05/16/2026
Learning how to train horses has been something I’ve always been interested in. I don’t know much, but what I do know comes from watching others, asking questions, making mistakes, and being lucky enough to work around some really good horsemen and horsewomen. We all learn somewhere. Nobody just wakes up knowing how to train a horse.
And honestly, just because someone can get on and ride well doesn’t automatically make them a trainer. Riding ability and training ability are two very different things. A talented rider may be able to make a horse look good for a few minutes, but training is about communication, timing, feel, patience, and understanding what the horse is trying to say back to you.
A trainer has to know how to teach, not just perform. They have to recognize the difference between fear and disrespect, confusion and defiance, tension and pain. Good training is not about overpowering a horse until it shuts down. It’s about helping the horse find clarity, confidence, and trust.
Today, Gus was showing us that he has definitely had training before, and it was likely in the show world. The way he naturally carries his head low, how he responds to certain cues, and even the way he prefers to be lunged all point toward a horse that once had a job and understands more than he initially lets on.
Horses tell their stories in small ways if we slow down enough to pay attention. Sometimes it’s in their posture. Sometimes it’s in how quickly they respond to pressure and release. Sometimes it’s in the habits they carry long after their old life is gone. Their history may not come with paperwork or explanations, but their bodies remember.
And honestly, that’s one of the most humbling parts of working with rescue horses. You realize very quickly the horse is teaching you just as much as you are teaching them.
