Understanding how to find and maintain the sweet spot for optimal learning
The Myth of the "Calm" Horse
Here's a myth that trips up many trainers: "A calm horse is ready to learn."
I see this belief play out constantly. Riders tell me they're thrilled because their horse finally stopped showing stress behaviours during training. The rearing stopped. The tail swishing stopped. The head tossing stopped. "They've finally accepted it," they say proudly.
But when I watch these "calm" horses, I often see something different. I see horses that are mentally absent. Horses going through the motions. Horses that have learned their stress signals are ignored, so they've stopped communicating.
The truth? A horse can be too calm - so disengaged that they're mentally checked out. And a horse can appear calm while actually being shut down from learned helplessness.
Effective training happens in what we call the "Engagement Zone" - that sweet spot where your horse is mentally present, alert, and actively looking for answers, but not stressed or frightened.
Too low (disengaged, plodding, mentally absent) = not learning
Too high (stressed, anxious, fearful) = not learning
Just right (engaged, attentive, curious) = optimal learning
Understanding and working within the engagement zone is perhaps the most important skill in horse training. Get this right, and everything else becomes easier. Get it wrong, and even perfect technique won't produce results.
Want to see what the engagement zone looks like in practice? Download the FREE Kandoo Training App where Module 1 demonstrates how to assess and adjust emotional levels: https://www.kandooequine.com/store
The Science: Why Emotional Level Matters
Let's look at what happens in the horse's brain at different emotional levels.
The Neuroscience of Learning
Learning requires specific brain states. The prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain responsible for processing new information and making decisions - functions optimally only within a certain range of arousal.
Too low arousal:
- Reduced attention
- Minimal information processing
- Poor memory consolidation
- Little motivation to try new behaviours
Too high arousal:
- Stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline) flood the system
- Fight-or-flight response activates
- Prefrontal cortex shuts down
- Survival brain takes over
- No new learning occurs - only survival responses
Optimal arousal (the engagement zone):
- Attention focused
- Brain alert but not stressed
- Prefrontal cortex fully functional
- Memory consolidation effective
- Motivation to explore and try new responses
This isn't theory - it's measurable neuroscience. Research in both humans and animals consistently shows that learning is optimal at moderate arousal levels.
The Inverted U-Curve
Psychologists call this the Yerkes-Dodson Law. Performance and learning follow an inverted U-curve:
- At low arousal: poor performance
- At moderate arousal: optimal performance
- At high arousal: poor performance again
For horses, this means we need to find that moderate zone - engaged but not stressed.
Reading Your Horse: The Practical Checklist
Understanding the theory is one thing. Recognizing the engagement zone in your horse is another. Here's your practical guide.
Signs Your Horse is TOO LOW (Disengaged):
Attention:
- Eyes wandering, looking everywhere except at you
- Ears constantly moving away from you
- Seems to be thinking about other things
- Doesn't notice small changes in environment
Body Language:
- Slow, plodding movements
- Low head and neck position
- Overly relaxed posture
- Weight shifted onto one hip
- Yawning (not the release of stress kind - the bored kind)
Responses:
- Takes multiple cues to respond
- Responses are slow and minimal
- Seems to be "going through the motions"
- No trial behaviours (not trying new things)
Energy:
- Low overall energy
- Minimal interest in the session
- Would rather be somewhere else
Signs Your Horse is TOO HIGH (Overstressed):
Attention:
- Hyper-vigilant, scanning environment constantly
- Cannot focus on you
- Startles at small things
- High head, high tail, moving more than asked
Body Language:
- Tense muscles throughout body
- High head carriage
- Hollow back
- Tail clamped or swishing
- Rapid breathing or flared nostrils
- Sweating (not from exertion)
- Cannot stand still
Responses:
- Overreacts to cues
- Explosive movements
- Conflict behaviours (rearing, bolting, bucking, ear pinning, head tossing)
- Repetitive stress behaviours
- No trial behaviours (too stressed to think)
Energy:
- Excessive, uncontrolled energy
- Flight response triggered easily
- Inability to settle
Signs Your Horse is JUST RIGHT (Engaged):
Attention:
- Ears oriented toward you frequently
- Soft, interested eye
- Notices your cues immediately
- Focused but not hyper-vigilant
Body Language:
- Alert but relaxed posture
- Normal head carriage for that horse
- Soft muscles
- Calm breathing
- Stands quietly when resting
- Relaxed facial expressions
Responses:
- Quick, willing responses to cues
- Trying different responses (trial behaviours)
- Licking and chewing (variations in arousal level)
- Soft, fluid movements
- Appears to be problem-solving
Energy:
- Appropriate energy for the task
- Can settle and focus
- Interested and curious
- Appears to enjoy the session
Ready to master emotional level assessment? Join Kandoo GOLD for comprehensive modules on the engagement zone with real training examples: https://www.kandooequine.com/store
The Welfare Issue: Flooding vs. Engagement
Now let's address a critical welfare issue that's often disguised as "good training": flooding.
