I have a question, a theoretical question. Before we begin I should say that I don't believe there is a right or wrong answer. So my question is ...

Do methods matter? Or if you want to broaden the question, does the end justify the means?

When I see a horse working in an arena that is soft, relaxed, and doing its best with a minimum of anxiety and feeling no worse than it did grazing in the paddock with friends, does it matter what training methods were used to train that horse?

Conversely, when I see a horse being worked that is well educated but hates the work, shows a fair degree of anxiety, is trying to do the minimum to keep out of trouble, does it matter what training methods were used to train that horse.

What if I told you the soft, relaxed horse was trained using methods that are counter to every principle of good horsemanship and every rule of our understanding of how horses learn and operate and by a harsh and inconsiderate trainer who used punishment as his key training tool?

And does it matter, if the troubled horse was trained with methods widely regarded as the kindest, gentlest, and most effective approach and by a trainer with immense skill and widely considered the best in the business?

I am often asked my opinion of other trainers. My opinion is never shaped by the methods that another horse person applies. Never. It is always on how I see the horse responding. I am less concerned about the precision of the performance than I am about what the horse is thinking and feeling. The thoughts and the emotions of the horse is the most important indicator of the quality of the training. Anybody can learn to teach a horse how to do stuff. But it takes real skill to teach them what to think and how to feel okay about the work.

Many people seem so pre-occupied with methods. They love the trainers who have the "right" method and direct hate and venom toward trainers who advocate alternative methods.

So I ask.

Is the end result less important than the journey? Or does the end justify the means? Do methods matter?