TRAINING TIPS

Tips from our Trainer Members

Amy's Musings ~ Sept 2026

When Finding the Problem... Becomes the Problem

by AMY SKINNER

There is a strange trend developing in horsemanship that I think deserves some careful consideration.

We have more information than ever before. We have access to research, biomechanics, veterinary knowledge, saddle fitting, dentistry, nutrition, behavior, neuroscience, anatomy, rehabilitation, and an endless vocabulary for describing what might be happening inside a horse’s body.

That should be a wonderful thing. But information is not the same thing as understanding.

And understanding the theory of something is not the same thing as being able to recognize it, feel it, influence it, and know whether what you are doing is actually helping.

I increasingly see riders become so committed to the idea that there is something wrong with their horse that every proposed solution simply uncovers another problem.

The horse is crooked, they are told. Then they discover that the crookedness is caused by asymmetry. Then the asymmetry is caused by compensation. Then the compensation is caused by an old injury. Then the injury has created a neurological pattern. Then the neurological pattern means the horse cannot safely be asked to do the exercise.

And suddenly, months or years have gone by and the horse is no further along.

There is always another explanation, another restriction. Another professional to be called, and it always results in the horse backsliding and being unable to be ridden.

At some point, we have to ask a difficult question:

Are we actually helping the horse, or have we become attached to finding things wrong with the horse?

Having problems can happen, but problems are not the goal.

Horses absolutely have physical limitations. They can have pain, injury, poor conformation, asymmetry, weakness, inadequate strength, poor coordination, inappropriate equipment, dental problems, and countless other genuine issues. Ignoring those things is not good horsemanship.

But recognizing a limitation should lead us toward a better question:

What can I do about it?

If the answer is always, “Nothing, because this horse has X,” then we aren’t really training anymore. We are diagnosing, and many people can become addicted to diagnosing as opposed to creating true soundness.

And diagnosis without a path forward can become a remarkably sophisticated form of helplessness.

A horse doesn’t need us to find every imperfection in his body. He needs us to help him function better within the body he actually has. The vocabulary can become a substitute for feel.

One of the problems with learning primarily through theory is that theory can give us the illusion that we understand something long before we actually do.

You can learn what “thoracic sling,” “compensation,” “rotation,” “lateral flexion,” “asymmetry,” or “proprioception” means. You can learn to recognize the words people use to describe movement. You can watch endless videos explaining biomechanics.

You can even become very good at explaining these concepts to other people. But none of that automatically teaches you how a horse feels underneath you. It doesn’t necessarily teach you when a horse is genuinely restricted versus simply inexperienced. It doesn’t teach you how to make a correction without creating three new problems.

And most importantly, it doesn’t teach you how to determine whether the thing you believe is happening is actually happening. That requires practical experience.

Knowledge should make us more discerning, not more afraid. It should give us more tools, not fewer.

The question I want riders to ask, instead of continually asking:

“What’s wrong with my horse?”

I would encourage riders to start asking:

“What is my horse capable of right now, and what can I do to help him become more capable?”

~ Amy Skinner

AMY SKINNER HORSEMANSHIP

www.amyskinnerhorsemanship.com

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Spring Fitness Tune-ups

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The Spring Fitness Tune-Ups: Meeting the Horse You Have Today

by AMY SKINNER

There’s something about spring that makes us eager. The days are longer, the footing improves, and suddenly it feels like we should be able to pick up right where we left off in the fall.

But horses don’t work that way—and if we’re honest, neither do we as riders. One of the biggest mistakes I see this time of year is assumption. We assume the horse is as fit as they were. We assume their mind is in the same place. We assume the buttons we installed last season are still sharp and accessible. And when those assumptions don’t hold up, it’s easy to feel frustrated or confused.

Instead, spring needs to start with a reset. Meet the horse you have today, not the one you remember. Winter, even in lighter climates, tends to bring some level of physical and mental downtime. Maybe they’ve moved less. Maybe their work has been inconsistent. Maybe they’ve just had time to get comfortable in their own patterns without the structure of regular training.

Whatever the case, their body and mind have shifted—sometimes in small ways, sometimes significantly. Your job isn’t to push them back to where they were. It’s to figure out where they are now.

That starts with observation.

How do they feel in your hand? Are they tight, dull, reactive, disconnected?

Do they understand your aids, or do they feel a step behind? Are they physically able to carry themselves, or are they falling onto the forehand and using you for balance?

Take these observations as a way forward without judgement. Let that information guide you. From there, your warm-up becomes everything.

This is where a lot of people go wrong. They think of the warm-up as something to get through so they can get to the “real work.”

In reality, the warm-up is the work—especially in the spring. Take your time. Let the horse walk. Give them the chance to loosen their body, to find a rhythm, to start thinking forward without pressure.

But don’t confuse slow with sloppy. A slow warm-up still needs to be correct. That means the horse is responsive to the aids, even at the walk.

Straightness, bend, rhythm, and connection all matter here, even before you ever pick up a trot. Working on a specific and accurate warm up while you both come back into shape makes a world of difference.

If those things aren’t in place at the walk, adding speed won’t fix it. It will just hide it. As you move into trot and canter, think “legging up,” not “working hard.”

You’re building the horse back into their body—gradually reintroducing strength, coordination, and balance. Short sessions done well will do far more than long sessions where the horse gets tired and falls apart.

Pay attention to fatigue, both physical and mental. A horse that starts out willing but becomes resistant may not be being difficult—they may simply be telling you the work is too much, too soon. On the other hand, a horse that feels mentally checked out might need more clarity, not more pressure.

Spring tuning requires patience and honesty. If the basics aren’t there, go back to them. If the horse is tight, give them time to loosen. If they’re weak, help them find strength without overwhelming them.

There’s no prize for getting back to “where you were” the fastest—only consequences if you rush the process. Done right, this season sets the tone for everything that follows.

So slow down. Pay attention. Be precise in the small things. And let the horse come back to work in a way that leaves them stronger, more confident, and more connected than before.