Flooding happens when we continue drilling or exposing the horse to stimuli despite our horse showing clear signs of being above the engagement zone - stressed, fearful, or overwhelmed. The traditional approach is to "work through it until they calm down", “let them get over it” or "show them there's nothing to fear."
Why Flooding Is a Welfare Problem
When we flood a horse - continue through high stress - one of two things happens:
Option 1: The horse escalates. Stress builds until they explode in some way - rearing, bolting, bucking, striking. This is dangerous for both horse and human, and it teaches the horse that training is something to fear.
Option 2: The horse shuts down. This is the more common outcome and the more insidious one. The horse learns that showing stress doesn't help - the pressure continues regardless. So they stop showing stress signals. They appear to "calm down."
We often see this in competitions like The Way of the Horse or The Road to the Horse. This isn't calmness. It's learned helplessness.
The Welfare Impact:
Chronic stress - Even when the horse stops showing stress behaviours, their stress hormones remain elevated. They're experiencing ongoing anxiety and fear; they've just learned not to show it.
Shutdown behaviour - The horse stops participating actively. They go through the motions but aren't engaged. They stop trying, stop problem-solving, stop being willing partners.
Damaged trust - They learn that their communication (stress signals) is ignored. So, they stop communicating. This breaks down the foundation of any training relationship.
Reduced learning - Stressed brains cannot consolidate new information effectively. So, training takes longer and is less effective, ironically making more stress and more flooding.
Increased risk - Shut-down horses may explode unexpectedly when they finally can't cope anymore. This is the horse that's "fine" for hours, days, months or years, then suddenly becomes "dangerous."
The Evidence-Based Alternative
Training in the engagement zone isn't "soft" or "permissive" - it's neuroscience.
When we respect the engagement zone, we:
- Get faster learning (engaged brains learn efficiently)
- Build confident horses (success builds confidence)
- Maintain trust (communication is respected)
- Ensure emotional welfare (no chronic stress)
- Create willing partners (horses that want to participate)
The approach is simple: When emotional level rises above the engagement zone, we address it immediately. We don't push through. We:
- Simplify - Go back to something easier
- Slow down - Reduce pace and pressure
- Give processing time - Allow the horse to settle
- Return to known exercises - Build confidence
- End early if needed - Better to stop on a good note
This isn't avoiding challenges. It's building the foundation of emotional stability that allows the horse to handle challenges later.
Connect with trainers who prioritize the engagement zone in the FREE Kandoo Community Hub where we discuss welfare-focused, evidence-based methods: https://www.kandooequine.com/store
A Success Story: From Explosive to Engaged
Let me tell you about Max, an off-the-track Thoroughbred who taught me just how critical the engagement zone is.
When Max arrived at my property, he came with a reputation. "Dangerous." "Explosive." "Unpredictable." He'd put three riders in hospital with various injuries. His owner, desperate, had been told by multiple trainers to put him down.
The behaviours? Rearing without warning. Bolting. Explosive bucking. Seemingly out of nowhere.
