Good point by Reinin, which I touched on, with you at times giving the horse decision making, where you yourself are not sure, trusting his better instinct, BUT, the horse always waiting for you to give him that decision making, not ever taking control himself.
Thus, we often ride where esp in spring, there are deep muddy holes in a forestry trail, but where i know there is a bottom, even if the horse cannot see one.
In that case, I expect my horse to go through it, trusting my judgement
We also ride through thick willows in the mountains, and in grizzly bear country. Thus, on a horse I trust, who usually goes ahead on that trail through the willows, even if he does so on alert, esp when they are being blown by the wind, stops and does not want to go forward, I do not insist, as he well might have become aware of a bear
Yes, you have to know your horse, and have good communication, as there is a fine line between giving a horse the benefit of the doubt in the right circumstance, and allowing the hrose to dictate where he will or will not ride
Sometimes, we have to cross abog, although I avoid them like the plague, but if you are on a long loop ride, and going back will add 10 miles or more, and it is getting dark, you have no choice
The muddy churned up part, is where wild hroses and other game have crossed, so you know there is bottom, even if your horse sinks to his belly in spots.
The un touched parts of that bog, on the sides of the trail through, look appealing to a horse, being mossy and green, looking more solid, and a horse,esp one that has not been exposed much to bogs, will try to head there. It is very important that a horse then trusts and respects you enough, to go through that obviously muddy boggy trail, and does not panic,w hen he sinks some, trying to plunge to that green area, and thus deeper into the bog
Had that happen once, on that mare I bought off the track. She got into a bog, my husband had already crossed on his hrose, panicked, and plunged in deeper, going down and cutting her one leg on some submerged sharp branch
On the other hand, I have wound up riding out in the dark, on a trail that involves many river crossings back and forth, where that trail is difficult to pick up and find, in day light , on the opposite side. I have given my horse her head, and she un erringly crossed in the right spots, picking up the trail on the opposite side of that river again, through the trees