only increase the level of tension.

Signs of tension vary from horse to horse. It may appear as stiffness through the body, abrupt or uneven movement, or sudden, reactive behaviour such as spooking or bolting.

Before attempting to address tension, I try to determine what might be causing it. Factors like age, physical maturity, confidence, overall fitness, and the quality of training all play a role. Overwork, an inadequate warm-up, poor saddle fit, lameness, or discomfort can also contribute. Even if the exact source isn’t clear, evaluating these aspects offers valuable insight.

I always begin by calming the horse’s mind. Easing mental tension through clear communication, consistent leadership, and shared trust helps the horse feel safe and understand what’s being asked. When a horse learns that he can rely on his handler to relieve pressure and guide him through fear, he begins to relax and think more clearly. Once the mental stress has eased, I can then assess and work through any lingering physical stiffness or tightness.

Related: Hard Mouth or Hard Mind

With a green or untrained horse, I begin by evaluating cadence, headset, reactiveness, and the general state of his body while he is loose. If the horse has nice rhythmic movement at the walk and trot and he carries his head comfortably I will look to see how he bends his body. Is he over-bending, is he counter-bending, or does he bob his head?

If so, I can deal with these physical things in hand or on the lunge line. If the horse is calm but has a hard time responding comfortably or smoothly to a request for a transition, or if his speed is erratic, more time may be required to comfort him and deal with his mental tension before we can proceed to the physical tension.

Green or untrained horses can be evaluated for elements of tension while loose. Photo: Robin Duncan Photography

If I suspect that the tension is the result of past events such as a bad training experience or frustration from the rider, I deal with that situation before I look to fix things through physical mechanics.

Related: Behaviour Patterns

If the horse has built up anxiety that is only expressed in a specific situation, I will simulate that situation so I can help the horse resolve his anxiety. Often, the horse will anticipate confusion because he has experienced a lack of clarity from his handler. This escalates until the horse is working himself into an anxious knot before the handler even has a chance to ask for a movement or answer his questions.

In this situation, I backtrack to what the horse was doing before his anxiety level changed and try to find the cause. Perhaps the handler changed the way he asked for something, or increased use of a whip or other stimulus. Or a change in the environment may have distracted the horse from his work. Whatever the cause, it is impossible to proceed until the horse is in a relaxed state of mind. Only then is the horse likely to have a clearer understanding of what scared him and how he might be better able to handle it.

Some horses are so tense that they cannot find any comfort mentally or physically. These horses are often muscle bound. A short-coupled horse, very strong through the neck and with a powerful hind end, may find it very hard to bend through the body. He is basically as stiff and strong as a board, and it is not easy to bend a two-by-four!

Such a horse has amazing power, but lacks the ability to deal with that power in a relaxed manner, which can lead him to overreact. He then puts too much strength into his reactions and scares himself. This causes him to panic and he continues to build speed and anxiety until he is simply out of control.

In these situations, I work with the horse’s body as I try to help him stay calm so he doesn’t get away from himself as easily. The horse needs to learn to slow down and be comfortable; he also needs to learn that if he does get out of control, he can come back to a more comfortable situation. Trying to encourage him to bend through his body correctly is initially difficult but ultimately will help him become much more supple and relaxed. Though not easy, it’s important to allow this type of horse to get out of control and not punish him, so that he learn that he will not be hurt, and that he can recover himself. I support the horse but do not protect him from giving it too much gas. He will eventually learn to moderate his power through a combination of physical relaxation, which will allow correct mechanics, and a lower level of anxiety because he isn’t anticipating being out of control. It is not always an easy task with a horse like this, but without physical comfort he will never become relaxed, and without relaxation it will be harder to find physical comfort.

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Main Photo: iStock/Heidijpix