Natural Horsemanship is based on a horse’s natural instincts and methods of communication. It works because horses do not learn through fear or pain, but rather from pressure and the release of pressure. The basic technique is to apply a pressure of some kind to the horse as a “cue” for an action and then release the pressure as soon as the horse responds, either by doing what was asked for, or by doing something that could be understood as a step towards the requested action.
Natural Horsemanship originates from the gentler cowboy traditions, particularly those most closely associated with the “California” or vaquero horseman.