20. Let them run...

Our dear friend, the horse is an animal of breathtaking beauty and biological brilliance. With four powerful legs, a massive heart, and the ability to reach speeds of up to 50 kilometer's per hour, every part of the horse’s body is designed for movement. They’re built not just for short bursts of speed but also for long-distance endurance.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE GALLOP

When a horse gallops, something extraordinary happens inside their body. Their internal organs move rhythmically with the motion of their stride - literally shifting backward and forward to support circulation and oxygen flow. It’s a built-in mechanism for health and vitality.

Galloping isn’t just play - it’s how a horse maintains physical balance and well-being. When a horse “opens up” into a full gallop and finds that second gear, you can feel it - the surge, the freedom, the pure joy. Stay long enough in that rhythm, and you might even feel them reach what can only be described as “warp speed,” where their lungs, muscles, and spirit move as one.

THE HORSES THAT NEVER GET TO RUN

Now pause for a moment - how many horses live their entire lives without ever experiencing this? Many have never truly galloped for minutes on end, never had the space to stretch, breathe, and move freely.

Even horses turned out in pastures may only manage a few strides before they reach the fence line and must turn back. Their environment restricts them, their bodies quietly longing for what they were built to do - run.

THE COST OF SUPPRESSION

When a horse can’t release energy naturally, we often see the signs in other ways. A sudden buck, a playful spook, a wild roll - these are all moments of self-maintenance, where the horse is trying to keep their body and mind healthy.

Yet too often, that energy is suppressed. Instead of allowing expression, some riders respond by tying heads down with side reins or gadgets, forcing the horse into “frames” that limit movement and even oxygen flow. The more the head is restricted, the less air they receive - the quieter they become, not because they are calm, but because they are drained.

Control gained through suppression is not harmony. It’s survival.

LEARNING FROM OUR PAST

Many of us have been there - using tools or techniques we later regret. I certainly have. But growth comes from understanding, forgiving ourselves, and choosing differently. The goal is not submission, but expression - allowing the horse to move, to release, to be themselves.

When we deny this, we take away not only their physical health but their spirit.

SAFE WAYS TO LET THEM RUN

Letting a horse move freely doesn’t mean chaos or recklessness. It means reading your horse, knowing their energy levels, and creating safe conditions for them to let go.

Maybe it’s a gallop in the forest, maybe it’s a few joyful laps in the round pen. The goal isn’t to chase them, but to allow them. Horses need moments to express, to play, to move all four gaits - walk, trot, canter, gallop - with balance and freedom.

If you find yourself unable to safely allow your horse to move freely, that’s a powerful moment of awareness. It may signal the need to work on trust, confidence, and communication - for both of you.

WHEN HORSES LIVE AS HORSES

I once observed wild horses in the dunes of the Netherlands, and later, in the vast open ranges of Texas. There wasn’t a blade of grass or hay in sight - only sparse desert plants and miles of sandy ground. Yet these horses were the picture of health: strong, fit, glowing with vitality.

They live without human interference - no daily feed schedules, no restrictive gear, no arenas. They didn’t even drink water every day, yet they thrived. Their strength came from what nature intended: movement, balance, freedom.

A CALL TO RECOGNISE WHAT THEY NEED

In our modern world, horses rely on us for everything - food, water, shelter, and exercise. We’ve taken control of their environment, so we must also take responsibility for replacing what they’ve lost.

Allowing them to move, to run, to play - even occasionally is not a luxury. It’s a biological and emotional necessity. Suppression may look like control, but it’s slowly eroding the very essence of the horse.

If they cannot run, they are not truly being a horse.

So, let’s give them what their body and soul crave most.
 Let them move.
 Let them play.
Let them run.

Have questions OR need support with your horsemanship?

🌐 Learn with me online  HERE
📲 Follow me @getgoodwithhorses on Instagram, Facebook & TikTok.

🎧 Listen to the related podcast: