Like humans, horses experience stress, are frequently startled and can develop chronically contracted muscles that produce consistent postural patterns across all breeds, disciplines and continents. These postural reflexes were first identified and named by Thomas Hanna for his work with humans, but both these characteristic postures and the reflexes that produce them can be observed across animal species, as observed by Eleanor Criswell when she created Equine and Canine Hanna Somatics®.

Once these patterns become habituated (aka learned), they become part of the horses 'new normal' baseline and can persist for years.

The Red Light Reflex produces the posture of withdrawal.

This posture shows up when a horse is withdrawing from their reality, usually because they cannot escape confinement or pain, and is commonly referred to as "shut down" or "introverted."

Contractions below the vertebral column produce spinal flexion, a camped under limb position, roached lumbar spine or 'roached back' and frequently a shortened ventral line with abdominal muscles that perform poorly.

When the Red Light Reflex is repeated enough to become habituated into the horse's default posture, their attitude and athletic ability typically decline.

Horses stuck in the Red Light Reflex tend to be low-energy, stiff movers who drag their feet, have difficulty pushing off and often develop NPA in their hind hooves. These horses are often labeled "lazy" or aloof, when in fact they are experiencing symptoms of depression and Learned Helplessness.

RESOURCES

Criswell, E. & Mayer, A. (2006-2025) Equine Hanna Somatics® Professional Training Program Manual

Hanna, T. (1988) Somatics - Reawakening the Mind’s Control of Movement, Flexibility and Health. Da Capo Press