01/03/2026
For the past 20 years I’ve been practicing horsemanship.
Recently I’ve seen a surge of flag work and groundwork videos online.
Many look impressive. Many look controlled.
But very few explain what can go wrong.
A horse that is “okay with a flag” is not the same as a horse that has processed the emotion the flag creates.
There is a big difference between:
• A horse that tolerates pressure
• And a horse that understands and regulates pressure
When flag work is done incorrectly:
• You can create brace instead of softness
• Suppression instead of confidence
• Delayed explosions instead of real desensitisation
• And serious safety risks for handlers
What worries me most is not the horses that are calm on video.
It’s the ones that aren’t being shown —
The reactive horses.
The emotionally sensitive horses.
The ones that internalise and then express later.
Flag work isn’t about waving plastic.
It’s about understanding:
• Timing
• Release
• Emotional thresholds
• Spatial pressure
• Energy management
• And handler awareness
Over the coming months I’ll be sharing real training sessions — including horses that struggle — and walking through:
• What I look for
• Where it can go wrong
• How to prevent escalation
• How to build true confidence instead of compliance
This isn’t about criticism.
It’s about raising standards and keeping people safe.
Horsemanship isn’t performance.
It’s responsibility.
If you’re serious about understanding the psychology behind flag work — not just the optics — stay tuned.
— Brian
