A horse is always trying to do what it is thinking. So when a horse thinks to do something you want, it looks like you did nothing. There is no more important principle in good horsemanship.
I have horses because I like them. I ride and teach because I like horses. I trained horses for people for many years because I like horses. I see them either as friends or as friends-to-be that need help.
I am often asked why I do something a certain way in my training. Most teachers have at least some students who probe a little below the surface. But a question I am rarely asked is, "Why don’t you do it a different way?".
With horses, the source of their worry and anxiety is a lack of clarity. I’m trying hard to think of an exception to this premise, but nothing comes to mind.
