The only people we knew who had horses were a few family friends when I was a kid, who lived way out in the boonies and we’d drive to see them in the summertime.
I really wanted to like the horses, but the feeling was not mutual. They sensed I wasn’t a rural kid, and would “act up” for my benefit. One that I was attempting to ride ignored where I wanted him to go, but instead took me to a grove of trees and scraped me off his back with the low hanging branches. One simply would not go anywhere. Another kicked me before I even tried to get on. So I did not grow up as a horse lover, though I still admired them from a distance.
SLIDE:
Ha. Yes, they do know when you are hesitant. You have to be the alpha. We got my first horse when I was quite young, but old enough to have read all the black stallion books. So while I was likely too ignorant to be scared, I always thought I was the boss.
And when the horse is taking you where you don’t want to go, you have to set your arm and pull that head around - the body follows the head. And of course a quick flick of the reins, or poke with the heels may also be useful.