27/12/2025
Teaching Your Horse to Do Nothing
A large part of my work these days is helping horses bring their attention back into their own bodies and into the present moment. In simple terms, this means teaching them to do nothing.
Interestingly, many horses find this extremely difficult in the presence of humans. We are so often asking something of them that they feel the need to offer all the answers they know.
Ask a horse to stand and you may see them:
• Touch you
• Touch themselves
• Step forwards or backwards
• Offer behaviours they believe are “correct”
They’re not being difficult — they’re searching for the task. It’s our job to show them that sometimes, the answer really is nothing at all.
This applies just as much to ridden work. How often do we get on a horse and simply say, “Do nothing”? More often than not, we’re on and immediately asking for more - go, go, go.
Teaching a horse to do nothing is an incredibly valuable skill. It supports nervous system regulation, helping horses feel safer both mentally and physically. For horses living in a heightened state of arousal or “flight mode,” this is often one of the very first groundwork exercises I suggest.
Nothing makes me happier than returning to a horse and asking the owner what they’ve been doing since my last visit, only to hear, “Not much really.”
In reality, that quiet standing and stillness has been doing so much.
So if you have a busy-minded horse, consider this: Stand with them in their stable or arena and simply ask for stillness. Each time their mind wanders, gently guide them back to doing nothing.
This exercise is just as powerful for the human: No phone. No agenda. Just observing — noticing when your horse’s mind wanders and helping them find calm again.
Sometimes the most important work looks like doing nothing at all.