The Reality
After spending just a few hours observing Max, I knew what the problem was. Max wasn't dangerous or unpredictable. He was chronically above the engagement zone - constantly stressed, always in fight-or-flight mode.
And everyone who'd worked with him had used flooding. "Make him work through it until he settles." "Show him who's boss." "Don't let him get away with it." “He needs more wet saddle cloth days.”
So, Max had learned a pattern: showing stress didn't help. The pressure continued. So, he'd suppress it, suppress it, suppress it... until he couldn't anymore. Then he'd explode.
That's not unpredictable - that's entirely predictable when you understand engagement zones and learned helplessness.
The Solution Process
I started with the absolute basics. Not riding. Not even groundwork exercises. Just standing with Max, observing, learning to read his subtle signs.
I discovered that Max was rarely in the engagement zone. He was either shut down (appearing "calm" but mentally absent, eyes glazed, just tolerating human presence) or spiking above it (tense, ready to bolt, showing micro-stress signals constantly).
Week 1: Building trust through consistency
Same routine, same time, same place. I asked for nothing except that he stand near me. When his stress rose (ears pinning, muscles tensing, breathing changing), I gave him space immediately. When he showed curiosity (ear flick toward me, head lowering slightly), I rewarded it with my voice and then walked away - giving him control.
Week 2: Simple leading exercises
But here's the key - the instant I saw his emotional level rise above the engagement zone, we stopped. We didn't "work through it." We addressed it.
Sometimes that meant going back to just standing together. Sometimes it meant ending the session after two minutes. I trusted what Max was telling me about his emotional state.
Week 3: The breakthrough
Max started offering engagement. His ears would flick to me. He'd step toward me voluntarily. His stress signals became smaller and resolved faster because he'd learned I would listen to them.
When he showed signs of stress, I reduced the pressure, even if the pressure was just my voice. Every. Single. Time. And because I backed off immediately, he never needed to escalate to bigger signals.
Week 4: Active participation
First time I picked up a lead rope and Max stayed in the engagement zone - ears forward, muscles soft, eyes bright and interested, actively trying responses to my gentle cues - I was so happy.
This was the same horse that had been labelled "dangerous" and "unfixable."
The Transformation
Within a couple of months, Max was long-reining calmly, maintaining the engagement zone for 15-20 minute sessions. Soon, we were riding - first just sitting on him, then walk, then trot. Before we knew it, Max and his owner were competing in dressage - the same horse that multiple professionals had recommended be destroyed.
The difference? I never asked him to work above the engagement zone. Ever. Not once.
When his emotional level rose, we addressed it immediately. We didn't push through it, work through it, or flood him. We listened, adjusted, and built his confidence that his communication mattered.
Max's owner, a riding instructor, told me a long time later that he'd become the safest, most reliable horse in her stable. She regularly put beginner riders on him for lessons. Not because his personality changed - but because he learned he could communicate his emotional state and be heard.
He learned that training happened in a zone where he could think, try, and succeed. Not in a zone where he had to survive.
Do you have an off-the-track horse showing stress behaviours? Try my FREE Race-2-Ride trial course that focuses on building confidence through engagement zone work: https://www.kandooequine.com/race2ride-trial
Practical Application: Working in the Engagement Zone
Understanding the concept is one thing. Applying it in your daily training is another. Here's your practical action plan.
Step 1: Assess Before You Begin
Before every training session, spend 2-3 minutes just observing your horse:
- How are they standing?
- Where is their attention?
- What's their overall energy?
- Are they in the engagement zone right now?
Don't start where your training plan says you should start. Start where your horse is.
Step 2: Check In Frequently
Every 2-3 minutes during your session, pause and assess:
- Still in the engagement zone?
- Rising above it?
- Dropping below it?
Don't wait until the horse is clearly stressed or disengaged. Catch it early.
