09/30/2025
Please use your best reading comprehension skills here before you get fired up. Freezing and stopping are NOT the same thing, and I am not saying you need to force your horse forward - Enjoy your own opinions and learn to have differences without calling other people rude names like an adult.
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Horses that freeze and stop when uncertain are a common issue.
It can be extremely dangerous- I often hear people say they’d rather they stop than spook or skitter off, and I often say no - you do not want that.
Forward energy can be redirected. You can focus the horse, balance the horse, shape movement into something.
Freezing is not just stopping.
It is coiled movement now blocked- a spring flattened ready to be rocketed in unknown directions. It is a horse checking out, only to return on the other side far far away from you.
What causes a horse to freeze?
1- people’s dislike of forward energy.
This is a problem with people far and wide - wanting to slow down, stop or block a horses movement altogether. But energy cannot be destroyed, it comes out in other directions - for every one hydra head you cut down you create three - that sort of thing. This is bad for people and horses, and it is my main mission as a teacher to help people sit and love balanced, bouyant and directable forward energy.
2- clashed aids : a forward driving aid into a restraining hand. Without an education or help, we will have no idea how often we’re doing this. Everybody does this to some degree, even on a loose rein, even at liberty. Your body needs to be fine tuned into the horses energies and direct them on the same frequencies and energy levels the horse is at. You can be completely at liberty, bitless whipless wireless braless barefoot and fancy free and it doesn’t matter - you absolutely can still drive and block the horse with uneducated body positioning and movement.
3- a seat that moves too much in weird directions (wiggly through the middle or swingy legs) or not enough (the ole stick up the butt syndrome) will block horses movement. This again requires education, practice, and training your body like the instrument it is.
If your horse is not forward and freezy, consider these points. And work tirelessly on yourself with a good coach to help you. It is not a desirable problem, trust me - slow and stuck is not the same as slow and controlled - if you’ve felt both you know the difference immediately.
Pictured: a formerly freezy horse confidently finding forward
