Cappel Blogs

When a horse feels stiff in the neck, it is usually not a physical issue; it is mental. The resistance you feel when trying to bend their neck is not coming from the muscles; it comes from their thoughts.

Resistance in a horse’s face, bracing in the jaw, lifting the head, or pushing the nose out is common, especially in green or defensive horses.

Groundwork, especially lunging, is one of the first places resistance shows up.

What is resistance? When it comes to working with horses, resistance shows up in many ways. A horse resists first in their mind with their thoughts that can manifest in their body. In my experience, most resistance stems from one core issue: lack of understanding.

Recently, a customer brought in a horse that was visibly lame. She could barely stand on one foot while I worked on the other, and every step looked painful. Right away, I looked at her x-rays and watched her move. That gave me a starting point—a foundation to begin figuring out how to help her.

I believe horses are mirrors—gentle, intuitive mirrors—that show us what’s really going on inside. That’s part of why they’ve become so popular in therapeutic settings. But I’ll be honest: I think the real healing happens not when we insert structured human frameworks or labels, but when we simply let horses be horses, and let people be with them.

In horsemanship—as in life—clarity doesn't come from knowing everything. It comes from choosing something and sticking with it long enough to fully understand it.

A Farrier’s Unfiltered Take on Hoof Hysteria - By Dennis Cappel, Master Horseman

Contact and Connection: The Heart of Horse-man-ship By Dennis Cappel, Master Horseman What is contact? Why does it matter? And how do we...

Horse-man-ship Mentality - Forward Motion: Why It Matters More Than You Think By Dennis Cappel, Master Horseman Why is forward motion so...

Horse-man-ship Mentality - Treats, Training, and Truth: A Perspective on Rewarding Horses By Dennis Cappel, Master Horseman Giving treats...

Horse-man-ship Mentality -The Snaffle Bit: A Timeless Tool in Horsemanship By Dennis Cappel, Master Horseman After over four decades of...

Happy Easter and Springtime Reflections on Horsemanship By Dennis Cappel, Master Horseman Hello everyone, and Happy Easter! I hope you’ve...

Horse-man-ship Mentality -  How Do You Know a Good Horse? Cappel Cowboy Wisdom This is a broad question—and the answer often depends on...

Horse-man-ship Mentality -  How Do You Know You Have the Right Horse? Cappel Cowboy Wisdom One of the most important questions to ask...

Horse-man-ship Mentality - Horse Arena Voice Cappel Cowboy Wisdom Life is a journey, and like riding in the arena, some days feel...

Horse-man-ship Mentality - The Origin of Stiffness in a Horse Cappel Cowboy Wisdom Horsemanship Body Part Value - When horseback riding,...

Horse-man-ship Mentality - Horsemanship Lie Cappel Cowboy Wisdom What’s Stopping You from Achieving Your Goals with Your Horse? Have you...

Horse-man-ship Mentality –Rider's body part speaks to the horse - What is it? Cappel Cowboy Wisdom We take time to talk about the horse’s...

Horse-man-ship Mentality –Unraveling Distortion in Horse’s Foot Cappel Cowboy Wisdom What is distortion? The act of twisting or altering...