"The ability to "self regulate" while under pressure comes after the horse has had the opportunity to "find safety" multiple times under relatively low pressure. One has to actually practice to SHOW the horse that mentally finding safety is the answer. After the horse has some experience in this self regulation. He can find it on his own under pressure. If the horse does not know how to self regulate under pressure,they are victims of their own neurochemistry and will default to the built in defensive circuitry (high sympathetic arousal resulting in increased norepinepherine (adrenaline) and cortisol (stress hormones). At this high level of sympathetic arousal, you lose the horse and you are done." Dr. Stephen Peters
Martin Black is working with two colts. Enjoy this excerpt from the August 2020 Evidence-based Horsemanship Virtual Clinic