Is Ultra‑Slow Training Helping… or Holding Us Back?

“Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”

This phrase has followed me through many parts of my life, but nowhere does it feel more relevant—or more misunderstood—than in horse training.

We often hear slow down as the antidote to rushing, tension, and confusion. And yes, rushing can absolutely create brace. But I want to open a deeper conversation around this idea:

👉 Can moving too slowly also create brace?

👉 And are we sometimes mistaking stillness and micro‑control for quality movement?

Because when we zoom out and look at both biomechanics and nervous systems—human and equine—the answer appears to be yes.

When “Slow” Stops Being Helpful

In many academic or highly technical training methodologies, there is a strong emphasis on micro‑adjustments:

• Move one joint

• Isolate one muscle

• Change direction by a fraction

• Hold a near‑stationary position while refining details

• Or super hyper focussed on moving one muscle 1 degree!

In theory, this makes sense. Precision matters. Awareness matters.

But in practice—especially when taken too far—it can tip us into a place of unnecessary muscular holding.

Think about your own body for a moment.

Have you ever:

• Tried to move extremely slowly and felt yourself holding your breath?

• Noticed tension creeping in just to maintain the movement?

• Felt bored, disconnected, or mentally “floaty” while your body subtly stiffened?

What often happens is muscle co‑contraction—where opposing muscles activate at the same time—not because the task requires it, but because the nervous system is working overtime to stabilise something that isn’t naturally fluid.

And this is where slow can stop being smooth.

Brace Isn’t Always Loud

Brace doesn’t always look like resistance, tail swishing, or obvious tension. Sometimes brace is quiet. Polite. Almost invisible.

In horses, it can show up as:

• A fixed topline despite “correct” positioning

• Reduced swing through the back

• Holding their breath or very shallow breathing

• Loss of rhythm or elasticity

• The horse feeling heavy, sticky, or oddly disconnected

• Movements that look controlled but feel effortful

• Pulling through their hind legs rather than pushing (just a smaller delay in distributing the weight into the hindquarters)

• Mentally switching off because the ask to move is so micro (thereby potentially losing their awareness of you)

If we ask a horse to move at a speed that is too close to stillness, they may have to brace simply to organise themselves. Just like us. (Think almost like a walk-canter transition badly prepared!)

What the Science Suggests (in Humans)

While direct studies on horses and ultra‑slow training are limited, human motor control research gives us very relevant clues.

1. Slow, Near‑Static Movement Increases Co‑Contraction

Research shows that when movements are uncertain, overly controlled, or lack momentum, the nervous system often increases muscle co‑contraction to stabilise the task. This increases stiffness rather than efficiency. [journals.plos.org]

2. Co‑Contraction Is Useful—But Context‑Dependent

Co‑contraction helps in early learning or unstable conditions, but as skill improves, efficient movers reduce unnecessary muscle activity. When it persists, it can limit flow and adaptability. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov], [jneurosci.org]

3. Very Slow Movements Can Reduce Motor Efficiency

Studies show that excessive pre‑movement co‑contraction is linked to poorer performance and higher effort, even when accuracy appears high. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

4. Continuous, Smooth Motion Improves Coordination

Somatic and motor‑learning approaches (including Feldenkrais‑based research) suggest that gentle, continuous movement improves coordination and reduces unnecessary muscular tone by keeping the nervous system engaged without over‑stabilising. (Think like Tai Chi!) [feldenkrai...ournal.org]

What About Horses?

Horses are movement animals. Their musculoskeletal system is designed for rhythmic, cyclical locomotion, not prolonged near‑isometric control.

Equine biomechanics research consistently shows that:

• Flow and rhythm support spinal motion

• Elastic loading and release improve soundness

• Excessive stiffness increases strain rather than strength [pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

So while we can’t directly say “this exact study proves it,” the principles carry across species.

