The Difference Between Control and Understanding

Hola everyone

We’ve all heard the comparison between a boss and a leader.

The boss commands. Demands. Pressures. And gets results.

The leader, on the other hand, lights something within the other. Inspires. Guides. And also gets results.

From the outside, both paths may seem to lead to the same destination. But they don’t. One leaves scars. The other leaves footprints.

The same happens with animals. The cat is born free. It stays with you if it chooses to not because it needs to. The dog gives itself completely, with a loyalty so deep it sometimes borders on surrender. And the horse… what about the horse?

The horse lives between those two worlds. It has the sensitivity of one who wants to trust, and the instinct of one who must survive. It doesn’t give itself out of habit. Nor does it stay out of submission. It stays if invited with truth. It gives itself if it’s truly heard.

There are two ways to train a horse: One is through control. The other, through understanding. Control is pressure, repetition, insistence until the body gives in. Understanding is observation, dialogue, and building until the soul says “yes.”

The horse trained through force may appear obedient. But inside, it’s absent. The horse trained with respect may appear free even in the most advanced exercises. And it is. Because it chose to be there.

That’s the difference. Technique? Anyone can learn it. It’s in books. But true art lives in the invisible: in the shared silence, the synchronized breath, the moment the horse looks for you without being called.

That can’t be taught. It can only be felt. And once you’ve felt it, you will never see a horse the same way again.

Isaac Ares

Legal Disclaimer:

This document expresses an independent professional analysis based on research and biomechanical observation. It aims to promote functional, ethical, and welfare-oriented equestrian practice. It does not refer to any specific rider, horse, event, or governing body.