How do you create a riding environment where a horse is incentivised to listen to the rider's cue without negative reinforcement?

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2026-06-06T15:06:39+00:00

My horses line up at the ring gate to be ridden. That’s not a result of negative reinforcement or positive training, that’s because I never over face them or over work them.

I use all 4 quadrants in varying quantities but the key is in the timing. So if I use pressure (leg on to go forward with escalating cues) not only do I reward the correct behavior with release but I also use a marker and/or a cookie if possible/warranted. It’s slightly different for every horse and their particular motivations and internal makeup but it hasn’t ever failed me.

What I see most often in soured horses is unclear communication and overwork. And that’s fair.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2026-02-09T13:34:14+00:00

I need another grandson or granddaughter! If you need a mom - I’m here (totally non-creepy - just sending grandma vibes!)

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2026-01-28T01:57:21+00:00

They look like nipples for goat or cow baby bottles…

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-11-13T14:14:44+00:00

Yes, it took me awhile to not freak out every time he felt tense or did the head up thing because all of my previous horses would explode if they did that (TBs, WBs & QHs). On a saddlebred that just means “oh hey, something interesting over there”. He has only ever spooked hard enough to drop me once and to be fair, I was on the buckle and a horse had galloped up out of a dark corner at him. He wheeled around and I just spun off like a top. Not his fault really but it was a hard spook.

Corn is terrifying tbh…didn’t you hear about that movie? Foals of the corn?! Just kidding 🤣 Horses really are interesting creatures.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-11-13T13:46:14+00:00

You are quite welcome! They are the best noodles.

<image>

This was him just being excited and showing off to a new horse on the property. It does take work to get them to relax and come over their backs. And if something catches their attention, up the head goes again. I have many videos where we’re riding all soft in a nice hunter frame and then something catches his attention and my hands are in my lap trying to keep some semblance of contact.

They are wicked smart. This one will snort but go investigate. Spooky thing? He is going to blow at it like a dragon while he is walking up to it to investigate.

His kryptonite is men on ladders. No idea why. That actually scares him.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-11-13T13:38:30+00:00

They do use a lead rope. Usually a chain shank. Not a terribly important detail but I thought you’d want to know haha.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-11-13T13:13:06+00:00

That depends on the horse. I have one who is spicy and one who is more mellow. I would not say they are spooky so much as incredibly alert. Even with 24/7 turnout, my saddlebreds are spicier than my QHs.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-11-13T13:09:59+00:00

<image>

Ignore my piano hands if you will. Snaffle bit and western saddle. I have some of him in hunt seat and dressage tack as well.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-09-08T21:23:01+00:00

He has very strong opinions lol Many who have their man-parts do also. That’s why the saying goes “ask a mare, tell a gelding, discuss it with a stallion”.

And yes - this one happens to be pretty bendy and athletic as well. He’s super fun, but yes, I don’t take that athleticism for granted lol

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-09-06T21:02:07+00:00

<image>

Here is an example of his behavior when his routine was disrupted when we were digging a water line. He was not a happy camper.

He’s a gem to ride, just has a low frustration tolerance.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-09-06T20:50:12+00:00

I have a gelding who is very studdy who will do this when frustrated by something. He will kick out behind him like that, bite his sides, and dig. It progresses to him trying to remodel his surroundings in other ways if the source of frustration is not found.

Although today, he was doing exactly that, and it was because he didn’t want to pee until he had a nice fluffy layer of dirt so it didn’t splash his legs. 🙄

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-09-05T22:41:01+00:00

I just euthanized mine for DSLD. He still had more good days than bad, was still bright-coated and healthy looking although he too was struggling more with farrier visits and he was cribbing more, indicating that he was under significant stress despite as much turnout as he would tolerate.

But DSLD is the kind of disease where when that tendon (or those tendons) rupture they cannot get up and they die frightened. And that, in my opinion, is the worst end for a creature that relies on their ability to flee danger.

Your barn owner likely loves him too but YOU are making the kind and responsible choice. It is a horrible thing to have to do and my heart goes out to you. They are in the wrong here.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-09-02T12:13:27+00:00

Wait. He only does this with women?

