My friend and trainer says we are an "instant" generation. We expect fast results, love to shortcut long process in our quest to gain more time...for what? We talk fast, get our news in sound bites to pass on to others without involving the thought process necessary to test the truth. Cut to the chase! That's our motto! I am guilty as the next guy, but am learning that with horses, one has to slow down and think.
I was impressed, while doing some research on Albert Einstein, about something he said. He humbly said that he wasn't that much smarter about solving problems, he just spent more time thinking about them. It is a lengthy process to train a horse and it really never ends as we continue to improve or deteriorate our relationship with them every time we have any contact with them. It is the little things that matter to a horse. It is not how good we are to them ( in human terms ), but rather how good we are with them, by understanding what they need and providing their need for leadership, security and peace of mind.
This is why I maintain a view from the horse's perspective rather than from what is expected, by humans in the upper levels of playing a sport that involves horses. One does have to know all the rules and follow them to play the best game, but one should never forget where the horse is coming from in this quest to be the best in sport.
