Lucas G Truax Here's what Google says: Learned helplessness is a mental state where someone feels unable to control their situation after experiencing repeated negative stimuli. People with learned helplessness may avoid making decisions, give up easily, or have low motivation.
I think that many of the people throwing this term around in the social media horse world aren't using it in the proper context. Applying it to horses that perform as a result of a proper training regimen isn't consistent with the above definition. I think it applies more to horses that have given up on trying to communicate with the person "training" them because they haven't had any success. They just sort of go through the motions. I find that these horses are the most heavy, dull, and unresponsive types. I do think it has a lot to do with desensitization and is often mistaken for a safe or broke horse when the opposite is actually true. Just my humble observation.
Replied on Well I started my 2 youngsters on the...
17 Jan 06:09
Stephen Gowling it sounds great! If you need more forward remember to get it before asking for flexion. That way they don't get confused.