Softness, Acceptance, Balance, Rhythm
From Horseman's Academy by Lundahl Performance Horses
September 4, 2025 · 43 min · Season 5 · Episode 4
About this episode
Jake breaks down the concept of 'feel and timing' for riders using the four-factor awareness model: Softness, Acceptance, Balance, Rhythm (SABR).
"Feel and timing” is a mysterious concept for many riders because no one ever explains what it actually is, or how to grow it. In this episode, Jake breaks it down into what he calls the " four-factor awareness model" — Softness, Acceptance, Balance, Rhythm (SABR). These four layers act like tumblers on a combination lock: at first you just reward basic physical compliance, then mental relaxation, then true balance, and finally rhythm as the capstone. SABR gives you a roadmap, both for teaching any maneuver and refining your own feel in the saddle. If you’ve ever wondered how expert trainers seem to “just know,” this episode decodes the structure behind that awareness.
People in this episode
Host: Jake
Topics covered
- Softness
- Acceptance
- Balance
- Rhythm
- Feel and timing
- Riding techniques
Keywords
- riding
- training
- maneuver
- expert trainers
More episodes of Horseman's Academy
- The Turning Point Into True Collection · September 4, 2025 · 35 min
- The Three Evolutions Of Pressure · September 3, 2025 · 39 min
- Identify the "Try" — The Hidden Language of Navigating Uncertainty · May 28, 2025 · 48 min
- Taking a Performance Horse from "Foundation" to "Finesse".... FASTER · February 27, 2023 · 1h 48m
- Never Get Bucked Off Again · June 29, 2022 · 44 min
- Livestream With Fire & Ice Horses · May 11, 2022 · 1h 29m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Horseman's Academy podcast page.