What is the purpose of teaching a horse to yield to pressure?

Teaching a horse to yield to pressure is one of the most fundamental lessons in ground training, and it underlies virtually every other skill the horse will ever learn. In nature, horses respond to pressure by pushing into it — a natural survival instinct that helps them escape predators and assert themselves within the herd. Training a horse to move away from pressure rather than into it reverses this instinct and creates the foundation for communication between horse and handler. Yielding to pressure teaches the horse that discomfort has a solution — moving in the direction being asked — and that the release of that pressure is his reward for correct movement. This pressure-and-release system is the basis of all classical horsemanship, whether applied through a halter, a rope, a leg, a rein, or a spur. Once a horse understands that moving away from pressure brings relief, he can generalize that understanding to new situations and new aids much more quickly than a horse that has never learned the concept. The practical benefits of a horse that yields well are extensive. A horse that moves his hindquarters away from pressure can be positioned safely during grooming, veterinary care, and farrier work. A horse that yields his shoulders can be steered through tight spaces on the ground. A horse that flexes laterally to poll pressure will be easier to supple and bend under saddle. Every directional aid a rider gives is essentially a request to yield — move this body part away from this pressure — so a horse that already understands yielding has a massive head start on ridden work. Yielding to pressure also develops mental softness and responsiveness. A horse that has learned to search for and find the release becomes a thinking, cooperative partner rather than a horse that simply endures or resists what is being asked of him.