Tense / Fast

Tense / Fast

Videos for if your horse is always tense, tight, or going too fast. The goal of most of what Karen teaches is to have a more relaxed horse, and these videos will address it more directly. You can always search for the word 'Relaxation' to find even more videos that will help.

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Tense / Fast
  • 3 Questions for Success with High Energy Horses - Sep 2016

    Getting good results comes from knowing what questions to ask yourself. This video is meant to give you 3 questions to ask yourself when you are riding a high energy or impulsive horse. Think of these questions as a sort of mantra to use. They will be easy to remember and use when you ride. If yo...

  • The Clutter Circle To Help A Horse Get Calm & Thinking - July 2015

    In this video Karen explains a favorite on-line exercise for getting an impulsive, emotional horse to start thinking and get calmer. This exercise is great when you have a situation where you are with a horse who has at least some basic foundation, but you feel like you are not able to communicat...

  • Moving Massage With 2 Horses (For Attention and Freedom) May 2019

    Watch Karen do Moving Massage on 2 horses. The first horse is a more externally focused horse, and is experiencing some separation anxiety and obsession with another horse in the clinic. Karen uses Moving Massage not only to calm him but as a way to help him bring his attention back to himself an...

  • Foundational Impulsion Sttrategies For Horses Who Go Too Fast - May 2019

    In this video, you will see Karen coach a rider and horse over 3 sessions to improve their foundational balance and impulsion. This is an experienced rider with a horse who she is transitioning to being ridden after being a driving horse. The horse has only had a rider a few times, and did not pr...

  • Helping an Impulsive Horse to Self-Regulate - March 2026

    In this video, Karen coaches a student with a chronically impulsive horse. This exercise is a ‘must-have’ in your toolbox. It is a great example of working through an exercise designed to help a horse settle his emotions and make different decisions. This video shows what it typically looks like ...

  • Dissolving Postural Tension On Line - Jan 2015

    Karen plays on line with the same horse as in this month's Sweet Spot With A Tense, Crooked Horse video. This video is non-dramatic in some ways, but his body type makes it so easy to see the difference in how the muscles of the neck work in different postures, so we thought it would be interesti...

  • Warming Up On Line - Shawna Lewis - Jan 2020

    DN Licensed Instructor Shawna Lewis shares a typical online warm up she does with her green horse, Clover. Clover can tend to be a bit tense and spooky. You will see an entire on line session where she uses several different exercises to help Clover end up moving freely forward in a more relaxed ...

  • Finding Sweet Spot With A Tense Horse - November 2013

    In this video, you will see the transformation of a very tense horse over a 3-week period. Observe as Karen coaches a student on how to create relaxation of mind and body through the exercises for finding the sweet spot!

  • First Steps with a Tense, Distracted Horse Part 1 - Nov 2017

    Karen plays with a lovely horse who has a history of getting tense and then explosive. She was brought in by the person helping this horse, in order to get more advice on how to help her. In this video Karen goes through some of the basic concepts that she would use, including how to get the hors...

  • First Steps with a Tense Distracted Horse Part 2 - Nov 2017

    This is a continuation of Part 1 with the same horse. Now Karen incorporates more movement to see if she can add energy, then return to relaxation easily. This is an important piece, as so many times horses like this can seem relaxed unless they are moving. We don’t want to have to choose between...

  • Playing with Thresholds To Build Confidence with Teo - Jan 2021

    This video will show you an entire session Karen has with Teo. She works to build his confidence in an area of the property where he is often tense and fearful. In a world of 'quick fixes', it is important to see the reality of how an exercise like this can go in real time. Students of the Habits...

  • Relaxation & Trust While Riding - Nov 2023

    In this video, Karen coaches a rider on a sensitive, emotional horse to find more relaxation. You’ll see Karen start with one idea, then change her mind when it isn’t working and go to a more foundational solution. Things quickly start to improve. This is a video for anyone who feels like their h...

  • 3 Questions for Staying Relaxed on a Green Horse - Dec 2016

    Karen not only gives you 3 questions that will help you stay focused and relaxed while riding a young or green horse, but will walk you through the process of arriving at those particular questions for that rider. By showing you the logic, you can come up with the 3 questions that are best for YO...

  • Clutter Circle For Relaxed Circling - July 2025

    In this video Karen coaches a trainer with a beautiful young horse who has anxiety about lunging. When out on a circle he would go faster and faster with increasing tension to the point that she avoided doing circling on line. She came to me to help problem-solve. My goal was to find a way to app...

  • Foundational Self Carriage, Balance & Connection - July 2014

    Karen teaches a student, Elisabeth, on a horse she is working with to help her find a better foundation. The horse is a big, long mover, but does not have the basic responsibilities of self regulation of speed, or steering. She also does not have a positive relationship with the reins. You will s...

  • The Less Than Sweet Spots - January 2011

    Karen talks a bit about what it may look like when you don't have all the ingredients of the sweet spot. She uses humorous cartoons to help us recognize the exaggeration of what it is like when you are missing one of the conversations of Relaxation, Energy or Balance

  • Advice for a Calm Horse When Going Off Property - Nov 2018

    Taking your horse off the property (especially for a competition or clinic) can sometimes be more ‘exciting’ than you want it to be. In this video, Karen gives some advice for how to set yourself up for success. Many people want a ‘magic exercise’ to ask the horse to do when he is distracted, ina...

  • Relaxation Is Everything - September 2012

    Karen teaches a student with a lovely thoroughbred stallion to find greater clarity, harmony, and relaxation. You will see the simple, yet profound way Karen helped them achieve more by doing less. This video is excellent for anyone who feels like they have excess tension between themselves and t...

  • Balancing Impulsion Natilla - Bridleless - Feb 2015

    Karen rides Natilla and checks on her balanced impulsion when bridleless. Karen had not done any bridleless on Natilla in a little while and decided to check on it. She shows how she would tune it up so Natilla is connected through the seat and balancing her own impulsion instead of rolling forwa...

  • Basic Balancing Exercise For A Very Green Horse - May 2017

    Watch as Karen coaches a student on a very green 4 year old mare. She seems reactive and impulsive under saddle, but Karen doesn't think it is an emotional issue as much as a balance issue. Young horses like this don't have a lot of communications in place, so it is important to find a very quiet...

  • Relaxation In Movement Via Forward-Thinking Lateral Yielding - July 2014

    Karen teaches a student, Ann, with her lovely 7 yr old PRE gelding, Uno. He is friendly, light and sensitive, but gets crooked, tight, and stuck in his body. When he does, the energy can come out in very explosive ways. Watch how Karen and Ann calmly create a plan to help him find the open doors ...

  • Basic Balance at the Canter - Mar 2015

    In this video Karen coaches a student riding a horse who can get strong, long, and fast at the canter. It will show you a simple pattern that can be very helpful with this type of horse

  • Using The Energy To Find Relaxation - Aug 2016

    Karen coaches a rider with a very athletic, energetic horse. Karen shows her how to use a simple exercise that will challenge the horse enough to cause her to change her balance, and end up at a slower tempo with more cadence, without saying 'No' to the energy. By doing this exercise the rider is...