I’m coming to you this week from a snowy Weatherford, Oklahoma, fresh off a clinic out in Delta, Utah. It was a great weekend—good horses, good people, and the kind of environment that reminds me why I love doing what I do.

No matter where I go or who I’m working with, the same truth shows up every single time: horses don’t lie. They either understand what we’re asking, or they don’t. And when they don’t, it always comes back to how well we’re communicating.

That’s what I want to talk about here—the relationship between a horse’s mind, body, and feet, and why training has to follow that order.

Training Always Starts With the Mind

A horse has two basic thought processes: a thinking side and a reacting side. When a horse is thinking, they’re available to learn. When they’re reacting, they’re in self-preservation mode—and no real training happens there.

Our first job as horsemen is to communicate in a way that keeps a horse in the thinking side of their brain. If you miss that step and jump straight to controlling the body or the feet, you’re going to fight resistance, anxiety, or shutdown.

Every issue you see in the feet—missed stops, poor turns, lack of rate—usually starts with the mind.

The Body Is the Bridge

Once you connect with the mind, the body follows. A horse’s body position tells you everything about where they’re at mentally.

If the rib cage is stiff, the shoulders and hips won’t work together. If the body is out of position, the feet can’t give you the answer you’re asking for.

That’s why I talk so much about body control—especially the rib cage. The rib cage connects the front end to the hind end. If you can control it, the feet become much easier to guide.

When the body is soft and positioned correctly, the horse can stay balanced, organized, and confident—even when things speed up.

The Feet Are the Result, Not the Starting Point

Everyone wants control of the feet. Stops, turns, leads, backups—that’s what we see and measure.

But here’s the key: control of the feet is the result of good communication through the mind and body. It doesn’t start at the feet.

If the feet aren’t doing what you want, back up and ask yourself:

Is my horse thinking or reacting?
Is their body in a position to succeed?
Am I clear in how I’m asking?

When you address those questions in that order, the feet usually fix themselves.

Every Horse Is an Individual

One thing clinics always reinforce for me is how different horses are. Every horse brings their own experiences, instincts, and tendencies to the table.

Some are naturally confident. Others are defensive. Some are comfortable in tight spaces. Others feel trapped.

It’s our responsibility to recognize those differences and adjust how we communicate. A program should be consistent, but your approach within that program must be flexible.

That’s how trust is built—and trust is what allows a horse to stay soft and responsive under pressure.

Preparation Is Everything

One thing I stress constantly is preparation. If you can’t slow your hands down, lower your body tension, and give clear signals in practice, you won’t magically find it in competition.

Adrenaline speeds everything up. Hands get quicker. Bodies get tighter. That’s why the work you do at home matters so much.

Slow your hands. Be intentional with your body position. Pause when your horse finds the answer.

That pause is what teaches a horse to search for the release next time.

You Can’t Be Too Good at the Basics

If there’s one takeaway from this episode, it’s this: you can’t skip steps.

Mind. Body. Feet.

When you honor that order, training becomes clearer, softer, and more consistent. When you ignore it, things get rough, fast.

The basics are the foundation. You can’t be too good at them. And every ride—whether it’s at home or at a clinic—is an opportunity to get better at the little things.

Be present. Slow down. Focus on communication. That’s how you build horses that are confident, soft, and willing to work with you—no matter the situation.

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