Teaching Modulation of Pressure

Riding is all about communication—and most of that communication happens through pressure and release. Riders give signals to their horse using their hands, legs, seat, and (from the ground) with space. The challenge is that riders have different sensory sensitivities, meaning what feels “light” to one person may feel completely different to another! Horses also have their own sensitivity levels—some are more sensitive than others— so the amount and quality of pressure we use matters tremendously.

Teaching riders how to apply and respond to pressure in a horse-appropriate way makes the horse more comfortable, makes communication more effective, and keeps everyone safer. Let me share with you how I teach this as a skill!

Why Modulating Pressure Matters

• Every rider perceives pressure differently—what feels light to one rider may feel very strong to another.
• Learning to vary pressure builds body awareness, control, and confidence.
• Practicing modulation helps riders give clear signals without overwhelming or confusing the horse.

One of the biggest factors in teaching this successfully is helping riders name, feel, and compare different levels of pressure. Labeling these with your riders in simple relatable scales is critical and it can be done in a million different ways to suit your riders needs.

For example:

• Light / Medium / Strong
• 1 / 2 / 3
• Feather / Cup / Bowling ball (holding or pulling)
• Pushing a Ball / Wheelbarrow / Car
• Holding a balloon / Squeezing a balloon / Popping a balloon

This kind of exploration builds a relatable awareness to help you and your riders align your communication to be used as reference points when working with their horse.

Pressure Types & Example Exercises

1. Leg Pressure

Unmounted:

• Squeeze a large exercise ball using light, medium, and strong pressure.
• Have the rider sit in a chair and gently press their legs against your hands to explore intensity.

Mounted:

• Have the rider press lightly into the stirrup or against your hand at their ankle to experience different levels of leg pressure.
  

2. Rein / Hand Pressure

Unmounted:

• Use a strip of high-quality toilet paper to explore:
  • No contact
  • Light pressure
  • Too much pressure (it tears!)
• Fun fact: Good-quality toilet paper holds about 2–3 lbs of pressure before breaking—perfect for practicing ideal rein pressure.

Mounted:

• Stand at the horse’s head and hold the reins (protecting the horse’s mouth).
• Have the rider practice “take and release” to feel communication without pulling.
  

3. Seat Pressure

Unmounted:

• Sit on a therapy ball or chair with hands under the seat bones.
• Rock forward/back and side-to-side to feel how pressure shifts.
• Explore full weight on the seat bones vs. a lighter seat supported by the legs.

Mounted:

• Have the rider experiment with a lighter seat vs. more weighted seat at the walk or trot.
• Notice how this changes balance and horse response.
  

4. Spatial / Proximal Pressure

Unmounted:

• Play a “hot and cold” movement game to show how proximity communicates direction.
• Try “What’s my next move?”—rider predicts your direction based on posture and intention.
• Demonstrate spatial “bubbles”:
  • Too close (“hot” or overwhelming)
  • Appropriate communication distance
  • Too far (“cold” or disengaged)

Mounted:

• Have the rider experiment with small posture changes (lean, shoulder direction) and observe how their proximity and orientation influence the horse’s attention or way of going.
  

5. Tempo & Timing

Unmounted:

• Dribble a basketball focusing on tempo.
• Slow the tempo by emphasizing the pause (like the seat returning to the saddle).
• Speed it up by emphasizing the push.

Mounted:

• Ride to a metronome or adjustable music tempo.
• Practice influencing the horse’s rhythm with the seat.
  

How to Practice Modulation

• Start off-horse to safely explore different pressures.
• Notice how each level of pressure feels—both giving and receiving.
• Label pressure levels clearly (soft, medium, firm).
• Transfer the same ideas onto the horse using hands, legs, seat, and body position.
• Observe, reflect, adjust, and repeat.
• Integrate modulation practice into all riding aids regularly.