Most riders want a willing, engaged partner, but too often, training feels like a one-sided conversation. You ask, your horse responds—or doesn’t. The disconnect can leave you second-guessing yourself, wondering if you’re saying the right thing, or if your horse is even listening.
The truth is that good communication isn’t about controlling movement—it’s about creating understanding.
In this episode, Tik Maynard breaks down what it really means to communicate with your horse—not through force or repetition, but through trust, clarity, and feel. To explore this, he visits Andrea Taylor, a top dressage rider and Paralympic coach, where communication isn’t just a skill, it’s an art. Working with her young horse, Freddie, Tik unpacks the small, everyday moments that either build connection or break it.
What you’ll take away from this episode:
How to stop micromanaging and give your horse space to think and respond
How to recognize the difference between understanding and just reacting
How to use pressure in a way that motivates, not overwhelms
How to spot "The Look"—the moment your horse shifts from compliance to curiosity
Most training focuses on getting the horse to obey, but this episode shifts the conversation. What if, instead of making your horse do something, you invited them to figure it out with you? The difference is subtle—but it changes everything.
With stunning cinematography and real, unscripted training moments, this episode captures the quiet, powerful shifts that turn training into true partnership.
Many riders feel overwhelmed—too much information, too many conflicting methods, and no clear path forward. But clarity isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about learning to ask the right questions.