Step 3: Adjust Immediately
If emotional level is rising:
- Simplify what you're asking
- Slow down your pace
- Go back to something they know well
- Add more processing time between requests
- End early if needed
If emotional level is dropping:
- Add more energy to your session
- Try something novel
- Change location
- Add more movement
- Make it more interesting
Step 4: Record and Reflect
After each session, note:
- Where did the horse start emotionally?
- Did they maintain engagement?
- What caused them to rise or drop?
- How did you adjust?
- What worked?
Over time, you'll see patterns. Some horses always start too high. Some always start too low. Some fluctuate with weather, location, time of day. Learn your horse's patterns.
Step 5: Build Session Plans Around It
Instead of planning "I'll work on shoulder control for 20 minutes," plan:
"I'll start with assessment, then work on shoulder control as long as horse maintains engagement, adjusting or ending as needed."
The engagement zone is your guide, not the clock or your predetermined plan.
Common Questions
Q: My horse is always above the engagement zone - always tense and worried. How do I get them into the zone?
A: This is common, especially with off-the-track horses or horses with trauma histories. Start with the absolute basics - just being together, no demands. Build trust first. Then introduce the tiniest requests and immediately reward any try. Over weeks and months, the baseline will lower as confidence builds.
Q: My horse seems bored with everything. Nothing engages them. What do I do?
A: First, rule out physical issues - pain causes disengagement. Then, try novel environments, new exercises, different rewards. Sometimes horses who've been flooded extensively have learned to mentally check out. You may need to rebuild their interest in participating gradually.
Q: How do I know if my horse is shut down vs. genuinely calm and confident?
A: Shut down horses show minimal responses, glazed eyes, no trial behaviours, and little interest in their environment or you. Calm, confident horses show soft eyes, willing responses, trial behaviours, and active interest. They engage when asked but can also relax. Shut down horses just... tolerate.
Q: Can I train when my horse is slightly above or below the engagement zone?
A: Slightly is okay - the zone isn't a precise point, it's a range. But if you notice your horse is consistently outside the zone, adjust. Don't continue hoping they'll "get into it" or "settle down." Make the adjustment.
Q: What if my horse's engagement zone changes day to day?
A: This is completely normal! Engagement zones are affected by weather, season, health, environment, previous experiences, and more. That's why assessment at the start of each session is critical. Meet the horse where they are that day.
Q: I train in a lesson environment where I have to keep up with the group. How can I work in the engagement zone?
A: This is challenging. Speak with your instructor about your horse's needs. A good instructor will understand that a horse above or below the engagement zone isn't learning anyway, so there's no benefit to "keeping up" if it means the horse is out of the zone. You may need to find a different training environment.
The Bottom Line
Your horse's emotional level determines whether they can learn. Master this one skill - finding and maintaining the engagement zone - and everything else in your training becomes easier and more effective.
A horse in the engagement zone:
- Learns faster
- Retains information better
- Shows fewer conflict behaviours
- Develops confidence
- Becomes a willing partner
A horse consistently trained outside the engagement zone - whether too high or too low - struggles to learn, develops behavioural issues, and experiences compromised welfare.
The engagement zone isn't about being "soft" on your horse or lowering your standards. It's about being smart with your training. It's about working with neuroscience instead of against it.
Start today. Before your next training session, just observe. Assess where your horse is emotionally. Then adjust your plan accordingly.
Your horse will thank you for it.
Resources to Help You Succeed
For comprehensive training in the engagement zone: Download the FREE Kandoo Training App or subscribe to Kandoo GOLD for full access to modules on emotional level management with detailed video demonstrations: https://www.kandooequine.com/store
For community support: Join the FREE Kandoo Community Hub and connect with other trainers committed to reinforcement-focused, evidence-based training: https://www.kandooequine.com/store
For off-the-track horses: Many ex-racehorses struggle with emotional regulation due to their racing histories. Try the FREE Race-2-Ride trial course: https://www.kandooequine.com/race2ride-trial
About the Author: Kate Fenner works in equine education and content creation through Kandoo Equine, focusing on evidence-based horse training and equitation science. Her work translates scientific research into accessible content for horse owners, trainers, and equine professionals.