👉 A horse that must brace to hold movement together is not developing efficient biomechanics

👉 A horse allowed to move with slow, steady, continuous flow can often organise their body more effectively

Personal Experience

At a clinic I attended, I was engaged in in-hand work with the instructor, focusing on getting Maestro to shift just 2mm (yes, two millimeters) on his inside shoulder. (Like rocking slightly on the spot.) Being curious and eager to understand the reasoning, I asked about the benefits or reasons for such precise micro-movements and how they would assist Maestro, a 17.1hh heavy-bred horse. The instructor couldn't provide an explanation for this level of detail, and Maestro became restless, wanting to move on and return to his "tai chi" flow. This led me to question the application and validity of such micro-ultra slow movement, which prompted this blog to explore the topic further.

Reframing the Mantra

So perhaps the mantra isn’t about slowness at all.

Slow is smooth when:

• The movement has continuity

• There is rhythm, not hesitation

• The nervous system stays regulated

And smooth is fast because:

• Smoothness reduces wasted effort

• Flow allows adaptation

• Efficiency builds strength without tension

• Allowing the smoothness to be increased at a controlled rate

The goal isn’t less movement.

The goal is better movement.

Finding the Right Speed: A Practical Checklist

Instead of asking “Am I going slow enough?”, try asking:

✅ Physical Signs

• Does the movement stay rhythmical?

• Is there visible elasticity rather than holding?

• Can the horse adjust without losing balance?

✅ Nervous System Clues

• Is breathing regular (yours and the horse’s)?

• Does the horse stay curious and present?

• Is there soft focus rather than shutdown?

✅ Effort vs Ease

• Does the movement feel sustainable?

• Can you repeat it without fatigue or loss of quality?

• Does it improve with repetition rather than degrade?

✅ Adjustability

• Can you slightly speed up or slow down without brace appearing?

• Can you change direction smoothly?

• Does the horse offer more, not less, over time?

If brace appears:

• Slightly increase flow before adding complexity

• Reduce micromanagement

• Re‑establish rhythm first, refinement second

When you notice the brace, it indicates that the horse has reached its current limit in terms of performance quality. This doesn't imply that the horse won't be able to achieve more in the future; it's simply the extent of its biomechanical capability today. By focusing on enhancing your horse's movement quality, over time, this brace signal will most likely occur later in the range of the movements or duration you are training.

For instance, if you're aiming to have the horse execute a proper back-up, you might start by encouraging the horse to engage and lift the pectorals to initiate the thoracic movement. At first, you may only succeed in engaging one pectoral for half a second. However, with consistent and quality practice, your horse will eventually be able to engage the pectorals and lift the thoracic region more smoothly and quickly, perhaps in a few months. This would then enable the horse to perform a quality, brace-free, balanced back-up in the longer term.

Opening the Conversation

This isn’t about dismissing slow work, academic methods, or precision. Many of them are invaluable.

It is about questioning whether:

• Stillness has replaced movement

• Control has replaced coordination

• Slowness has replaced smoothness

What if, instead of moving closer to stationary, we aimed for slow, steady, unbroken flow—where biomechanics are enhanced rather than constrained?

In modern academic training methods, an example of this is seen when, at a halt, a horse is encouraged to slightly shift its weight backward on a micro-scale. This minor adjustment, like a small rock at the halt, is rewarded through the process of asking, slight shifting, and stopping. The horse may not have moved its legs or engaged many muscle groups. In contrast, if the horse is walking and transitions smoothly into a halt, engages the thoracic sling for a backup, and then transitions back to walking without stopping or tensing, it resembles Tai Chi for horses. The goal is to maintain fluidity without starting and stopping during the movement.

I’d Love Your Thoughts

• Have you noticed brace appear when movements get too slow?

• Where do you find the sweet spot between speed and ease?

• How do you recognise when refinement becomes restriction?

• What are your thoughts on the 'too slow = brace' theory/query?

Let’s explore this together—because in my experience, the most powerful training often happens between the extremes.

✅🐴