ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY ABIGAIL BOATWRIGHT
A “soft feel” can mean many things to a horseman. From the rider’s ability to communicate with the horse through rein and body cues, to the horse responding to those cues, this term encompasses the dialogue between both parties.
For AQHA Professional Horseman Allen Walton, a soft feel is when your horse easily responds to your direction. But this doesn’t happen automatically-a horse’s natural inclination is to resist pressure. To encourage the optimum communication between you and your horse, Walton has a few exercises he recommends.