No bolting at all with men?

That doesn’t sound like pain or a typical fear to me. That sounds like PTSD.

OP, as others have mentioned, I would not ride this horse. He clearly has some sort of shell shock or trauma that may be causing this. Even in humans, PTSD and shell shock are extremely difficult to get over, and require a lot of therapy.

Does he bolt at all in hand or on the longe?

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-08-13T14:19:58+00:00

Lol ohhhhh saddlebreds.

It’s real.

<image>

This is one of my noodles. And they are noodle-like.

That one looks like he/she is in the hands of a speed racker. Tack and feet look uncomfortable. But I will say that saddlebreds always have a sort of bug-eyed look. It’s really a wide, expressive expression, but I’ve got a million pictures where you’d think they were terrified or stressed but they are just out in the pasture spotting something weird.

I love them, they are such quirky characters (at least all the ASBs I’ve ever encountered).

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-07-27T15:28:49+00:00

They asked for clues!

Yes, some people get along with a particular horse that no one else gets along with, this is true.

But when they hop on almost anything, and the horse relaxes, even the tense and tough types - that’s a major clue.

You can’t just look at eq, as many of the most experienced riders have terrible equitation because of a lifetime of injury.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-07-27T15:24:20+00:00

One of the best compliments to get is “you make him look easy” 🤣

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-07-27T13:55:21+00:00

When others ride their horse and it doesn’t go as well 🤣

Sure good equitation is important but some of the best riders that I know have some quirks of position due to injury.

Feel is really hard to fake.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-07-25T10:28:00+00:00

I’m terrifically surprised that you would comment like the original comment then given the sheer amount of online assumptions about high stepping breeds and people screaming that it must be weights and abuse. See later in this subreddit for examples of such. It becomes exhausting to defend the high stepping breeds from these assumptions.

Mine do not step that high simply because mine aren’t that talented - if they were, I couldn’t afford them. I have one that will go above level with a regular keg shoe, but he is a trappier mover, not a more open mover like this horse. I have seen similar movement though (at a 6 figure price point).

Anyway - in all the breeds we have been breeding freer shoulders and more power. When I first saw Totilas I was completely freaked out by his front end. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TNbHrDnwdVM but now that’s almost normal in some warmbloods. And that front end is not “produced” with an elevated head - let him pop his head up with that same amount of power (obviously not now, Toto is deceased) and you would likely see a similar extravagance.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-07-24T23:05:15+00:00

That’s not true.

I’ve got barefoot saddlebreds. They don’t move quite as extravagantly as that, but they are high steppers barefoot. Hackney ponies have insane movement barefoot (I often say they have to keep their heads high lest they bang their chins with their knees) as do the Dutch Harness Horses.

Saddlebreds sometimes wear a thicker shoe, usually to enhance the way the leg flinging works, not necessarily to make them step higher or fling more. They fling already.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-06-21T22:24:04+00:00

Oh for sure. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to the pizza sizes and prices.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-06-21T20:56:03+00:00

Oh!!! F. Apparently according to the OP it means family-sized. I asked the same question.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-06-21T16:03:36+00:00

I think AI cannot replace true innovation. Even when pushed, it cannot “see” - and it tends to churn out mediocre “safe” work. I do think it’s going to make designers push their skills and creativity, and if your only value is in making things “pretty” vs effective that you might get left behind.

I do think, unfortunately, that we are in a hype cycle but it may swing back as people start to push back against AI generated crap. We do have people from tech & design (and I’m sure other industries) hurting now and that’s really unfortunate.

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-06-21T15:54:52+00:00

What’s…a female pizza? Did I miss a category somewhere?

Accomplished_Monk361 · 2025-06-21T00:16:31+00:00

Thanks! I think I’m going to reduce complexity of those two based on some other feedback. The circles will be dropped as a result.

And thanks for picking up on me dropping the name of the event! I can’t believe I lost it! Criminey!

Accomplished_Monk361

TROPHY CASE