03/09/2025
This is a conversation that we engage in quite a lot during our training programmes at Athena.
Thank you Equitopia Center for sharing.
How does this inform practice in the space?
The Attraction of A Shut Down Horse
In many corners of horse culture, dominance-based methods are still seen as the gold standard for “good training.”
These approaches aim to suppress resistance, teaching horses to stop expressing signs of stress, discomfort, anxiety, or pain.
What often results is not a calm, willing partner, but a horse in a state of learned helplessness.
Learned helplessness occurs when an animal comes to believe that nothing he/she does can change his/her circumstances.
Horses in this state stop reacting, stop resisting, and stop communicating distress.
To the untrained eye, this can look like compliance.
To some, it looks like excellent training: the horse stands quietly, doesn’t spook, and tolerates pressure.
In reality, the horse has simply shut down.
This false sense of control appeals to many riders who value dominance.
A shut down horse won’t object to being ridden even if ihe/she is in pain, fearful, or overwhelmed.
The silence is convenient—but silence is not the same as trust.
Worse still, when the suppression cracks, the reactions can be explosive.
Outbursts described as “came out of nowhere” or “no warning” are often the final release of emotions a horse has been forced to bottle up.
Contrast this with the process of building genuine trust.
Trust is not created through fear or force; it comes from consistent, positive experiences.
Just as you wouldn’t trust someone who constantly invalidated your feelings or caused harm, why would a horse trust a human who ignores his/her distress?
Horses, like people, thrive in relationships built on respect, understanding, and choice.
If you love your horse, always question the status quo.
Say no to dominance-based methods.
Say yes to evidence and research-based education in equine behavior and learning theory.
Join us on the journey and let's evolve together to better standards and protocols that elevate our skills in preserving horse welfare - from the horse's perspective!
https://equitopiacenter.com/equitopia-start-learning-today/
