The Power of Timing in Release
- Dennis Cappel
- Oct 5
- 2 min read
Clear Mental Horsemanship with Dennis Cappel
How are you timing your release?
Whenever I’m working with a horse, my goal is to make the right thing the comfortable thing. The right thing is always whatever my clear mental picture is in that moment.
When the horse responds, whether it’s to my hand, my legs, or my body, I feel that softening, that yielding. And when I feel it, I honor it with release. But I don’t just release instantly and move on. I give the horse time in that release, time to stay in the rhythm, cadence, and steps of my picture long enough to discover comfort there.
A quick release for the correct response can show the horse they answered right, but it often doesn’t give them enough time to realize, “This is where I can be at peace.” By allowing the horse to rest in that place, I’m using release as a tool not only to reward, but to build steadiness, willingness, and comfort.
In this way, the horse begins to search for and choose those places that feel good. It teaches them how to think, how to seek, and how to want to be in harmony more and more of the time.
When we give a horse the time to feel peace inside the right answer, we’re not just training; we’re shaping how they think and helping them discover the joy of being with us.
Mindful Riding,
Dennis Cappel - Master Horseman
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