How, exactly, does a horse learn?
First, remember that with horses you must convey your intentions.
Show them what you are asking in a calm, clear way- without triggering alarm. If a horse is pushed into the Sympathetic Nervous System (or “X,” as Sharon Wilsie of Horse Speak® calls it), they shift into fight-or-flight mode. Once that happens, there is no learning.
The most effective way to teach is with baby steps, followed by pauses that allow the brain’s neurochemistry to process. This “dwell time” is often longer than people expect.
"Optimal learning occurs under conditions of moderate arousal, characterized by the balanced release of dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine, neurotransmitters essential for attention, memory formation and behavioral flexibility."
-Dr. Stephen Peters
If your request is unclear, or if you increase pressure without the right release, the horse can become stressed, escalate into the Sympathetic Nervous System, and stop learning. In that moment, their only thought is: “How do I find safety?” No amount of added pressure will create more learning-only more fear.
Communication with a horse begins as soon as they become aware that you are nearby- WAY before you enter the paddock, enter the stall or put the halter on. When they first see, smell or hear you, the pressure is already starting to build. The first thing we need to do is make sure they feel us in the release position (homeostasis) first. Then we can begin to learn.