The Routine That Saved Her: How One Rider Learned to Trust What Her Horse Was Showing Her
Rene called me after her first ride back with Jack, and her voice was calm, certain, and completely joyful.
"I have my boy back, but he's better than ever. I'm so grateful for our pre-ride routine - it gives me confidence and certainty that each session feels like progress."
Three months earlier, Jack had flipped during a cross-country clinic and the saddle split, though nothing broke and Rene walked away shaken but physically fine.
When I called her back that day, she said: "Nika, I ignored him. I didn't follow the routine."
She Saw the Signal
During her pre-ride routine (the observation exercises she does before mounting), Rene had noticed something different in Jack's response and saw it clearly, then chose to go ahead anyway.
"I thought it was a one-off."
Twelve weeks of strengthening and rebuilding trust followed, and now she has complete clarity.
Rene knows what Jack's body tells her before anything escalates. She listens the first time. Every session feels like progress because she's working with information instead of hoping.
The Routine Worked
The routine worked because she saw the signal clearly - her body knew something was different and the information was right there.
Jack gave her exactly what she needed - a lesson that made trusting her observation non-negotiable, and the gift wasn't the twelve weeks of rebuilding but the unshakable confidence that came from it.
Now when Rene notices something during her pre-ride routine, she pauses. She doesn't second-guess what her body already knows.
She has what every rider wants: the ability to read her horse accurately and trust what she sees enough to act on it.
Learn to Recognize the Signals
Your horse is already showing you the signals and the pause cues are there.
Learning to recognize them means you can pause when your horse asks.
Download the free Pause Signals guide and learn the 5 body cues horses use to say "not yet" - the ones that show up before tension turns into something bigger.
Download Pause Signals Guide →
In 15 minutes, you'll know:
The 5 early body language cues horses use to ask you to pause
How to spot the moment before tension turns into resistance
What to do immediately once you see the signal
Get the guide and start building the same confidence Rene has with Jack.
Nika Vorster is an equine chiropractor and creator of The Horse Listener Framework. She helps riders build real connection with their horses through listening, not force.
