In dressage terms, impulsion usually refers to the forward driving power of the hindquarters. Reiners know impulsion is about responsive forwardness.

The further they get from home, the less secure they feel, and spooking on the trail is a great example of how a prey animal acts when he feels in danger.

Why does my horse run off, and how can I prevent it?

There is really no way to make this uneventful unless you have pair-bonded the new horse first and you have a large area for all the horses to run in.

Remember, the Seven Games are progressive and you need to have the other six in place before being able to successfully play the Squeeze Game.

Backwards and sideways have everything to do with your horse’s impulsion and emotional fitness - which influences almost everything else your horse does.

Have you ever wished your horse would maintain gait without constantly squeezing with your legs to keep him going, or pulling on the reins to get him to slow down? Have you ever wished your horse would just keep his attention on you instead of veering off every time he sees something new?

The Yo-Yo Game is the fourth of the Seven Games. Games #1 (Friendly), #2 (Porcupine) and #3 (Driving) are called the “principle games”.

Have you ever wondered how “horse whisperers” are able to magically communicate with horses from across a pen? With suggestions that are imperceptible, skilled horsemen are able to have a horse respond as if it were the horse’s instinct to do so. The Driving Game develops these skills, in you and your horse, to such a degree and with such subtle communication, that people will think your horse is reading your mind.

Horses naturally push into steady pressure. Moving against it or barging through it is how they escape predators in the wild.